Autism Spectrum Disorder
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
What is autism spectrum disorder?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a term for a group of developmental disorders described by:
Lasting problems with social communication and social interaction in different settings
Repetitive behaviors and/or not wanting any change in daily routines
Symptoms that begin in early childhood, usually in the first 2 years of life
Symptoms that cause the person to need help in his or her daily life
The term “spectrum” refers to the wide range of symptoms, strengths, and levels of impairment that people with ASD can have. The diagnosis of ASD now includes these other conditions:
Autistic disorder
Asperger’s syndrome
Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified
Although ASD begins in early development, it can last throughout a person’s lifetime.
What are the signs and symptoms of ASD?
Not all people with ASD will show all of these behaviors, but most will show several. People with ASD may:
Repeat certain behaviors or have unusual behaviors
Have overly focused interests, such as with moving objects or parts of objects
Have a lasting, intense interest in certain topics, such as numbers, details, or facts
Be upset by a slight change in a routine or being placed in a new or overstimulating setting
Make little or inconsistent eye contact
Tend to look and listen less to people in their environment
Rarely seek to share their enjoyment of objects or activities by pointing or showing things to others
Respond unusually when others show anger, distress, or affection
Fail or be slow to respond to their name or other verbal attempts to gain their attention
Have difficulties with the back and forth of conversations
Often talk at length about a favorite subject but won’t allow anyone else a chance to respond or notice when others react indifferently
Repeat words or phrases that they hear, a behavior called echolalia
Use words that seem odd, out of place, or have a special meaning known only to those familiar with that person’s way of communicating
Have facial expressions, movements, and gestures that do not match what they are saying
Have an unusual tone of voice that may sound sing-song or flat and robot-like
Have trouble understanding another person’s point of view, leaving him or her unable to predict or understand other people’s actions
People with ASD may have other difficulties, such as sensory sensitivity (being sensitive to light, noise, textures of clothing, or temperature), sleep problems, digestion problems, and irritability.
People with ASD can also have many strengths and abilities. For instance, people with ASD may:
Have above-average intelligence
Be able to learn things in detail and remember information for long periods of time
Be strong visual and auditory learners
Excel in math, science, music, and art
How is ASD diagnosed?
Doctors diagnose ASD by looking at a child’s behavior and development. Young children with ASD can usually be reliably diagnosed by age 2.
Older children and adolescents should be screened for ASD when a parent or teacher raises concerns based on observations of the child’s social, communicative, and play behaviors.
Diagnosing ASD in adults is not easy. In adults, some ASD symptoms can overlap with symptoms of other mental health disorders, such as schizophrenia or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, getting a correct diagnosis of ASD as an adult can help a person understand past difficulties, identify his or her strengths, and obtain the right kind of help.
Lighthouse Speech & Language
Lighthouse Speech & Language offers a wide range of services for individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
Social learning/social thinking therapy to address social awareness, perspective-taking, theory of mind, etc.
Executive functioning instruction to improve organization and planning, self-monitoring, emotional regulation
Language therapy to address weaknesses in receptive and expressive language, problem solving, critical thinking, etc.
Speech therapy to improve articulation skills
Assistive technology for learning - tools to support mainstream learning
Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC) services for children with complex communication needs (CCN) who produce minimal speech that is not functional for communication - AAC can also be used to provide a model for putting words together to make sentences for increased verbal communication
Jackie brings more than 25 years of experience and expertise, as well as a team approach to diagnosing and treating your child with autism.