Different Forms of Autism

There are five different types of autism, it is important to understand the various types in order to understand possible causation and treatments.

1) Autistic Disorder: This is what everyone thinks of when they tend to hear the word autism. This form is found in children under the age of 3 and refers to those children who have problems with communication, social interaction and imaginative play.

2) Asperger's Syndrome: This is often called the high functioning form of autism, as these individuals have average to above average intellectual scores however, they still have the same social problems and interests problems as an autistic disorder child.

3) Rett Syndrome: This form is specific to females. These girls seem to develop normally but then start to developmentally decline from age 1-4, mainly noticed when purposeful hand motions are replaced with repetitive movements.

4) Childhood Integrative Disorder: These children develop normally for at least two years and then lose some or most of their communication and social skills.

5) Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD): This is a catch-all category for children who do not ideally fit into any of the other four previously mentioned autism forms.