Autism - A Guide for Understanding Autism

Book excerpt: You may have met an autistic child/adult and never realized that they had been diagnosed. You are not alone in your ignorance. Most people think that autistic people are mentally retarded or have learning disabilities. This is incorrect. Autism is a complicated disorder that affects children from three years of age to conception. The disorder is neurological in origin and affects areas of your brain that enable communication and social interaction. A person who is autistic would not be able to see it, such as a child or adult, might consider them mentally disabled or retarded.