A Korean movie based on the true story of Bae Hyeong-jin, an autistic runner... see more about this movie in wiki.
The movie is very touching and is a wonderful movie for public to know what is autism, their particular features in cognitive functioning and reasoning, how an autistic child lives with his handicap, the huge impact on their family members (parents and also brothers and sisters)... Most of us know the famous movie "Rain man" interpreted successfully by Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise, which made people think that autism might be equal to some kind of particular talent. But it's true only in a very small proportion. Up to 70% of people with autism have mental retardation, more than 30% have epilepsy. Retardation in language development and communication skills and in social cognition is key symptoms in autism. It's a medical condition (different from a simple disease) in which genetic and environmental factors are both implicated. That's why we can see a great symptomatic and functional heterogeneity in autism for which an early diagnostic is not always so easy to make. A typical autistic disorder from its classical definition should have its triadic symptoms (impairments in social interaction and in verbal and non-verbal communication, repetitive / stereotypic movements) appeared before 3 years old. Later onset or "incomplete" symptomatic triad could be labeled as atypical autism or pervasive developmental disorders-non otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) if there is no other somatic or mental disease could explain the problem. The prevalence of classic autistic disorder is estimated at 0.05 - 0.2 % but with a wider profile the actual prevalence has been reported up to 1/167...
Treatments include language therapy, cognitive and behavioural therapies as well as some medications which could be helpful for attention impairment, repetitive movement and ritual behavior and psychiatric co-morbids. Some autistic children could attend traditional education but most of them need specific class with individual coaching. Some of them could learn to work in protected environment. Most of non-mental-retarded autistic people don't really have problem for their work but have much difficulty in relationship which could make them isolated and depressed. However, much less specific medical-socio-institutional service is afforded for adolescents and adults with autism compared to children with autism. Still so much to be done...
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