ng characteristics does not mean that they are autistic. It is a combination of many factors and only a doctor can diagnose a child as having autistic qualities. An autistic baby may refuse to cuddle or make eye contact with parents or caregivers. An autistic baby may lack the emotional development that a normal, healthy baby would posses. According to a book on human development three out of four autistic children are mentally retarded however; they do well on manipulative and visual spatial skills. They often can perform remarkable mental capabilities such as memorizing entire lists of numbers or facts. (Papalia, Olds, Feildman, 2001)
             One of the most prominent aspects of the autistic disorder is the aspect of social disability. A social disability is an inability or refusal to interact with other people in society. As stated above autistic children do not prefer to develop relationships with other people including their own family and caretakers such as teachers and doctors. Rutter and Kanner, a team of psychologists, did a study in the 1970's and 1980's about autism. They classified autism into three sub-groups based on the child's social troubles. The three groups were aloof, passive, and active but odd. The aloof group was described as removed from others. The passive group was described as the easiest to manage and integrate in to social units or groups, they are able to be part of a group; however they do not bond with that group or understand it's function. The active but odd was categorized as most difficult to deal with by the caretakers. They demanded social attention only because of lengthy monologues and repetitive questioning.
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