Autism spectrum
Autism Spectrum
Autism Spectrum (pronounced: aw-tiz-uhm spek-truhm) is a range of neurodevelopmental disorders, characterized by social interaction difficulties, communication challenges, and a tendency to engage in repetitive behaviors. The term "spectrum" refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of impairment that people with autism can have.
Etymology
The term "autism" comes from the Greek word "autos," which means "self." It was first used by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911 to describe a group of symptoms of schizophrenia. The term "spectrum" was added later to indicate the wide variety of symptoms and levels of impairment that can occur in people with autism.
Related Terms
- Asperger's Syndrome: A type of pervasive developmental disorder which is classified as part of the autism spectrum. Named after the Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger, who, in 1944, described children in his practice who lacked nonverbal communication skills, demonstrated limited empathy with their peers, and were physically clumsy.
- Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS): A condition on the autism spectrum that exhibits some, but not all, of the symptoms associated with classic autism.
- Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS): An instrument for diagnosing and assessing autism. The protocol consists of a series of structured and semi-structured tasks that involve social interaction between the examiner and the person under observation.
- Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA): A type of therapy that can improve social, communication, and learning skills through positive reinforcement. Many experts consider ABA to be the gold-standard treatment for children with autism.
- Social Communication Disorder: A disorder that affects the communication skills and social interactions of a person, often diagnosed along with other disorders on the autism spectrum.
See Also
References
External Links
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Autism spectrum
- Wikipedia's article - Autism spectrum
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