Autism is a severely handicapping disorder which begins at birth or within the first two-and-a-half years of life.

For many years, autism occurred in about five children per 10 000 live births. However, since the early 1990s, the rate of autism has increased enormously throughout the world, so that figures as high as 60 per 10 000 are being reported. The reasons for the increase are being debated, but the most likely cause appears to be the over-vaccination of infants.

Most autistic children are perfectly normal in appearance, but spend their time engaged in puzzling and disturbing behaviours which are markedly different from those of normal children. They may stare into space for hours, throw uncontrollable tantrums, show no interest in people (including their parents) and pursue strange, repetitive activities with no apparent purpose.

They have been described as living in a world of their own.

Some autistic individuals are remarkably gifted in certain areas such as music or mathematics, as depicted in the film Rain Man. All need help.

What is the cause?

The causes of autism are poorly understood, although it is clear that autism is a biological brain disorder. The Autism Research Institute in California, United States, is investigating various possible causal factors.

What is the outlook?

In recent years there has been a marked increase in the percentage of children who have been able to attend school with normal children, and live more or less independently in community settings. However, the majority of autistic persons remain severely handicapped in their ability to communicate and socialise with other people.

Dr Bernard Rimland of the Autism Research Institute reported:

“Nothing is more difficult for the parents of autistic children to tolerate than self-injurious and assaultive behaviour (SIB/A). SIB/A behaviours are unpleasant to observe, to think about, or to discuss, but they do exist, and must be dealt with.

“Some autistic children hit their heads against walls or floors so hard that they have fractured their skulls, detached their retinas, or caused deafness.

“Others hit themselves with their fists or their knees so hard that they have broken noses, deformed ears, and even blinded themselves. Some children bite themselves and others, and hit other children and their parents with such violence they have broken bones.

“The first approach, when one is confronted with SIB/A, is to try to determine why the child is engaging in those activities. Is it pain or frustration that is causing the child to strike out at himself or at others?

“One non-verbal child was severely self-injurious from age two to 18, when it was discovered that he had been suffering from a very painful mastoid infection. Many medical examinations had failed to disclose this source of severe pain.”