Summary: Have scientists gotten any closer to finding a cure?According to Autism Speaks, autism affects over three million individuals in the U.S. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neuro-developmental disorder that is characterized by repetitive behavior, difficulty in social situations, trouble communicating verbally and non-verbally, and motor coordination. Symptoms usually begin before your child is three years old. These symptoms can include your child not responding to his or her name, lack of smiling or social responsiveness, loss of language or social skills, and obsessively lining up toys or objects. As your child gets older, there are other symptoms such as an impaired ability to make friends, impaired ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with other people, repetitive or unusual use of language, preoccupation with specific objects, and inflexible adherence to specific routines or rituals. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for autism, but there are approaches like diet modifications, therapy, and educational and non-medical interventions. What's the science behind autism? Shauna K. Young, PhD, CTN, joins Dr. Mike to discuss autism and the science behind the disorder.
