What specific diagnoses are considered Autism Spectrum Disorders?
ASDs include a number of specific diagnoses. Autistic Disorder (AD) is the best-described and most severe of these. Others include Asperger Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disability – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), Rett’s Syndrome, and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. The general term “autism” is often used either specifically to refer to AD or more generally to refer to ASD. Another term that is often used synonomously with ASD is Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). This term is the diagnostic category heading under which the five specific diagnoses mentioned above are listed. We prefer ASD over PDD because it emphasizes the common “autism-like” features of all of these specific diagnoses and, at the same time reflects the wide variation in the manner and severity that individuals are affected. What are the symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders? The main symptoms of ASD are particular social and language problems. Often, but not always, children with ASDs will have delay
