Trying to Understand Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (also referred to as Autism Spectrum Conditions, Autism Spectrum, and Autism) is something that six out of every thousand children in the United States have been diagnosed with. Many times this condition is very misunderstood and some parents don't even truly understand what the signs of it are.

During this article, you'll learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorder, its symptoms, and how it's managed. At the time that this article was written, all of the information provided below was scattered around the internet which urged us to bring it into one easy-to-understand article.

What are the different types of Autism Spectrum Disorder?

There are three different primary forms of Autism as well as two uncommon conditions. Over the years it became know that the symptoms aren't always the same and branching it off would help treat Autism Spectrum a lot more efficiently than having one broad diagnosis.

The three main types of Autism are:

Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified

Otherwise referred to as PDD-NOS, this is the moderate form of Autism. It's diagnosed when a patient doesn't have as severe of a case as Autistic Disorder and it's not as severe as Asperger's Syndrome.

Asperger Syndrome

Asperger's Syndrome is the least severe form of Autism. It's also commonly referred to as high functioning Autism since it causes one to talk about their favorite things non-stop. Also, Asperger Syndrome is found three times more often in boys than it's found in girls.

Autistic Disorder

This is the most severe case of Autism which does affect the child with more impairment than the other two forms of Autism that were discussed above.

The two uncommon types of Autism are:

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

This is the most severe form of Autism around. More commonly referred to as CDD by medical professionals, the impairments are extremely severe and could cause seizures. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is more commonly found in boys than it is girls.

Rett's Syndrome

This type of Autism happens to be one of the rarest forms and is usually caused by genetic mutations. Rett's Syndrome is just about exclusive to girls, meaning that it's very, very rare to find it in boys.The impairments caused by Rett's Syndrome are very severe when compared to the other forms of Autism featured on this page.

What are the signs and symptoms associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Autism is a disorder which is extremely difficult to diagnose. The reason for this is that the symptoms vary from person-to-person and sometimes the symptoms aren't common ones found in most that are diagnosed with Autism.

Some indicators of Autism include:

No attempts to talk or point before a child turns one year old

Constantly lining up toys and/or other items

No single words spoken by 16 months

No two word phrases by two years old

Lack of response when called by their name

Lack of eye contact or poor eye contact

Not being socially responsive

Lack of a smile

Obsessed with certain topics or things

Lack of social relationships with others

Specific routines that aren't broken

Odd use of language

How is Autism Spectrum Disorder managed?

While there is no real cure for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder there are routes that you can take to help a child deal with Autism. Children with Autism should get treatment at as early of an age as possible.

One of the most common problems among Autistic children is that it can be extremely difficult for them to learn how to talk. To help a child with Autism overcome this, therapists will use sign language and pictures to help the child understand the concept of spoken language.

Therapy can also help children learn things like living skills and interacting with others. These are two more common issues that children with Autism are forced to face and over the years people have been trained to enhance the learning experience when it comes to these things.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Summary

Autism Spectrum isn't the easiest thing for a child or parent to live with, but thankfully there are more options to help manage Autism than there used to be. With it being so common among children, it's critical to know that the treatments are changing to make life better for the child as well as their parents.