Recognising Autism

Autism, or Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a condition with a wide variety of observable behaviours that fall outside the norm for age appropriate development. Here we reproduce the criteria for autism as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association. The Fifth Edition (DSM-V) was published in May 2013, superseding DSM-IV. DSM is used in the United States and forms the basis for classification in many other countries around the world.

We publish this information here not because we believe it to be infallible, but because most medical practitioners will follow this model and individuals with autism, parents or carers will benefit from understanding the assumptions underlying a diagnosis of autism. As most of the criteria are observable behaviours rather than medical tests, parents, carers or adults with autism can inform themselves about this condition and also uses these criteria to track further development.

Quick Links:

• DSM-V 315.39 Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder
• DSM-V 299.00 Autism Spectrum Disorder
  
• DSM-IV 299.00 Autistic Disorder
• DSM-IV 299.80 Asperger's Disorder (or Asperger Syndrome)
• DSM-IV 299.80 Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)
• DSM-IV 299.80 Rett's Disorder (or Rett Syndrome)
• DSM-IV 299.10 Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
  

DSM-V 315.39 Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder

Diagnostic Criteria:

A. Persistent difficulties in the social use of verbal and nonverbal communication as manifested by all of the following:

(1) Deficits in using communication for social purposes, such as greeting and sharing information, in a manner that is appropriate for the social context.

(2) Impairment of the ability to change communication to match context or the needs of the listener, such as speaking differently in a classroom than on the playground, talking differently to a child than to an adult, and avoiding use of overly formal language.

(3) Difficulties following rules for conversation and storytelling, such as taking turns in conversation, rephrasing when misunderstood, and knowing how to use verbal and nonverbal signals to regulate interaction.

(4) Difficulties understanding what is not explicitly stated (e.g., making inferences) and nonliteral or ambiguous meanings of language (e.g., idioms, humor, metaphors, multiple meanings that depend on the context for interpretation).

B. The deficits result in functional limitations in effective communication, social participation, social relationships, academic achievement, or occupational performance, individually or in combination.

C. The onset of the symptoms is in the early developmental period (but deficits may not become fully manifest until social communication demands exceed limited capacities).

D. The symptoms are not attributable to another medical or neurological condition or to low abilities in the domains or word structure and grammar, and are not better explained by autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder), global developmental delay, or another mental disorder.

DSM-V 299.00 Autism Spectrum Disorder

Diagnostic Criteria:

A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive, see text):

(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.

Specify current severity: Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted repetitive patterns of behavior (see Table).

B. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by at least two of the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive; see text):

(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 or verbal nonverbal behavior (e.g., extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat 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 interest).

(4) Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interests 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).

Specify current severity: Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior (see Table).

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.

Note: Individuals with a well-established DSM-IV diagnosis of autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified should be given the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Individuals who have marked deficits in social communication, but whose symptoms do not otherwise meet criteria for autism spectrum disorder, should be evaluated for social (pragmatic) communication disorder.

Specify if:

With or without accompanying intellectual impairment.

With or without accompanying language impairment.

Associated with a known medical or genetic condition or environmental factor. (Coding note: Use additional code to identify the associated medical or genetic condition.)

Associated with another neurodevelopmental, mental, or behavioral disorder. (Coding note: Use additional code[s] to identify the associated neurodevelopmental, mental, or behavioral disorder[s].)

With catatonia (refer to the criteria for catatonia associated with another mental disorder, pp. 119-120, for definition). (Coding note: Use additional code 293.89 [F06.1] catatonia associated with autism spectrum disorder to indicate the presence of the comorbid catatonia.)

Table: Severity levels for autism spectrum disorder.

DSM-IV 299.00 Autistic Disorder

A person must meet all three primary area's A., B., and C., as descibed below:

A. A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and (3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):

(1) qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

(a) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors, such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction;

(b) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level;

(c) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest);

(d) lack of social or emotional reciprocity.

(2) qualitative impairments in communication, as manifested by at least one of the following:

(a) delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mime);

(b) in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others;

(c) stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language;

(d) lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level.

(3) restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities as manifested by at least one of the following:

(a) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus;

(b) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals;

(c) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting or complex whole-body movements);

(d) persistent precoccupation with parts of objects.

B. Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years:

(1) social interaction;

(2) language as used in social communication;

(3) symbolic or imaginative play.

C. The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's disorder or childhood disintegrative disorder.

DSM-IV 299.80 Asperger's Disorder (or Asperger Syndrome)

A person must meet all six primary area's A., to F., as descibed below:

A. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

(1) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors, such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction;

(2) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level;

(3) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people);

(4) lack of social or emotional reciprocity.

B. Restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

(1) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus;

(2) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals;

(3) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements);

(4) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects.

C. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

D. There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years).

E. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood.

F. Criteria are not met for another specific pervasive developmental disorder or schizophrenia.

DSM-IV 299.80 Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)

This category should be used when there is a severe and pervasive impairment in the development of reciprocal social interaction or verbal and nonverbal communication skills, or when stereotyped behavior, interests, and activities are present, but the criteria are not met for a specific pervasive developmental disorder, schizophrenia, schizotypal personality disorder, or avoidant personality disorder. For example, this category includes “atypical autism” - presentations that do not meet the criteria for autistic disorder because of late age of onset, atypical symptomatology, or subthreshold symptomatology, or all of these.

DSM-IV 299.80 Rett's Disorder (or Rett Syndrome)

A person must meet both primary area's A. and B., as descibed below:

A. All of the following:

(1) apparently normal prenatal and perinatal development;

(2) apparently normal psychomotor development through the first 5 months after birth;

(3) normal head circumference at birth.

B. Onset of all of the following after the period of normal development:

(1) deceleration of head growth between ages 5 and 48 months;

(2) loss of previously acquired purposeful hand skills between ages 5 and 30 months with the subsequent development of stereotyped hand movements (i.e., hand-wringing or hand washing);

(3) loss of social engagement early in the course (although often social interaction develops later);

(4) appearance of poorly coordinated gait or trunk movements;

(5) severely impaired expressive and receptive language development with severe psychomotor retardation.

DSM-IV 299.10 Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

A person must meet all primary area's A. to D., as descibed below:

A. Apparently normal development for at least the first 2 years after birth as manifested by the presence of age-appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication, social relationships, play, and adaptive behavior.

B. Clinically significant loss of previously acquired skills (before age 10 years) in at least two of the following areas:

(1) expressive or receptive language;

(2) social skills or adaptive behavior;

(3) bowel or bladder control;

(4) play;

(5) motor skills.

C. Abnormalities of functioning in at least two of the following areas:

(1) qualitative impairment in social interaction (e.g., impairment in nonverbal behaviors, failure to develop peer relationships, lack of social or emotional reciprocity);

(2) qualitative impairments in communication (e.g., delay or lack of spoken language, inability to initiate or sustain a conversation, stereotyped and repetitive use of language, lack of varied make-believe play);

(3) restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, including motor stereotypies and mannerisms.

D. The disturbance is not better accounted for by another specific pervasive developmental disorder or by schizophrenia.

SAS does not provide medical advice. All contents is for general information and use only and is not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice from a qualified physician or health care professional for any medical concern, and do not disregard professional medical advice because of any information provided by us.