What is autism?
Autism is one of the autism spectrum disorders, a group of conditions that vary in their severity and the age at which a child first may show symptoms. Autism spectrum disorders fall under a broader category known as pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs). PDDs cause delays in many areas of childhood development, such as the development of skills to communicate and interact socially. Autism typically is diagnosed during a child’s second year and is lifelong, although symptoms may lessen over time. There is no cure for autism, but appropriate treatments can help a child develop life skills to function more independently. More

This is the full transcript of an interview with Amy Dugal about her son, Isaiah who has Autism and Aspergers. More

Many times after a good night’s sleep, we use the saying “Last night I slept like a baby.” While this analogy rings true most of the time, we tend to think of sleep disorders as an adults only problem. Pediatric sleep disorders can and do occur in infants, toddlers, preschoolers, school age and adolescents. According to the National Institute of Health, pediatric sleep disorders are responsible for a host of problems ranging from pulmonary, neurological, family problems, as well as psychological and psychiatric problems. By learning to recognize the signs of these pediatric sleep disorders throughout a child’s life stages, we can ward off potential problems in the future. More