ABSTRACT
Infantile autism, a behaviorally defined disorder initially described by Kanner (1), is a syndrome which, by definition, is manifested by 36 months of age and is characterized by disordered language and cognitive skills, impaired social interactions, abnormal responses to sensory stimuli, events and objects, poor eye contact, an insistence on sameness, an unusual capacity for rote memorization, repetitive and stereotypic behavior, and a normal physical appearance (2). Disturbances in elementary motor function, when present, are subtle and motor milestones are usually normal (see 3 for review). The prevalence rates are estimated to be 10–13 per 10,000, and the disorder is more commonly seen in boys than in girls, with a ratio of 2.5–4.0:l (4–6).
