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* This condition is not a rare disease. It is a condition about which the GARD Information Center has received a question.

Autism *
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Autism is a disorder of development that lasts throughout a person’s life.  It is sometimes called a developmental disability because is usually starts before age three, in the developmental period, and because it causes delays or problems in many different skills that arise from infancy to adulthood.[1]  The main symptoms of autism involve impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual, repetitive or severely limited activities and interests.  Because different people with autism can have very different features or symptoms, health care providers think of autism as a “spectrum” disorder – a group of disorders with a range of similar features.  Based on an individuals specific strengths and weaknesses, people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may have mild symptoms or more serious symptoms.[2] 

References
  1. Defining Autism. Autism Society of America. Available at: http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_whatis_home. Accessed December 6, 2007.
  2. Autism Fact Sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. November 13, 2007 Available at: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm. Accessed December 6, 2007.

Questions & Answers (Found 3 Questions)
A list of questions from the public on rare and/or genetic diseases that have been answered by the Genetic and Rare Disease Information Center. Click on each question to find the answer.
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For more information about Autism click on the boxes below:
More Detailed Information NLM Gateway Services Support Groups Clinical Trials & Research
 General | Management Guidelines | Selected Full-Text Journal Articles | Diagrams/Images
More Detailed Information (Found 10 resources)
Links where you can find more general information, comprehensive resources, selected full text journal articles, and news updates

  • General

    • eMedicine provides information on this topic. Click on the link to view this information. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free
    • The Genetic Alliance is an international coalition comprised of more than 600 advocacy, research and health care organizations representing millions of individuals with genetic conditions. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
    • MedlinePlus, a Web site designed by the National Library of Medicine Web site to help you research your health questions, provides more information about this topic. Click on the link to view this information.
    • The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library provides information on this condition. Click on the link to view the information.
    • The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has links to information on autism on its Health Information Web page.  Click on the NIH link to learn more.
    • The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database contains genetics resources that discuss Autism. Click on the link to go to OMIM and review these resources.
    • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Autism. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.
  • Management Guidelines

    • GeneReviews provides current, expert-authored, peer-reviewed, full-text articles describing the application of genetic testing to the diagnosis, management, and genetic counseling of patients with specific inherited conditions. Click on the link to view the article on this topic.
  • Selected Full-Text Journal Articles

  • Diagrams/Images

    • The Autism Speaks has developed a new Video Glossary, an innovative web-based tool designed to help parents and professionals learn more about the early red flags and diagnostic features of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This glossary contains more than 150 video clips and is free of charge.
 
NLM Gateway (Found 1 resource)
A tool to search across multiple resources offered on the National Library of Medicine's Website

    • NLM Gateway allows users to search many resources offered on the National Library of Medicine's Web site at once to quickly find more information about this condition. Some of the resources may be a duplicate of the resources listed on this page. To search NLM Gateway, click on the link; the condition name will already be in the search box, so you can just click the “Search” button.
 
Services (Found 1 resource)
Links to Web sites that offer services, such as tools to locate specialists, specialty clinics, genetic services, and genetic testing laboratories

  • Testing

    • GeneTests lists laboratories offering clinical genetic testing for this condition. Clinical genetic tests are ordered to help diagnose a person or family and to aid in decisions regarding medical care or reproductive issues. Talk to your health care provider or a genetic professional to learn more about your testing options.
 Umbrella Organizations | Disease-Specific Organizations | Live Chat/E-mail Lists | Parent Matching Organizations
Support Groups (Found 11 resources)
Groups providing a wide range of services, supportive resources, and information

  • Umbrella Organizations

  • Disease-Specific Organizations

  • Live Chat/E-mail Lists

    • The National Organization of Rare Disorders (NORD) has partnered with Inspire.com to launch an online community for people with rare diseases called The NORD Rare Disease Community. This community connects medical patients, family members, caregivers, and professionals. Click on The NORD Rare Disease Community to learn more.
    • RareShare is an online social hub dedicated to patients, families and healthcare professionals affected by rare medical disorders. Click on RareShare to learn more.
  • Parent Matching Organizations

 
Clinical Trials & Research (Found 4 resources)
Resources where you may find research studies and clinical trials

    • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are studying or have studied Autism. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.
    • The Autism Speaks organization has information about the many opportunities that are available for families who want to participate in autism research. Click on the link to learn more about the way families can participate.
    • GeneTests lists laboratories offering research genetic testing for this condition. Research genetic tests may be used to find disease-causing genes, learn how genes work, or aid in the understanding of a genetic disorder. In many cases test results are not shared with the patient or physician. Talk to your health care provider or a genetic professional to learn more about research testing for this condition.
    • The National Database for Autism Research (NDAR) is a collaborative biomedical informatics system being created by the National Institute of Health (NIH) to provide a national resource to support and accelerate research in autism.

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