Autism-World

Asperger’s is a form of autism where the child/person still retains language and communication functions (the movie Rain Man.. Dustin Hoffman had this). Normal autism is defined as the following: symptoms that appear before the age of three which reflect delayed or abnormal development in Language, Social Skills and Behavioral Repertoire.

The criteria for diagnosis of autism are as follows (taken straight from my notes given by MDs and PAs):
Autistic disorder symptoms manifest themselves as follows:
The person fulfills a total of at least 6 criteria from the following 3 lists, distributed as indicated:

Impaired social interaction (at least 2):
Markedly deficient regulation of social interaction by using multiple non-verbal behaviors such as eye contact, facial expression, body posture and gestures
Lack of peer relationships that are appropriate to the developmental level
Doesn’t seek to share achievements, interests or pleasure with others
Lacks social or emotional reciprocity.

Impaired communication (at least 1):
Delayed or absent development of spoken language for which the patient doesn’t try to compensate with gestures
In person’s who can speak, inadequate attempts to begin or sustain a conversation
Language that is repetitive, stereotyped or idiosyncratic
Appropriate to developmental stage, absence of social imitative play or spontaneous, make-believe play.

Activities, behavior and interests that are repetitive, restricted and stereotyped (at least 1):
Preoccupation with abnormal (in focus or intensity) interests that are restricted and stereotyped (such as spinning things)
Rigidly sticks to routines or rituals that don’t appear to have a function
Has stereotyped, repetitive motor mannerisms, such as hand flapping
Persistently preoccupied with parts of objects.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, September 29th, 2007 at 11:07 pm and is filed under Asperger Syndrome.