Autism

Autism an early childhood neurological developmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and language communication with repetitive behavior and bizarre responses to the environment. These signs usually begin before a child is three years old. It occurs four times more often in boys. Convulsion may be seen during puberty in 25% of affected children. The exact cause of brain dysfunction is still unknown. Life expectancy is normal in the autistic children and various types of therapies and treatments are now in use to improve their quality of life. Although the exact incidence of autism in Bangladesh is not known, in developed world it varies from 10 to 20 per 10000 children. Unless recently the common people were not well acquainted with the term 'Autism'. For the overall care and benefit of autistic children, few welfare societies and specialized schools are now available in Bangladesh. [MKI Quayyum Choudhury]