Anxiety disorder is a blanket term covering several different forms of abnormal and
pathological fears and anxieties. Current psychiatric diagnostic criteria recognize a
wide variet of anxiety disorders, and recent surveys have shown that as many as 18%
of Americans may be affected by one or more anxiety disorders.
Treatment options available include lifestyle changes; psychotherapy, especially
cognitive behavioral therapy; and pharmaceutical therapy. Education, reassurance and
some form of cognitive-behavioral therapy should almost always be used in treatment,
while medications should not always be used.
The autism spectrum, also called autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or autism
spectrum conditions (ASC), with the word autistic sometimes replacing autism, is a
spectrum of psychological conditions characterized by widespread abnormalities of
social interactions and communication, as well as severely restricted interests and
highly repetitive behavior. A 2005 review estimated a prevalence of 6.0–6.5 per 1,000
for ASD. Of the various forms of ASD, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise
specified (PDD-NOS) was the vast majority, autism was at least 1.3 per 1,000, and
Asperger syndrome was about 0.3 per 1,000; the atypical forms childhood
disintegrative disorder and Rett syndrome were much rarer.
The main goals of treatment are to lessen associated deficits and family distress, and
to increase quality of life and functional independence. No single treatment is best and
treatment is typically tailored to the child's needs. Intensive, sustained special
education programs and behavior therapy early in life can help children acquire self-
care, social, and job skills.
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