Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Guide
neurodevelopmental disorders - answera group of conditions with onset in the
developmental period" DSM-5, APA (2013) p.31
neurodevelopmental - answer_______________ DISORDERS
Intellectual disability
Communication disorders
Autism spectrum disorder (p. 50)
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Neurodevelopmental motor disorders
Specific learning disorders
communication, interaction - answerASD Diagnostic Criteria (P.50)
A. Persistent deficits in social ________and social __________. Child must display ALL
THREE of the social/communication features
(1) Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, ranging, for example, from abnormal social
approach and failure of normal back-and-forth conversation; to reduced sharing of
interests, emotions, or affect; to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.
(2) Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging,
for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to
abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of
gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication.
(3) Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships, ranging, for
example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties
in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in peers.
behavior, activities - answerASD Diagnostic Criteria
B. Restricted, repetitive patterns of ______, interests, or ____________ including:
Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interests in sensory aspects of the
environment. Child must display TWO OUT OF THE FOUR behavior features.
(1) Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech (e.g., simple
motor stereotypies, lining up toys or flipping objects, echolalia, idiosyncratic phrases).
, (2) Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of
verbal or nonverbal behavior (e.g., extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with
transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat same
food every day).
(3) Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (e.g., strong
attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or
perseverative interests).
(4) Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of
the environment (e.g., apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to
specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, visual fascination
with lights or movement).
early, impairment, not - answerASD MEDICAL DEFINITION cont...
C. Symptoms must be present in the ______ developmental period
D. Symptoms cause clinically significant __________in social, occupational, or other
important areas of current functioning.
E. These disturbances are _____ better explained by intellectual disability (intellectual
developmental disorder) or global developmental delay.
very, support - answerASD Severity level:
Level 3: "Requiring ______substantial support"
Level 2: "Requiring substantial support"
Level 1: "Requiring _______-"
70 - answerASD Co-morbid Disorders:
About _______% of individuals with autism spectrum disorder may have one comorbid
mental disorder, and 40% may have two or more comorbid mental disorders)
mental - answerCommon comorbid _________ disorders include: ADHD, Anxiety,
Depression, Specific Learning Disability, Developmental Coordination Disorder
(Simonoff et al. 2008).
medical - answer____________ conditions commonly associated with autism spectrum
disorder include: epilepsy, sleep problems, feeding problems and constipation. (Baird et
al. 2011).
not, academic - answerEducational Definition of ASD