Online Autism Quiz

Thank you for taking our autism quiz! Below we will review more information about autism spectrum disorder and treatment options.

What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a disorder that can cause social, communicative, and behavioral challenges. According to psychiatry.org:

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental condition that involves  persistent challenges  in social interaction, speech and nonverbal communication, and restricted/repetitive behaviors. The effects of  ASD and the severity of symptoms are different in each person.

Signs and Symptoms of Autism Disorder

If you suspect that you or a loved one have autism spectrum disorder, here are some signs and symptoms to look for:

• A person with autism spectrum disorder may repeat the same actions over and over again
• A person with autism may not look at objects when others point to them
• A person with autism may avoid eye contact and desire to be more isolated
• A person with autism may not notice or pay attention to things like fireworks or loud airplanes passing by
• A person with autism may have trouble expressing their feelings or connecting with other people
• A person with autism may be unresponsive when someone tries to communicate with them
• A person with autism may repeat the same actions over and over again
• A person with autism may react differently than normal when they perceive things like touch, smell, taste, and hearing.

Types of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Until recently, healthcare experts talked about different types of autism separately, but now they refer to all types as "autism spectrum disorder." Old terms are still used however. Here are a few types of autism:

• Asperger's Syndrome
• Pervasive Development Disorder
• Autistic Disorder
• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), or DSM-5, outlines that a person must have persistent deficits in each of three areas of social communication and interaction (see a1. to a3. below) plus at least two of four types of restricted, repetitive behaviors (see b1. through b4. below).

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 understand 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.

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 stereotypes, 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 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 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.

Getting Autism Spectrum Treatment

If you need help, there is hope! Reach out to a licensed mental health professional who treats autism spectrum.