Strategies for Treating Children With Autism
By Travis Nelson, DDS, MSD, MPH, Jessica De Bord, DDS, MSD, MA
More than 700,000 children have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Approximately one in 68 children have ASD,1 making autism the most common developmental disorder in the United States. Autism is a spectrum disorder, with affected individuals displaying a variety of symptoms and severity.2 The most recent definition for ASD published in the American Psychological Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual states that impairment in social communication and restricted/repetitive interests and behaviors are the hallmarks of ASD (Table 1).3 Approximately 70% of children with autism have some speech ability, with more than 20% attaining fluency.4 Similarly, although most children with ASD continue living at home in adulthood, roughly one in 10 may grow up to live and work on their own (Table 2).1,5,6
* References can be found in the original article via the link below.
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