This new and important book brings together the latest research in the battle against autism. According to numerous news reports, the increase in special needs children has reached epidemic proportions. Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. The result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain, autism and its associated behaviors have been estimated to occur in as many as 2 to 6 in 1,000 individuals. Autism is four times more prevalent in boys than girls and knows no racial, ethnic, or social boundaries. Autism is a spectrum disorder. The symptoms and characteristics of autism can present themselves in a wide variety of combinations, from mild to severe. Although autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults can exhibit any combination of the behaviors in any degree of severity. People with autism process and respond to information in unique ways. In some cases, aggressive and/or self-injurious behavior may be present.