Autism thesis statement. Is it good?

[Cindy Brownlee]

I like the answer above, however I have additional things I'd add as feedback.

Autism is a psychological disorder (I'd use this term instead of disability) that affects not only how someone communicates and interacts with others, but also how a conversation may be perceived by the individual with the disorder. The definitive cause (s) of Autism are not known and individuals present with a variety of symptoms and behaviours. (There are a variety of theories that are used to explain the cause) I will however point out immunizations have NOT been conclusively linked to Autism. You may also want to mention the five types of Pervasive Developmental Disorders.


Autism : Children with autism have problems with social interaction, pretend play, and communication. They also have a limited range of activities and interests. Many (nearly 75%) of children with autism also have some degree of mental retardation.
Asperger's syndrome : Like children with autism, children with Asperger's syndrome have difficulty with social interaction and communication, and have a narrow range of interests. However, children with Asperger's have average or above average intelligence, and develop normally in the areas of language and cognition (the mental processes related to thinking and learning). Children with Asperger's often also have difficulty concentrating and may have poor coordination.
Childhood disintegrative disorder: Children with this rare condition begin their development normally in all areas, physical and mental. At some point, usually between 2 and 10 years of age, a child with this illness loses many of the skills he or she has developed. In addition to the loss of social and language skills, a child with disintegrative disorder may lose control of other functions, including bowel and bladder control.
Rett's syndrome : Children with this very rare disorder have the symptoms associated with a PDD and also suffer problems with physical development. They generally suffer the loss of many motor or movement skills -- such as walking and use of their hands -- and develop poor coordination. This condition has been linked to a defect on the X chromosome, so it almost always affects girls.
Pervasive development disorder, not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS): This category is used to refer to children who have significant problems with communication and play, and some difficulty interacting with others, but are too social to be considered autistic.

Generally, Autism, PDD-NOS and Asperger's are considered to be part of an "Autism Spectrum"