Understanding Autism

What are the persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, nonverbal communicative behaviors, and developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships.

What are examples of deficits in social-emotional reciprocity in individuals with ASD?

Abnormal social approach, failure of normal back-and-forth conversation, reduced sharing of interests or emotions, and failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.

What are some deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors in individuals with ASD?

Poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication, abnormalities in eye contact and body language, deficits in understanding gestures, and lack of facial expressions.

What difficulties might individuals with ASD face in developing and maintaining relationships?

Adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts, sharing imaginative play, making friends, and showing interest in peers.

What are the restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior associated with ASD?

Stereotyped motor movements, insistence on sameness, highly restricted interests, and hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input.

What are examples of stereotyped or repetitive motor movements in ASD?

Simple motor stereotypies, lining up toys, flipping objects, echolalia, and idiosyncratic phrases.

What does insistence on sameness refer to in individuals with ASD?

Inflexible adherence to routines or ritualized behavior, such as extreme distress at small changes and rigid thinking patterns.

What are highly restricted, fixated interests in individuals with ASD?

Strong attachment to unusual objects or excessively circumscribed interests.

What sensory responses might individuals with ASD exhibit?

Indifference to pain or temperature, adverse responses to specific sounds or textures, and excessive interest in sensory aspects like lights or movement.

When do symptoms of ASD typically present?

Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period, though they may not fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities.

What types of impairment do ASD symptoms cause?

Clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

How should disturbances in social communication be evaluated in relation to intellectual developmental disorder?

Disturbances should not be better explained by intellectual developmental disorder or global developmental delay; social communication must be below expected levels for developmental age.

What is the significance of a well-established DSM-IV diagnosis of autistic disorder?

Individuals with such a diagnosis should be given the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

What are the severity levels for autism spectrum disorder?

Severity levels are categorized as requiring very substantial support, substantial support, or support.

What characterizes Level 3 severity in autism spectrum disorder?

Severe deficits in social communication and extreme difficulty coping with change, causing significant interference in functioning.

What characterizes Level 2 severity in autism spectrum disorder?

Marked deficits in social communication and inflexibility of behavior that interfere with functioning in various contexts.

What characterizes Level 1 severity in autism spectrum disorder?

Noticeable impairments in social communication without supports, and inflexibility of behavior causing significant interference in one or more contexts.

What should be specified if an individual with ASD has accompanying intellectual impairment?

Specify if the individual has accompanying intellectual impairment or language impairment.

What additional factors should be specified in the diagnosis of ASD?

Associated with a known genetic or medical condition, or associated with a neurodevelopmental, mental, or behavioral problem.

What is the coding note for catatonia associated with autism spectrum disorder?

Use additional code F06.1 to indicate the presence of comorbid catatonia.

What is echolalia in the context of ASD?

The repetition of phrases or sounds, often used as a form of communication.

What does the term 'social (pragmatic) communication disorder' refer to?

A diagnosis for individuals with marked deficits in social communication who do not meet criteria for autism spectrum disorder.

What is an example of a behavioral characteristic of someone with Level 1 severity in ASD?

Difficulty initiating social interactions and clear examples of atypical responses to social overtures.

What might indicate a need for substantial support in individuals with ASD?

Marked deficits in social communication skills and inflexibility of behavior that interfere with functioning.

Which criteria are deficits in social-emotional reciprocity?

A1

which criteria is deficits in nonverbal communicative behavior?

A2

which criteria is deficits in forming and maintaining relationships?

A3

which criteria is stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech?

B1

which criteria is insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior?

B2

which criteria is highly restricted fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus?

B3

which criteria is hyper- or hyperactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of environment?

B4