1. What is autism?
Autism is a developmental disability that severely hinders the way information is gathered and processed by the brain, causing problems in communication, learning and social behaviors. It typically appears during the child's first three years, occurs in roughly 15 to 20 of every 10,000 births and is four times more common in males than females. People with autism live normal life spans and some of the behaviors associated with it may change or disappear over time. Autism has been found throughout the world in families of all racial, ethnic and social backgrounds.

2. What are the causes of autism?
At this point in time we do not know what specifically causes autism so there is still no known cure. However, people with autism can and do get better. They can lead happy productive lives when appropriate treatment is begun.