Types of Autism

Do you know that the abilities and needs can be different and they can evolve over time?

Yes, as per WHO, some people with autism can live independently while others have severe disabilities and need care and support lifelong.

That’s because there are different types of autism and the amount of support and care needed by an autistic person depends on which type of it they have.

In fact, the diagnosis is made on the amount of support needed.

Now, let‘s know about the different types of autism and the treatment options for them.

What are the different types of Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?

Until a short time ago, professionals used to discuss various forms of autism, including autistic disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). However, they are now collectively called “Autism Spectrum Disorders.“

Let’s learn about all 5 of them in detail.

1. Asperger syndrome:

As said above, this term was used before 2013 but now it has been classified under ASD. People with Asperger syndrome perform well in school but they have problems with social communication and their behavior is inflexible and repetitive.

Symptoms of Asperger syndrome are the following:

1. They may take a lot of time thinking and talking about a topic and they perform a restrictive set of activities.
2. They have difficulty grasping facial expressions, gestures, and language.
3. Their hobbies are obsessive in nature and as a result, their daily activities are affected.
4. They get irritated even with slight changes in their routine and they feel difficulty in controlling their emotions.

2. Rett syndrome

Rett syndrome is a disease affecting a girl child and 1 in 1000 girls are affected by this disease. Rett syndrome is detected when the girl fails to achieve the desired developmental milestone. Its symptoms are the following:

1. Loss of muscle tone
2. Reduction in head size
3. Impairment in speech
4. Involuntary hand movements
5. Difficulty in breathing and sleeping
6. Abnormal curvature of the spine

3. Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD)

It is a rare condition and is classified under ASD. It is mainly seen at the age of 3. Due to this disease, there will be a loss of previously gained physical and mental skills like motor functions and verbal abilities.

CDD is a type of childhood dementia where there is an accumulation of amyloid in the brain.

The symptoms of CDD are the following:

1. The children who had started talking may suddenly stop talking because of their inability to develop verbal communication.
2. Problem in emotional development.
3. The children also may report hallucinations.
4. They can lose bowel control and self-care abilities.
5. Playing abilities are also affected.
6. Language skills do not develop further.
7. Children with CDD will have problems in communication and will develop repetitive behavior.

4. Kanner’s syndrome

Children with Kanner’s syndrome may appear attentive and smart but they have underlying traits of the disorder including:

1. Obsession with object handling
2. Difficulty in speech
3. Lack of emotional attachment
4. Loss of memory and visual skills
5. Learning disabilities may also be observed.

5. Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS)

When the diagnostic criteria for autism is not fulfilled then the diagnosis of PDD-NOS is made. Children with PDD-NOS have milder symptoms of autism. Symptoms of PDD-NOS include:

1. Repetitive actions
2. Communicational problem
3. Problems in social behavior
4. Development of improper sensory cognitive motor and visual and organizational skills.