Autism Spectrum Disorder Basics

by Child Mind Institute, Inc.


Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that is marked by two unusual kinds of behaviors: deficits in communication and social interaction, and restricted or repetitive behaviors. This guide outlines how to identify ASD symptoms in children and best practices for diagnosis and treatment of kids on the spectrum.


Autism: What Is It?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a condition that impacts a child’s development in two core areas: the first is social communication and social interaction, and the second is restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. Although a child has ASD from birth, it may not come to attention until social demands exceed a child’s limitations.

In the psychiatric community, thinking about autism has changed, as reflected in the new DSM-5 guidelines. What had been considered a set of distinct conditions described as pervasive developmental disorders — autism, Asperger’s disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD), and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) — are now considered one disorder that presents along a spectrum of symptoms and behaviors of varying severity.

1 in 59 children are diagnosed with ASD. Boys are diagnosed with ASD around 3 to 4 times more often than girls.

Autism: What to Look For






Autism: Risk Factors

Risk factors include low birth weight, fetal exposure to valproate, and parental age. Boys are more likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

Some people have concerns that autism spectrum disorder is caused by vaccinations that children receive. However, studies have shown that there is no link between receiving vaccines and developing ASD. Learn more about vaccines and autism from the CDC.

Autism: Diagnosis

For diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, a child must display symptoms in two core areas: social communication and social interaction, and restrictive, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. The symptoms must be impairing, and must be present in the early developmental period—they are typically recognized in a child’s second year—but they may not be fully manifest until a child is older and the social demands exceed his abilities. ASD can be diagnosed as early as 24 months.

In the category of social communication and social interaction, a clinician will look for persistent deficits in social reciprocity, such as back-and-forth conversation and sharing of interests; nonverbal communication, including body language and gestures; and difficulty developing, understanding, and participating in age-appropriate relationships.

In the category of restrictive or repetitive patterns of behavior, a clinician will look for two of the following: stereotyped movements, actions or use of speech, inflexible insistence on routines and rituals, fixated and intense interests, and sensory problems, either from too much sensory input or two little.

According to the new criteria, these symptoms must be significantly impairing, and a clinician will specify the severity of each of the symptoms on a three-tiered scale that reflects the amount of support a child would need—requiring support, substantial support, or very substantial support—to function successfully.

Given that children with autism also frequently have cognitive impairment (now called intellectual development disorder), children should not be diagnosed with autism unless their social communication deficits are greater than would be explained by their cognitive impairment.

If a child has impairment in social communication and social interaction but doesn’t have restrictive and repetitive behaviors, he is more likely to be diagnosed with a new disorder called social communication disorder.

Autism: Treatment

A structured educational program and tailored behavioral therapy have been shown to be very beneficial to children with autism.

Psychotherapeutic: One effective intervention is a psychotherapeutic regimen called applied behavior analysis. This therapy seeks to maximize the child’s learning and development by systematically encouraging desired social and communication behaviors, actively teaching ways of interaction other children learn intuitively in childhood. Another approach, dubbed “developmentally-based intervention,” seeks to educate and engage with a child using the subjects, words, and stimuli appropriate to the developmental stages they have in effect been excluded from, modeling the typical progression for an atypical child. As autism and autism spectrum disorders manifest differently in every child, other therapies include occupational, physical, and speech-language.

Pharmacological: There are no drugs that target the core symptoms of autism, but medications are often prescribed to help with problems that often occur alongside the disorder, such as depression, anxiety, and hyperactivity.

Alternative: It should be noted that many alternative treatments and even “cures” have been proposed for autism spectrum disorder. None of these alternative treatments—chelation, diets, supplements, facilitated communication—have any reliable scientific evidence behind them. Some, particularly chelation—an attempt to remove heavy metals from the body via chemical injections—can be very dangerous. It’s important that parents who choose to pursue these therapies should do so in close consultation with a qualified physician.

Autism: Other Disorders

Children with autism have certain other medical problems at a rate far above average. Epilepsy afflicts almost a third of children diagnosed with autism once they reach adulthood. Sleep disorders, allergies, and digestive problems are commonly seen, as are tic disorders like Tourette’s. Kids with autism are also more likely than others to be cognitively impaired.

Dyslexia Diagnosis & Treatment By Mayo Clinic Staff

Childhood apraxia of speech by Mayo Clinic Staff


How to Calm a Child with Autism By Lisa Jo Rudy

How Autistic Meltdowns Differ from Ordinary Temper Tantrums By Lisa Jo Rudy 


Understanding Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Children By Keath Low

Sensory Integration by  Autism Research Institute

ADHD or Autism? By WebMD

Learning Disabilities: What Parents Need To Know by American Academy of Pediatrics

Anxiety disorders by Mayo Clinic Staff