5th Article: Possible Causes of Autism

In our class discussion about "The Speed of Dark" we came to the still unanswered question of what exactly causes autism. I began to read articles on the subject, and came across this one that discusses various possible causes of the disorder. While the article is, of course, inconclusive, it discusses many possibilities that I had never heard before. The statement from the article that most intrigued me was:
"Perhaps the term autism actually covers several different disorders, each caused by a different problem in the brain. Or perhaps the various brain differences are themselves caused by a single underlying disorder that scientists have not yet identified."
What if "autism" actually refers to more than one disorder, but because the symptoms are closely related, the term is used to describe the entire group? I thought back to our discussion about the wide spectrum of those suffering from autism, from those who can manage on their own like Lou, to those that need much more attention like Liz's client. What if the varying degrees of autism are actually due to differing disorders with somewhat similar characteristics? While there is no definitive answer, the article gave me a lot more insight into the possible causes of the disorder. I thought you all might find it interesting also.

Ashley

http://www.asatonline.org/resources/library/causes_autism.html