Who gets autism spectrum disorders?ĪSD occur equally in all racial, ethnic and social groups. The criteria to make this diagnosis also have been better defined through the years. However, we don't know if that is because more children are developing the condition, or if increased awareness has made parents and doctors more likely to seek medical and developmental attention and diagnose the condition. There have been more children diagnosed with ASD in recent years. We do know that these disorders are not due to poor parenting. There are other possible contributing causes that have been associated with ASD, such as environmental exposures, infections and toxins. Genetic factors play a strong role although these inherited factors are complex, several genes have been shown to increase the risk of developing this condition. There is no single cause of autism spectrum disorders. Behaviors concerning objects or routines – routines or repetitive behaviors (repeating words, rocking, tapping or twirling), obsessively following routines or schedules, playing with toys or objects in repetitive and sometimes inappropriate ways, or having very specific and inflexible ways of arranging items.Social behavior – social interactions such as sharing emotions, understanding how others think and feel, and holding a conversation.Language and communication – verbal (spoken) and non-verbal communication like pointing, eye contact or smiling.As of May 2013, there is one diagnostic category, Autism Spectrum Disorder for all children, rather than three separate diagnoses.ĪSD impairments include delays or problems in three core areas: Children who acquired their language milestones on time and who normal cognitive skills were diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Children who had some but not all of the core symptoms were diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified (PDD, NOS). Previously, children with autistic disorder (commonly known as autism) presented with significant problems in communication and social interactions skills, and with repetitive behaviors or restricted interests. The classification of ASD changed in May 2013. Changes to the autism spectrum disorders diagnosis These conditions usually become apparent before age three and last throughout a person's life, although the core symptoms can vary greatly across individuals and improvement in behavior is usually seen with developmental, behavioral, and educational intervention specific for a child with this diagnosis. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) cause significant impairment in a child's thinking, feeling, language and ability to relate to others. What are autism spectrum disorders (ASD)?Ĭhildren with autism spectrum disorders have impaired communication skills, social interaction and behavior.

Autism spectrum testing