Symptoms for ASD

• Avoids eye contact / physical contact

• Delayed speech or repeat the phrases over and over
• Odd play patterns –carrying toys around but never play with them
• Unusual communication pattern
• Pattern of behavior: Repetitive behavior occur – type, frequency and
intensity of the behavior
• Get upsets by changes in routine
• Struggle with social skills
• Uses excessive body movement (flapping hands)
• Has trouble showing and understanding people’s and own feelings
Diagnostic Criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder
(ASD)
• Persistent deficit in social communication and social interaction :
1. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity
2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors
3. Deficits in developing, maintaining and understanding relationship
• Restricted repetitive patterns or behavior, interest or activities as
manifested by at least two of the following:
1. Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects or
speech (e.g., lining up toys or flipping objects, echolalia)
2. Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines or
ritualized patterns of verbal and nonverbal behavior
Factors of autism
1. Genetic
 associated with genetic disorder (e.g., Rett Syndrome)
2. Environmental
 advanced age of parents
Illness suffered by the mother during pregnancy
Extreme prematurity
Complication during childbirth
Exposure to high level of pesticide or air pollution in pregnant women
3. Brain Damage
4. Drug use, smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy
Comorbidity

• Autism associated with intellectual impairment and structural

language disorder.