Different people with autism can have very different symptoms.  Health care providers think of autism as a “spectrum” disorder, a group of disorders with similar features.  One person may have mild symptoms, while another may have serious symptoms.  But they both have an autism spectrum disorder. Currently, the autism spectrum disorder category includes: -- Autistic disorder (also called “classic” autism) -- Asperger syndrome -- Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (or atypical autism) In some cases, health care providers use a broader term, pervasive developmental disorder, to describe autism.  This category includes the autism spectrum disorders above, plus Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and Rett syndrome.

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Health Topics
Autism Spectrum Disorder

2. 1
Overview
Different people with autism can have very
different symptoms. Health care providers think of
autism as a “spectrum” disorder, a group of
disorders with similar features. One person may
have mild symptoms, while another may have
serious symptoms. But they both have an autism
spectrum disorder.

3. 2
Overview
Currently, the autism spectrum disorder category
includes:
-- Autistic disorder (also called “classic” autism)
-- Asperger syndrome
-- Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not
Otherwise Specified (or atypical autism)

4. 3
Overview
In some cases, health care providers use a broader
term, pervasive developmental disorder, to
describe autism. This category includes the autism
spectrum disorders above, plus Childhood
Disintegrative Disorder and Rett syndrome.

5. 4
Autism
Autism is a disorder that is usually first diagnosed
in early childhood. The main signs and symptoms
of autism involve communication, social
interactions and repetitive behaviors.

6. 5
Autism
Children with autism might have problems talking
with you, or they might not look you in the eye
when you talk to them. They may have to line up
their pencils before they can pay attention, or they
may say the same sentence again and again to
calm themselves down. They may flap their arms
to tell you they are happy, or they might hurt
themselves to tell you they are not. Some people
with autism never learn how to talk.

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Autism
Because people with autism can have very
different features or symptoms, health care
providers think of autism as a "spectrum" disorder.
Asperger syndrome is a milder version of the
disorder.
The cause of autism is not known. Autism lasts
throughout a person's lifetime. There is no
cure, but treatment can help. Treatments include
behavior and communication therapies and
medicines to control symptoms.

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Asperger's Syndrome
Asperger's syndrome (AS) is an autism spectrum
disorder. It is milder than autism but shares some
of its symptoms. It is more common in boys than
girls.

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Asperger's Syndrome
An obsessive interest in a single subject is a major
symptom of AS. Some children with AS have
become experts on dinosaurs, makes and models
of cars, even objects as seemingly odd as vacuum
cleaners. Their expertise, high level of vocabulary
and formal speech patterns make them seem like
little professors.

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Asperger's Syndrome
Children with AS have trouble reading social cues
and recognizing other people's feelings. They may
have strange movements or mannerisms. All of
these make it difficult for them to make friends.
Problems with motor skills are also common in
children with AS. They may be late learning to ride
a bike or catch a ball, for example. Treatment
focuses on the three main symptoms: poor
communication skills, obsessive or repetitive
routines, and physical clumsiness.

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PDD
The diagnostic category of pervasive
developmental disorders (PDD) refers to a group of
disorders characterized by delays in the
development of socialization and communication
skills.

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PDD
Parents may note symptoms as early as infancy,
although the typical age of onset is before 3 years
of age. Symptoms may include problems with
using and understanding language; difficulty
relating to people, objects, and events; unusual
play with toys and other objects; difficulty with
changes in routine or familiar surroundings, and
repetitive body movements or behavior patterns.

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PDD
Children with PDD vary widely in abilities,
intelligence, and behaviors. Some children do not
speak at all, others speak in limited phrases or
conversations, and some have relatively normal
language development. Repetitive play skills and
limited social skills are generally evident. Unusual
responses to sensory information, such as loud
noises and lights, are also common.

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Symptoms
The main signs and symptoms of autism involve
problems in the following areas:
-- Communication - both verbal (spoken) and non-
verbal (unspoken, such as pointing, eye contact,
and smiling)

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Symptoms
-- Social - such as sharing emotions, understanding
how others think and feel, and holding a
conversation
-- Routines
or repetitive behaviors (also called stereotyped
behaviors) - such as
repeating words or actions, obsessively following
routines or schedules,

16. 15
Symptoms
and playing in repetitive ways
The symptoms of autism can usually be observed
by 18 months of age.
There
are many possible red flags for autism - behaviors
that may be signs or

17. 16
Symptoms
symptoms of autism. Some features may mean a
delay in one or more
areas of development, while others may be more
typical of autism
spectrum disorders. If you think your child shows
red flags for autism,
talk to your health care provider.

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Treatment
There is no cure for autism, nor is there one single
treatment for autism spectrum disorders. But
there are ways to help minimize the symptoms of
autism and to maximize learning.

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Treatment
**Behavioral therapy and other therapeutic
options:**-- Behavior management therapy helps to reinforce
wanted behaviors, and reduce unwanted
behaviors. It is often based on Applied Behavior
Analysis (ABA).
-- Speech-language therapists can help people with
autism improve their ability to communicate and
interact with others.

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Treatment
**Behavioral therapy and other therapeutic
options:**-- Occupational therapists can help people find
ways to adjust tasks to match their needs and
abilities.
-- Physical therapists design activities and exercise
to build motor control and improve posture and
balance.

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Treatment
**Educational and/or school-based options:**
-- Public schools are required to provide free,
appropriate public education from age 3 through
high school or age 21, whichever comes first.

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Treatment
**Educational and/or school-based options:**
-- Typically, a team of people, including the
parents, teachers, caregivers, school psychologists,
and other child development specialists work
together to design an Individualized Education Plan
(IEP) to help guide the child’s school experiences.
**Medication options:**

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Treatment
**Educational and/or school-based options:**
-- Currently there are no medications that can cure
autism spectrum disorders or all of the
symptoms. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
has not approved any medications specifically for
the treatment of autism, but in many cases
medication can treat some of the symptoms
associated with autism.

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Treatment
**Educational and/or school-based options:**
-- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs),
tricyclics, psychoactive/anti-psychotics, stimulants,
and anti-anxiety drugs are among the medications
that a health care provider might use to treat
symptoms of autism spectrum disorders.
-- Secretin—a hormone that helps digestion—is
not recommended as a treatment for autism.

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Resources
-- A Parent's Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorders
-- Autism and Genes
-- CDC: Autism and Vaccines