title: Autism in early childhood: an unusual developmental course-three case reports.
abstract: Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is typically characterized by either an emerging and gradual course or developmental regression in early childhood. The versatile clinical course is progressively acknowledged in recent years. Children with developmental disorders in general are referred to the Child Development Center for a multidisciplinary assessment, investigation, treatment and followup. We report three infants with an initial diagnosis of developmental delays, recovery of normal development following intervention in a multidisciplinary center, and subsequent regression into classic autism following their discharge from the program. An extensive medical workup was noncontributory. This unusual presentation, to our knowledge not reported previously, should be recognized by professionals involved in child development and psychiatry.
authors.affiliation: The Hannah Khoushy Child Development Center, Bnai Zion Medical Center and The Rappaport Family Faculty of Medicine, The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 4940, 25148 Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cohen-Ophir
authors.forename: Tsophia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Castel-Deutsh
authors.forename: Emanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tirosh