VOA慢速英语听力2013年01月（WORD文本）：WATCHING-FOR-EARLY-SIGNS-OF-AUTISM-IN-BABIES.doc

1、From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report in Special English.这里是美国之音慢速英语健康报道。Children with autism have difficulty with social skills and communication. They often behave in restricted and repetitive ways and have what seem like abnormally intense interests.患有孤独症的儿童在社交和沟通上有障碍，他们的行为举止会有局限性和

2、重复性，还有一些看似古怪的强烈兴趣。A widely used medical guide will list autism under a new definition and name, autism spectrum disorder. The changes will appear in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, to be published in May.广泛使用的医疗指南将把自闭症列入“自闭症谱系障碍”，这个新的定义和名称。这变化将出现在今年五月出

3、版的精神疾病诊断和统计手册的第五版中。The spectrum represents a group of developmental brain disorders, ranging from mild to severely disabling. A milder form commonly called Aspergers syndrome will no longer be listed as a separate disorder with its own name.谱系代表了大脑发育障碍从轻微丧失到重度丧失的一个群体，其中，轻度障碍的艾斯伯格综合症不再被单独列为一种疾玻Autism

4、 is more common in boys than girls. What causes it is not clear. Scientists are studying genes and possible environmental influences.自闭症在男孩中更为常见，其成因尚不明确，科学家正在研究基因和可能的环境影响。Doctors usually cannot confirm a diagnosis of autism until a child is about three years old. Rebecca Landa is a researcher at the

5、 Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Maryland. Professor Landa wanted to find out what differences in development might be seen earlier. She led a new study that observed 235 babies between six and 36 months of age.医生通常无法确诊自闭症，直到孩子到了三岁左右。丽贝卡蓝达（Rebecca Landa）是

6、位于马里兰州的约翰霍普金斯大学医学院和肯尼迪克里格研究所的研究者，蓝达教授希望发育的早期差异，她发起的新研究观察了6到36个月的235名婴儿。At six months of age, the signs of some risk for developing communication and social delays, including autism, include motor delays. Like when you lay your baby on their back and you pull them by the arms gently into a seated pos

7、ition, the babys head may nod back behind the shoulders, like poor head control. So that does not mean that the baby is going to have autism, but it does mean the baby needs to have some exercises to strengthen their body. And when they strengthen their body, they are better able to play with toys a

8、nd engage with people, which then goes on to help them have better outcomes.“婴儿在六个月时，会出现沟通和社交障碍的迹象，包括自闭症和多动障碍。比如当你让宝宝躺下然后轻拉他们的手臂变为坐姿时，孩子的头可能会耷拉在背后，好像是头部控制有困难。这并不意味着宝宝会患上自闭症，但意味着孩子需要强化练习来加强身体。当他们的身体加强后，孩子就能更好地玩玩具和与人交往，这就有利于更好的发育。”By the time a baby is one year old, signs of possible autism include di

9、fficulty in using words and not looking eye-to-eye or reaching out to other people. By 14 months, the baby might smile less and use language less. However, Professor Landa says these signs can be so small that they might be missed during a short health exam.婴儿一岁的时候，自闭症的可能迹象包括语言困难，无法与人对视或接触。到了14个月，宝宝

10、可能会笑得少，说的少。然而，蓝达教授说这些迹象很不明显，简单的健康检查可能无法检查到。Its important for parents to stay tuned in to their childrens development, and if a parent is concerned about a childs development, for professionals to listen to them.“重要的是家长要一直关注孩子的发育，如果家长关心孩子的成长，专业人士听取他们的意见就很重要。”The earlier parents notice delays, she say

11、s, the sooner they can begin doing simple things that may help improve their childs development. For example: talking to the child about what they are doing, commenting when the child shows them something, and playing simple games that keep the childs attention.她说，父母越早发现婴儿发育迟缓，就能越早地做些简单的调整帮助孩子发育。比如，和孩子聊聊自己正在做什么，当孩子展示什么东西时作出评价，玩一些保持婴儿注意力的简单游戏。*更多资料请访问VOA英语学习网（）*VOA慢速英语新闻听力（VOA Special English），每天更新： VOA常速英语新闻听力（VOA Standard English），每天更新： BBC英语新闻听力，每天更新： CNN英语新闻听力，每天更新： CRI英语新闻听力，每天更新： NPR英语新闻听力，每天更新： AP NEWS英语新闻听力，每天更新：