Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that occurs within the first three years of life. It disrupts typical development and functioning and leads to impairments in social communication and restrictive/repetitive behaviors. Autistic children may also fall behind their peers in play, language, and adaptive functioning.
There is no known cause of autism, but twin studies have formed tentative conclusions that it is both genetic and environmental, perhaps involving the in-utero environment.
Autism has no cure, and many autistic people don’t want a cure. Instead, they want society to understand and accommodate them and their unique needs without needing to fight for them. Current autism treatments focus on mitigating symptoms and increasing daily functioning and independence rather than trying to cure the disorder.