Source: Daily Herald
Autism is an increasingly common medical condition that affects a child’s ability to develop social and communication skills. The number of children who are diagnosed with autism has increased dramatically over the past 20 years. Although there are no medications that directly treat autism, medications are used to treat specific symptoms like hyperactivity, depression and changes in mood. Two recent studies suggest that the dietary supplement, carnitine, may help treat the illness itself.
Autism is a disorder of the development of social and communication skills. The exact cause(s) have not been discovered. There seems to be a genetic link, but genetics alone cannot explain the rapid increase in autism over the past few decades. In the 1980s, autism was diagnosed in one child per thousand. Recent studies suggest that the rate of autism is now one in 110. One reason for the increase may be that the criteria for the diagnosis of autism changed since the 1980s. However, environmental factors cannot be ruled out.
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