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Home / Health Library / Disease & Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was previously known as autism or
pervasive developmental disorder. It's a lifelong condition. People with
ASD benefit from therapies that can teach new skills.

 APPO
  CO

 Symptoms and Causes

 Diagnosis and Tests

 Management and Treatment

 Outlook / Prognosis

OVERVIEW
What is autism spectrum disorder (ASD), previously called autism and
pervasive developmental disorders?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder

characterized by the following:

 Difficulties in social communication differences, including verbal

and nonverbal communication.
 Deficits in social interactions.
 Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities
and sensory problems

Many of those with ASD can have delayed or absence of language

development, intellectual disabilities, poor motor coordination and
attention weaknesses.

What is the difference between autism and autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?
The term autism was changed to autism spectrum disorder in 2013 by
the American Psychiatric Association. ASD is now an umbrella term that
covers the following conditions:

 Autistic disorder.
 Pervasive developmental disorder — not otherwise specified (PDD-
NOS).
 Asperger syndrome.

People with ASD have trouble with social interactions and with
interpreting and using non-verbal and verbal communication in social
contexts. Individuals with ASD may also have the following difficulties:

 Inflexible interests.
 Insistence on sameness in environment or routine.
 Repetitive motor and sensory behaviors, like flapping arms or
rocking.
 Increased or decreased reactions to sensory stimuli.

How well someone with ASD can function in day-to-day life depends on
the severity of their symptoms. Given that autism varies widely in
severity and everyday impairment, the symptoms of some people aren’t
always easily recognized.

When might you begin to wonder if your child has autism spectrum disorder
(ASD)?

While ASD is believed to be a disorder of very early brain development,

the behavioral signs of autism characteristics surface between age 1 and
½ years of age and 3 years of age.

How common is autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?

Based on most recent CDC report, ASD is estimated to affect about 1 in

54 children, with boys being more likely to have ASD than girls. There
were more than 5 million adults in the US, or 2.21% of the population,
with ASD as of 2017. Government statistics suggest that the prevalence
of ASD (how common it is) has risen 10% to 17% in recent years.

SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES

What causes autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?

There is no clear-cut cause of ASD. Some causes that are supported by

research include genetic and some environmental factors. Specific
genetic causes can only be identified in 10% to 20% of cases. These
cases include specific genetic syndromes associated with ASD and rare
changes in the genetic code.

Risk factors include older parental age, low birth weight, prematurity
and maternal use of valproic acid or thalidomide during pregnancy,
among others. This field of study is an active one for research.

Are siblings at greater risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?

The truth is that genetics do play a role in autism. When one child is
diagnosed with ASD, the next child to come along has about a 20%
greater risk of developing autism than normal. When the first two
children in a family have both been diagnosed with ASD, the third child
has about a 32% greater risk of developing ASD.

Do vaccines cause autism (ASD)?

Many scientifically-sound studies have proven that vaccines do not

cause autism. When children suddenly show symptoms of ASD, some
parents mistakenly blame a recent vaccination. No reliable study has
found any proven link between childhood vaccination and autism.

What are the signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?

Signs of ASD range from mild to severely disabling, and every person is
different. The following signs are considered to be red flags that indicate
your young child may be at risk for autism. If your child shows any of the
following signs, please get in touch with your child’s healthcare provider
to discuss a referral for an autism evaluation.

The signs include the following:

 Your child doesn’t respond to their name being called at all or

responds inconsistently.
 Your child doesn’t smile widely or make warm, joyful expressions
by the age of 6 months.
 Your child doesn’t engage in smiling, making sounds and making
faces with you or other people by the age of 9 months.
 Your child doesn’t babble by 12 months.
 No back-and-forth gestures such as showing, pointing, reaching or
waving by 12 months.
 No words by 16 months.
 No meaningful, two-word phrases (not including imitating or
repeating) by 24 months.
 Any loss of speech, babbling or social skills at any age.

DIAGNOSIS AND TESTS

How is autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosed?

There are no laboratory tests to determine ASD. However, certain

healthcare providers receive specific training and can do screenings and
evaluations if needed and who might ask parents or teachers to record
observations. These providers might include specialized physicians,
psychologists and speech-language pathologists.

MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT

How is autism spectrum disorder (ASD) treated?
ASD is most often a life-long condition. Both children and adults with
autism benefit from behavioral interventions or therapies that can teach
new skills to address the core deficits of autism and to reduce the core
symptoms. Every child and adult with autism is unique. For this reason,
the treatment plan is individualized to meet specific needs. It is best to
begin interventions as soon as possible, so the benefits of therapy can
continue on throughout the course of life.

Many people with ASD often have additional medical conditions, such
as gastrointestinal and feeding issues, seizures and sleep disturbances.
Treatment can involve behavioral therapy, medications or both.

Early intensive behavioral treatments involves the entire family and

possibly a team of professionals. As your child ages and develops,
treatment may be modified to cater to their specific needs.

During adolescence, children benefit from transition services that

promote skills of independence essential in adulthood. The focus at that
point is on employment opportunities and job skill training.

OUTLOOK / PROGNOSIS
What is the outlook for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?

In many cases, the symptoms of ASD become less pronounced as a child

gets older. Parents of children with ASD may need to be flexible and
ready to adjust treatment as needed for their child.

People with ASD may go on to live typical lives, but there is often need
for continued services and support as they age. The needs depend on
the severity of the symptoms. For most, it's a lifelong condition that may
require ongoing supports.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Through research, there has been much that has been learned about
autism spectrum disorder over the past 20 years. There is ongoing active
research on the causes of ASD, early detection and diagnosis, prevention
and treatments.

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Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 12/29/2020.

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