Autism

Autism (sometimes called “classical autism”) is the most common condition in a group of developmental disorders known as the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests. Other ASDs include Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (usually referred to as PDD-NOS). Experts estimate that three to six children out of every 1,000 will have autism. Males are four times more likely to have autism than females.

What is Autism?

Autism is not a single disease entity. It is part of a range of developmental disorders known as autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). They begin in childhood and last through adulthood.

Autism and Sleep Problems

The Reward System and Autism

Picky Eating and Autism: Tips & Advice

Autism Mechanism

Moving House with Autism: Reducing Stress & Anxiety

Autism Causes

Travelling with a Child Who Has Autism

Autism Related Conditions

Autism Prognosis

Autism Spectrum Disorder & Allergies

Autism History

See more featured articles »

Are Apraxia and Autism Related?

Detecting Autism Early

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Autism

Autism Classification

Autism and Particulate Air Matter

Autoantibodies and Autism

Evidence for Autism being a Genetic Condition

What is Autistic Burnout?

What is Sensory Overload?

Autism and Junk DNA

Sensory Overload vs. Sensory Seeking: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Explained

Autism Screening

Autism Management

Gut Bacteria and Autism Development

Latest Autism News and Research

Cocktail of three supplements improves social behaviors in autistic mice

Researchers led by Tzyy-Nan Huang and Ming-Hui Lin from Academia Sinica in Taiwan report that a low-dose mixture of zinc, serine, and branch-chain amino acids can alleviate behavioral deficits in three different mouse models of autism.

2 Dec 2025

RFK Jr. wants to delay the hepatitis B vaccine. Here’s what parents need to know.

Working out of a tribal-owned hospital in Anchorage, Alaska, liver specialist Brian McMahon has spent decades treating the long shadow of hepatitis B. Before a vaccine became available in the 1980s, he saw the virus claim young lives in western Alaskan communities with stunning speed.

2 Dec 2025

New findings reveal how visual scenes trigger echoes of touch in the brain

If watching Robert De Niro ordering hammer-based retribution on a cheat's hand in Casino instinctively made you wince, you are not alone.

27 Nov 2025

Comprehensive research identifies most effective ADHD treatments

The most comprehensive review to date of ADHD treatments has found that medication for children and adults, and cognitive behavioral therapy for adults, remain the most effective approaches, backed by the strongest short-term trial evidence.

26 Nov 2025

South Carolina’s measles outbreak shows chilling effect of vaccine misinformation

Near the back corner of the local library's parking lot, largely out of view from the main road, the South Carolina Department of Public Health opened a pop-up clinic in early November, offering free measles vaccines to adults and children.

26 Nov 2025

How immune signals activate brain circuits to drive sickness-induced social withdrawal

MIT researchers have discovered how an immune system molecule triggers neurons in a specific brain circuit to shut down social behavior in mice modeling infection.

25 Nov 2025

Maternal thyroid hormone imbalance linked to increased autism risk in offspring

Women with persistent thyroid hormone imbalance across pregnancy may be at an increased risk of having children with autism, according to a new study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

25 Nov 2025

Autistic adults show higher rates of self-harm and suicide plans regardless of trauma history

Autistic people are more likely to report suicide-related behaviors and psychological distress irrespective of previous traumatic experiences, according to new research from the University of Cambridge.

25 Nov 2025

Kennedy sharpens vaccine attacks, without scientific backing

As the federal government prepares for the next meeting of its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has intensified his attacks on aluminum vaccine components used in many shots to boost the body's immune response.

24 Nov 2025

What to know about the CDC’s baseless new guidance on autism

The rewriting of a page on the CDC's website to assert the false claim that vaccines may cause autism sparked a torrent of anger and anguish from doctors, scientists, and parents who say Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is wrecking the credibility of an agency they've long relied on for unbiased scientific evidence.

22 Nov 2025

UC Davis researchers lead $5.5 million study on language development in children with Down syndrome

UC Davis researchers are leading a $5.5 million study to better understand how children with Down syndrome develop expressive communication - the skills used to share what we want, think or feel.

21 Nov 2025

Alzheimer’s drugs improve key cognitive skills in children with autism and low IQ

The review synthesizes evidence on whether Alzheimer’s disease medications can improve neurocognitive outcomes in children and adolescents with autism and low IQ. Across 12 studies, preliminary findings show promising gains in language, executive function, learning and memory, and general cognitive ability, particularly in younger children.

18 Nov 2025

Large language models revolutionize psychiatric questionnaires

Large language models can help improve questionnaires used to diagnose mental illness by optimizing symptom generalizability and reducing redundancy.

18 Nov 2025

Maternal obesity raises childhood epilepsy and disability risks, new study shows

Higher maternal BMI before pregnancy is linked to increased risks of epilepsy and intellectual disability in young children, even after extensive adjustment for maternal and neonatal factors. Associations with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD disappear after full adjustment, highlighting the potential mediating role of perinatal complications.

17 Nov 2025

Schizophrenia risk detectable at birth through epigenetic signatures

Genetic susceptibility to neurodevelopmental conditions such as schizophrenia, autism, and ADHD can be linked, in part, to distinct epigenetic signatures in newborn cord blood.

17 Nov 2025

Why early- and late-onset depression are fundamentally different

Genetic differences in early- and late-onset depression highlight distinct risk profiles, informing targeted strategies for improved clinical outcomes.

17 Nov 2025

Parental postpartum depression linked to higher autism risk

Findings reveal a strong link between parental postpartum depression and autism risk, stressing the importance of mental health support for new parents.

17 Nov 2025

Subtle changes in the composition of short tandem repeats may shape disease risk

Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have revealed a previously overlooked layer of genetic variation that could help explain why people experience disease differently, and why some treatments work better for certain populations.

14 Nov 2025

New technique revolutionizes the design of drugs that target ion channels

An international team involving the Institute of Chemical Research, a joint centre of the University of Seville and the Spanish National Research Council, has developed a new technique that will accelerate the design of drugs that target ion channels, a type of cell membrane protein involved in numerous diseases, ranging from psychiatric disorders to various types of cancer.

14 Nov 2025

Scientists debunk gut microbiome-autism connection

There's no scientific evidence that the gut microbiome causes autism, a group of scientists argue in an opinion paper publishing November 13 in the Cell Press journal Neuron.

13 Nov 2025