How we diagnose Autism Spectrum Disorder?
In my latest post, I briefly described what ASD is. Although it is genetically inherited disorder, it is defined behaviorally. In the US, most of the mental disorders are diagnosed by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition by American Psychiatry Association, and ASD is no exception.
Diagnostic Criteria for Autism:
A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by all of the following, currently or by history.
- Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity
- Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction
- Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships
B. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by at least two of the following, currently or by history.
- Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech
- Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior
- Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus
- Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment
C. Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (but may not become fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities, or may be masked by learned strategies in later life).
D. Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.
E. These disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder) or global developmental delay. Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder frequently co-occur; to make comorbid diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, social communication should be below that expected for general developmental level.
These five are the core elements of diagnosis. Apart from those, there are specifiers, illustrative, not exhaustive examples, and everything related to ASD development and course.
@MinnesotanPeggy
In my latest post, I briefly described what ASD is. Although it is genetically inherited disorder, it is defined behaviorally. In the US, most of the mental disorders are diagnosed by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition by American Psychiatry Association, and ASD is no exception.
Diagnostic Criteria for Autism:
A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by all of the following, currently or by history.
- Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity
- Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction
- Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships
B. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by at least two of the following, currently or by history.
- Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech
- Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior
- Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus
- Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment
C. Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (but may not become fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities, or may be masked by learned strategies in later life).
D. Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.
E. These disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder) or global developmental delay. Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder frequently co-occur; to make comorbid diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, social communication should be below that expected for general developmental level.
These five are the core elements of diagnosis. Apart from those, there are specifiers, illustrative, not exhaustive examples, and everything related to ASD development and course.
@MinnesotanPeggy