How would it feel to go through life being unable to communicate your thoughts and feelings about anything? Children with autism experience this inability everyday of their lives. Autism is defined as a severe mental disorder, marked by the inability to communicate and interact socially with others. Although there is no cure for autism the recommended treatment consists of early education using specific methods to suit the individual needs of each child diagnosed with this condition. Structured learning and defined schedules are a colossal part of an autistic child's life. The number of children being diagnosed with autism is on the rise, and it's four times more likely in boys than in girls.
             Contrary to popular belief, autism is not a result of poor parenting skills. Today it is thought to be caused by biological factors, such as certain genetic disorders, epilepsy, brain abnormalities and some birth defects. However, since the cause of autism is not definitely known, currently, there are no known ways to prevent it. Over the last decade the number of children with autism has increased. In the 1990s the number of children with autism was about 5-10 per 10,000. Currently, studies show that number is probably somewhere between 10 and 20 per 10,000 and is expected to continue increasing. Because of this autism is often referred to as "the silent epidemic."
             Children with autism show characteristics which cross a number of disabilities (health impaired, mental retardation and communication disorders). However, these children are not mentally retarded. In fact, some children with this disease have an extraordinary ability usually in one are, such as mathematics, memory, music, or art. As a result of this, they are sometimes called "autistic savants."
             There are three main characteristics of autism. The first is, impaired social relating and reciprocity. This may include dif
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