Review of possible risk factors and treatments of autism spectrum disorder

The neurological condition known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been the subject of extensive discussion and study since the 20th century. It is a relatively newly discovered neurological disease, and many aspects considering ASD are still obscure. Symptoms of the disease include communication and social impairment, repetitive behaviors, and self-injury behaviors. While significant cognitive or learning difficulties are often observed in classical ASD, patients with Asperger’s syndrome (another kind of ASD) can be highly talented in a specific area. This literature review discusses the possible causes and treatments of ASD through research done in this century. It summarizes several points of the research progress and findings in the area of ASD. The treatments discussed are applied behavior analysis, intestinal microecology, treatment and education of autistic and related communication handicapped children (TEACCH), and medical treatments.