ABSTRACT
Many children currently suffering from autism, unfortunately, are unable to describe their own internal worlds. An overview of many studies suggests that up to 75 percent of children with autism are mentally retarded. However, studies also indicate that with intervention, many children gain significantly more points on IQ tests than those without intervention. Adults with autism often remark about how their social sense is very different from that of others. For some who describe their early childhood, when their symptoms were most severe, being social was not even a working concept. The most effective treatment for children suffering from autism appears intensive, requiring many hours a day across many settings. Clinicians must engage parents, and work with the family as a system in order to gain the best treatment compliance and to bolster treatment effectiveness. Practitioners should be aware of the challenges inherent in working with children with autism.
