Autism Spectrum Disorder: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and Natural Approaches

In the United States, one in 36 children and one in 45 adults have autism, with males four times more likely to be affected.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can make those affected by it hyper-sensitive to sensory information. The brain's thalamus handles sensory information, but in ASD, it can relay too much information, resulting in sensory overload. Illustration by Fei Meng

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or just autism, is a neurological and developmental condition that affects social interaction, communication, learning, and behavior. It encompasses a range of conditions related to brain development.

Globally, around 1 percent of children have autism. In the United States, however, one in 36 children and one in 45 adults have autism, with the condition affecting around 4 percent of boys and 1 percent of girls. The prevalence is up from one in 44 in 2020 and has almost tripled since 2000 when it was one in 150.