When Does Autism Start? (cover story)

Focuses on research into the causes of autism, a developmental disorder. Report that one in 166 children is diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder; Importance of early diagnosis in autism; Launch of an autism-awareness campaign by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Possibility that children diagnosed with autism at a birth could retrain the brain for better function; Reference to a study conducted by the National Alliance for Autism Research and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in which researchers are studying the baby siblings of children with autism; Statement that researchers are looking for early physical markers of the disorder, such as rapid head growth; Differences in the early socialization skills of children with autism; Statement that autism stalls or prevents cognitive and social development; List of drugs used to treat autism; Reference to intensive therapy called Applied Behavior Analysis in which children with autism increased their intelligence quotients by 30 points; Use of alternative medicine to treat autism.