从罕见到高发:对孤独症的重新审视

From Rare Diseases to High Prevalence:Analysis and Review of Autism

自20世纪初孤独症一词被首次使用以来,人们对孤独症的概念认识经历了从症状到疾病的不断深入。近几十年来,孤独症的患病率不断攀升,从最初的罕见病,已发展成为儿童期最常见的神经发育障碍之一,给个人、家庭和社会带来日益沉重的负担;患者往往面临社交障碍、共病和残疾等多重困境。通过对孤独症的发展变化过程进行分析和审视,本文认为,在认识孤独症以及其他当前仍被认为是罕见病的疾病时,要以科学发展的眼光来看,适时调整相应的人口健康支持与服务体系,并以开放包容的思维开展更加广泛和自由的疾病研究。

The understanding of the concept“autism”has gone from symptom to disease since the first use of this term in the early 20th century.In recent decades,the prevalence of autism has continued to rise,and autism has evolved from rare disease to one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood,bringing an increasing disease burden to individuals,families and society.Patients with autism often face multiple predicaments such as social disorders,comorbidities and disability.Through analyzing and reviewing the change and development of autism,we believe that it is necessary to recognize the diseases with perspective of scientific development,adjust the corresponding population health support and service system and furthermore,study diseases with an open and inclusive mind when understanding autism and other diseases currently considered to be rare diseases.