Autism Basics

• Autism is a developmental disorder marked by deficits in communication and social skills. Difficulty processing sensory information is often a symptom.
  
  

Kawasaki Basics

• Symptoms of Kawasaki disease appear in two stages. In the first, a rash appears on the trunk and around the genitals, the tongue and the skin on the hands and feet are swollen and red, eyes are red, lips are bright red and chapped, and your child will have a fever that may last up to two weeks.
  
  In the second stage, pain in the abdomen and joints is present, along with vomiting, diarrhea and peeling skin on the fingers and toes.
  
  

Causes

• Nobody is sure what causes either disorder, but neither is believed to be contagious. There is thought to be a genetic component to autism.
  
  

Who Is Affected?

• Kawasaki disease usually affects children between 2 and 5 years of age. Symptoms of autism can appear as early as infancy. Kids with high-functioning autism may not be diagnosed until school age or later.
  
  

Treatment

• Autism cannot be cured, but symptoms can be treated with speech and occupational therapy.
  
  Kawasaki disease usually requires a child to be hospitalized briefly and given immune proteins intravenously, followed by a period of treatment with aspirin to minimize the risk of heart problems.
  
  

Prognosis

• Up to 20 percent of kids with Kawasaki disease may develop heart problems. These usually go away with no complications, but the disease can be fatal in a small percentage of cases.
  
  Autism is not fatal, and with treatment many kids with autism are able to grow up to be a productive part of society.