Definition: Autistic Disorder is one of the five Autism Spectrum Disorders (also known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders). It is among the most severe of the disorders, which include Asperger Syndrome, PDD-NOS, Rett's Disorder and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. Children with Autistic Disorder develop symptoms before their fourth birthday, and may have such issues as total lack of spoken language, marked inability to interact with others, and difficulties with meeting others' eyes.
If you suspect your child may have Autistic Disorder, it is important to schedule an evaluation as early as possible. Early intervention, including a variety of behavioral and developmental treatments, can make all the difference for your child. Most important will be developing a reliable means of communicating with your child, even if he or she is not verbal. PECS (a picture-card based communication system) has been proven to be a very effective means of building both communication and social skills among people with non-verbal autism; sign language and computer-based language production tools are also effective.
Also Known As: autism, non-verbal autism, severe autism
Examples:
Autistic Disorder is among the most severe forms of autism spectrum disorder.
