>>2656419>>2656419 (You)
>Autism Spectrum Disorder<Diagnostic CriteriaA. Persistent deficits in social communication and social
interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by all of
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.
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 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).
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
developmental disorder (intellectual disability) or global
developmental delay. Intellectual developmental disorder and
autism spectrum disorder frequently co-occur; to make
comorbid diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and
intellectual developmental disorder, 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.