Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a general term for a number of developmental disorders that vary widely by type and severity. This is why autism is referred to as a spectrum disorder. Other terms used to describe conditions on the autism spectrum include asperger syndrome (sometimes called "high-functioning" autism), childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder (PDD).
Explaining ASD can be a challenge, because of the huge variety of characteristics. As the saying goes: "When you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism."
There are three factors that define ASD, and that must be present for a diagnosis of autism in children:
1. A deficit in social interaction (what language geeks like me call pragmatics).
2. A deficit in verbal and nonverbal communication.
3. Repetitive behaviors and/or highly specialized interests.
Other factors, such as sensory integration deficits, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive behavior, are common with ASD, but they are not universal.
A person with autism spectrum disorder may or may not have a cognitive impairment. Some individuals with autism have very high intelligence and are able to earn advanced academic degrees. One such individual is Temple Grandin, Ph.D., who has written a number of books about her life and experiences as a person with ASD, including how her 'disorder' has been an asset for certain aspects of her professional life. Another example is Dawn Prince-Hughes, Ph.D., a primate anthropologist and author of Songs of the Gorilla Nation: My Journey Through Autism, in which she credits her autism with enabling her to gain insight into the social interactions of gorillas.
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What is Autism?
Early Signs of Autism
Types of Autism
Autism Speech Therapy
Famous People with Autism