Editor's Note: New cutting-edge research is helping to unlock the mysteries of the child's brain and could give autistic children a whole different future. Watch part three of our special series, Inside the Child's Mind, tomorrow on American Morning.

By Kiran Chetry, CNN

As a baby, Jake Exkorn was everything his parents hoped for – happy and healthy.

“He hit all of the developmental milestones. He walked, he talked, he played,” says Jake’s mother Karen Exkorn.

But at 17 months, Karen says the light began to fade from Jake's face.

“At first he stopped responding to his name. And then he stopped playing. And then by his second birthday, he stopped speaking entirely.”

Karen worried it may be a hearing problem, or a speech delay.

“I never expected to hear the words, your child has autism. … It was completely devastating. It meant that there was no hope for my son. And yet I was determined to help my son in any way that I could. I knew that I wanted treatment for Jake that had science behind it. And a lot of treatments don't. But the one that had the most science behind it was a treatment called ABA.”

ABA – applied behavior analysis – is an intensive approach that uses repetition and rewards to teach autistic children the things that come naturally to most kids.

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Defense Secretary Robert Gates made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan Tuesday. He's there to assure our troops, "we're in this thing to win."

Secretary Gates arrived overnight – six days after President Obama announced he's sending in 30,000 reinforcements. The secretary is also there to reassure the Afghan president that America will not abandon him. Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has the report from Afghanistan.

Read more: Defense secretary visits Afghanistan

It took three months for President Obama to decide on a troop surge strategy for Afghanistan. It took less than a week for the Pentagon to announce the first deployments.

About 1,500 marines from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina just got the call. They're shipping out this month. Our Pentagon correspondent Chris Lawrence has the report from Camp Lejeune.

Related: Official: Obama discusses troop surge with general

Today President Obama will lay out new ideas to create jobs for millions of Americans still out of work. He's expected to propose cash incentives for small businesses and for people to fix their homes with more "green" materials.

Some in Congress are already asking where the president will get the money to pay for it all. Christina Romer, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, spoke to Kiran Chetry on American Morning Tuesday.

Buried under debt with no way out. As more consumers fall behind on their bills, some in the collection industry are going to offensive extremes to get a hold of their cash.

But you should know, there are strict laws about how debt collectors have to do business. Our John Zarrella reports in this AM original.

The White House and the Environmental Protection Agency are taking on critics of climate change. The EPA says greenhouse gases threaten the public health and safety of every American, and the announcement could pave the way for future regulation. Our Jim Acosta has the report from Washington.

Related: Climate chief dismisses e-mail outrage

Editor's Note: “Climate-gate” dominated feedback from Monday’s American Morning audience.

• Donald: The story about the emails from the climate change research people misses the most important question: Is it just a coincidence that right before the climate change conference hackers find suspicious emails regarding climate change? Obviously not. Who were the hackers? Why did they choose this target? Were they paid to do this? Who paid them? What percentage of the thousands of emails were incriminating? Exactly what manipulation of data is implied by the emails? The timing of this story is obviously designed to block action against climate change. So, when you cover this story, give equal time to the questions I just mentioned. If you don't then you are just doing a service to the ones who planned this.
• Edward: Climate Gate Story. Does the fact that there is "actually" no scientific equipment present, at the most prestigious scientific institute in the world on global climate change, set off any alarm bells?
• Judi: Boy it seems CNN is pushing the idea that global warming is bogus. You are pushing the Republican lies that this is not happening. We have fought this subject since the early 60's. Nut cases have caused this country to lag behind in going green instead of depending of oil. You are nuts for pushing this stupid idea. Science must put up the negative to prove the positive.
• Susan: Climate change – As far as people debating climate change; proof and evidence should bring an end to anything [where there] is unbelief. If not, those who continue on arguing over something that has factual evidence are ignorant and out for their own gain, no matter who it is or what field it is in. People love to go with their own personal theories and concepts instead of proof and evidence. You can refute proof, I don't care who it is.
• Lela: Kiran and John, don't tell me now CNN is going to join the ranks of the Republicans, especially Inholfe in trying to prove that Global warming is a trick or a myth. We know the major pollutants of global warming lies with big corporate. Car industry, oil and coal industry, among others. Not far from where I live is an Alcoa a plant, it would make you cringe if you knew the stuff coming out of that big smoke stack. Pcb along with other things. My husband retired from Alcoa and the things I have heard is unconscionable what Corporate will do to keep from paying money to fix the situation. It is possible most of the factories could fix what they omit, but it would cost a lot of money for them, and that would take away from the big boss's bonus. Kiran, we are smart. The ones of that have lived long enough know the difference in the climate than what it use to. I really started noticing something wasn't right in the 80"s. It seems as though republicans are so void of feels or other people's welfare but their own, plus some of Blue Dogs. Some people will sell their soul to the Devil for money and power, and the dire situation our country is in now , is never more apparent than what greed can do.
• Hubert: We know the earth is changing, We can slow it down a little. If we used windmills for electric and electric cars would help some. But the big money makers don't want that. They want to keep making money, The hell with their kids, MONEY is more important.
• Bruce: What is going on in your research department? There is massive suppression on climate data and deliberate corruption of that data by the CRU. Carbon levels in Gore's hockey stick went up ONE HUNDRED years before the temperatures did. Why didn't you call your guest on that? No wonder Rense and Whatreallyhappened are doing so well! Isn't the Copenhagen agreement unconstitutional? Also, your truthometer people should actually told the truth on skyrocketing energy costs from climate gate – tell them they are not fired.

Continue the conversation below.

President Obama's $787 billion stimulus package is stimulating at least one sector of the economy – con artists.

The Federal Trade Commission says hundreds of thousands of innocent Americans have already been ripped off, to the tune of nearly $30 million. Our Allan Chernoff has one victim's story in this "AM" original report.

President Obama will meet today with his top commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, and America's ambassador to Kabul, Karl Eikenberry.

As the president's war strategy starts falling into place, our Barbara Starr is already on the ground, embedded with U.S. forces.

Today she has the story of one village where Afghan forces are fighting back against the Taliban, and winning. It's a story you won't see anywhere else.

By Kiran Chetry, CNN

Eight-year-old Zander Pridy has no trouble reading big words.

“I read books of science and watch this cool show called ‘Nova,’” he tells me.

Today Zander is helping scientists make some discoveries of their own. Zander has an autism spectrum disorder known as Asperger syndrome.

Researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia are using a MEG machine – short for magnetoencephalography – to study the brain waves of children like Zander with autism disorders.

“We're trying to study how children's brains respond to stimuli – to sounds, to words, to speech,” says lead researcher Tim Roberts.

They are hoping to unlock the mysteries of how an autistic brain works. Roberts says new clues are already emerging.

“When you hear a sound, the brain responds. When a child with autism hears a sound, their brain responds too, but a little bit later. … So what we're seeing is a fraction of a second, a split second delay in recognizing that sound.”

How does that play out in how children with autism learn and communicate?

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