The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

There are many causes of autism.  Research suggests that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) develops from a combination of: Genetic influences and Environmental influences, including social determinants These factors appear to increase the risk of autism and shape the type of autism that a child will develop. However, it’s important to keep in mind that increased risk is not the same as a cause. For example, some gene changes associated with autism can also be found in people who don’t have the disorder. Similarly, not everyone exposed to an environmental risk factor for autism will develop the disorder. In fact, most will not. Autism Risk Factors How do genetic and environmental influences give rise to autism? Most appear to affect crucial aspects of early brain development. Many autism risk genes influence other networks of genes, increasing or decreasing their expression. Some appear to affect how brain nerve cells, or neurons, communicate with each other. Others appear to affect ho...

In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) released the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the handbook used to diagnose of mental disorders, including autism. The DSM-5 introduced three ASD levels of severity: level 1 (“requiring support”), level 2 (“requiring substantial support”), and level 3 (“requiring very substantial support”). The full-text of the DSM-5 severity levels for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is provided below with permission from the APA. Severity levels for autism spectrum disorder Level 3 autism: “Requiring very substantial support” Social communication Severe deficits in verbal and nonverbal social communication skills cause severe impairments in functioning, very limited initiation of social interactions, and minimal response to social overtures from others. For example, a person with few words of intelligible speech who rarely initiates interaction and, when he or she does, makes unusual approaches to me...

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is the handbook used by health care professionals in the United States and much of the world as the authoritative guide to the diagnosis of mental disorders. In 2013, the APA released the fifth edition of DSM (DSM-5). It stated that an autism diagnosis requires persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by the following: deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, and in developing, maintaining and understanding relationships. The full text of the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for ASD is provided below with permission from the APA. In 2022 the APA released the DSM-5-TR, a text revision to the DSM-5, which included a clarification to the autism diagnostic criteria. Specifically, the phrase “manifested by the following” was revised to read “as manifested by all of ...

Overview Autism spectrum disorder is a condition related to brain development that affects how people see others and socialize with them. This causes problems in communication and getting along with others socially. The condition also includes limited and repeated patterns of behavior. The term "spectrum" in autism spectrum disorder refers to the wide range of symptoms and the severity of these symptoms. Autism spectrum disorder includes conditions that were once thought to be separate — autism, Asperger's syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder and a form of widespread developmental disorder that isn't specified. Autism spectrum disorder begins in early childhood. Over time, it can cause difficulty functioning in society. For example, people with autism spectrum disorder may have problems being social or when in school or at work. Often children show symptoms of autism within the first year of life. A small number of children with the condition appear to develop ...

What is autism? Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism affects an estimated 1 in 31 children and 1 in 45 adults in the United States today. We know that there is not one type of autism, but many. Autism looks different for everyone, and each person with autism has a distinct set of strengths and challenges. Some autistic people can speak, while others are nonverbal or minimally verbal and communicate in other ways. Some have intellectual disabilities, while some do not. Some require significant support in their daily lives, while others need less support and, in some cases, live entirely independently. On average, autism is diagnosed around age 5 in the U.S., with signs appearing by age 2 or 3. Current diagnostic guidelines in the DSM-5-TR break down the ASD diagnosis into three levels ba...