| It is known there is no specific diagnostic | | | | clearly appear severe and sustained |
| test for Autism Spectrum Disorder, and the | | | | impairments in the social and communication |
| best way to get a diagnosis is to make a | | | | areas. The child is observed as being |
| multi-disciplinary evaluation. | | | | different than other children, he is anxious, |
| | | | responds unusually to many different stimuli, |
| A psychologist or psychiatrist experienced | | | | has poor attention and motivation, and speech |
| with Autism Spectrum Disorders can make a | | | | can be delayed or largely absent. The child |
| diagnose for adults, and in what concerns | | | | can also have a range of ritualistic |
| children, they must be tested by a number of | | | | behaviours, like hand flapping, finger gazing |
| professionals, which will provide the needed | | | | or toe walking. It was seen that the child or |
| information to make decisions about program | | | | adult with autism can be also intellectually |
| and treatment approaches. | | | | disabled. |
| | | | |
| It was seen that the age of diagnosis ranges, | | | | We can mention a loosely used term to |
| depending on the circumstances from | | | | describe a child or adult who meets the |
| approximately 18 months through to adulthood. | | | | criteria for a diagnosis of Autism, but is |
| | | | not as severely affected as the more |
| Autism Spectrum Disorder deals with several | | | | classically autistic person-High Functioning |
| labels, for example at an end of the spectrum | | | | Autism. |
| there can be diagnoses like "Asperger | | | | |
| Syndrome", "High Functioning Autism" and | | | | Asperger Syndrome deals with severe and |
| "PDD-NOS", and at the other end, we can find | | | | sustained social impairments, but the |
| labels like "Autism", "Classic Autism" and | | | | impairments in the language and communication |
| "Kanner Autism". Several labels place people | | | | area aren't so severe. The speech develops |
| at different points of the spectrum. | | | | within the normal age range, but effectively |
| | | | communication is impaired. |
| We can say that the term Autism Spectrum | | | | |
| Disorder is used because there is a great | | | | It was seen that the impairments become more |
| variation from person to person, which | | | | evident as the child reaches pre-school and |
| depends on the severity and combination of | | | | school age, being more subtle in the very |
| each area of impairment. It is known that | | | | young child. |
| together with Autism Spectrum Disorder may | | | | |
| exist also other conditions or disorders, | | | | There can also be given a diagnosis for |
| like speech and language disorders, anxiety | | | | children who present with some of the |
| and depression, intellectual disability, | | | | characteristics of either Autism or Asperger |
| epilepsy, attention disorders, Tourette | | | | Syndrome, but not severe enough for a |
| Syndrome and Down Syndrome. | | | | diagnosis of either of these conditions and |
| | | | this is Pervasive Developmental Disorder - |
| Usually, before the age of 3, in autism, | | | | Not Otherwise Specified. |