Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. There is often nothing about how people with ASD look that sets them apart from other people, but people with ASD may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others need less. The term “spectrum” in autism spectrum disorder refers to the wide range of symptoms and severity.
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Eating disorders often develop in the teen and young adult years, although they can develop at other ages. With treatment, you can return to healthier eating habits and sometimes reverse serious complications caused by the eating disorder.
A diagnosis of ASD now includes several conditions that used to be diagnosed separately: autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger syndrome. These conditions are now all called autism spectrum disorder.
Autism spectrum disorder begins in early childhood and eventually causes problems functioning in society — socially, in school and at work, for example. Often children show symptoms of autism within the first year. A small number of children appear to develop normally in the first year, and then go through a period of regression between 18 and 24 months of age when they develop autism symptoms.
Symptoms
Autism symptoms typically become clearly evident during early childhood, between 12 and 24 months of age. However, symptoms may also appear earlier or later.
Early symptoms may include a marked delay in language or social development.
The DSM-5 divides symptoms of autism into two categories: problems with communication and social interaction, and restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior or activities.
It can be hard to get a definite diagnosis of autism
Your doctor will focus on behavior and development.
Living With & Managing Autism
What kind of life a person with ASD lives is largely dependent upon a number of factors: how severe the disorder is, and how soon the child received treatment for their symptoms. The less severe and the sooner the child received treatment, the more likely it is that they will have a significantly good ability to live with and manage their condition throughout their life. If a child suffers from severe autism, however, they may require lifelong assistance with a variety of daily activities of living, learning, and work.
Post On ASD
In 1972 an American psychologist named Walter Mischel developed the Stanford marshmallow experiment geared to…
