Posts tagged ‘Autism Central PA’
Breaking the cycle: Partnership in care changes the world of autism
In the wake of an autism diagnosis−one of the most puzzling of human conditions−a family’s journey to create order out of chaos begins.
Researchers estimate that as many as one in 110 people currently live with what’s now known as autism spectrum disorder, a developmental disability that occurs in young children. For reasons that scientists have yet to determine, the incidence of this condition has been rising for decades.
“In part, our ability to identify and diagnose individuals with autism has improved,” says Michael J. Murray, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and director of the Division of Autism Studies at Penn State College of Medicine.
“Additionally, the diagnostic criteria have been expanded to include higher functioning individuals,” adds Susan Mayes, Ph.D., a professor of psychiatry at the College of Medicine. “In the past, children who would not have been identified as having autism because their symptoms are mild and they are bright are now recognized as being on the spectrum.”
