Epidemiology


Etiology


Pathophysiology


Clinical features


ASD is characterized by a combination of two core symptom domains that impair daily functioning:

  1. Persistent deficits in social communication and interaction:
    • Social-emotional reciprocity: Difficulty with back-and-forth conversation, initiating social interaction, and sharing interests.
    • Nonverbal communication: Poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal cues, abnormal eye contact, and difficulty understanding gestures or facial expressions.
    • Developing & maintaining relationships: Trouble making friends or adjusting behavior to social contexts.
  2. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities (at least 2 of the following):
    • Stereotyped movements or speech: Repetitive motor movements (e.g., hand-flapping), lining up toys, or echolalia (repeating words/phrases).
    • Insistence on sameness: Extreme distress at minor changes, inflexible adherence to routines, and ritualized behaviors.
    • Highly restricted, fixated interests: Abnormal intensity or focus on particular subjects or objects.
    • Sensory issues: Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input like pain, temperature, or specific sounds/textures.

Diagnostics


<% tp.file.cursor() %>

Treatment


<% tp.file.cursor() %>