Autism Defined

The 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) was published by the American Psychiatric Association in 2013, and they have specific diagnostic criteria for determining if a child has autism. These criteria have broadened over the years, so the definition went from the single term "Autism" or "Aspergers Syndrome" to a more expanded term known as autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. DSM-V describes "deficits" categorized into fourteen domains, which are:

1. social-emotional reciprocity

2. non-verbal communicative behaviors

3. developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships

4. "other" verbal communication

5. stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech

6. insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or non-verbal behavior

7. highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus

8. hyper- or hypo- reactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment

9. cognitive abilities

10. emotional impacts

11. physical manifestations

12. "other" behavioral manifestations

13. miscellaneous impacts/consequences, for example, independence

14. developmental delays

This means children (and adults) with ASD can have difficulty communicating with others and understanding other people's feelings/emotions and can become withdrawn from those around them. They can become overwhelmed and have difficulty processing sensory inputs like bright lights or loud sounds. They can also process pain differently, either by being overly sensitive to it or by barely feeling it at all. This can lead to a low sense of self-preservation, and some children on the spectrum are prone to running away. In addition, they can also have a strong desire for routine and become upset when those routine changes. In some cases, the behaviors can become aggressive to their surroundings, the people around them, or even themselves (McDougal, F. 2018).