Autism refers to a group of disorders involving a broad range of conditions falling within a certain spectrum. These may include challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, or nonverbal communication.
There are five major types of autism which include Asperger’s syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, Kanner’s syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder – not otherwise specified.
Asperger’s syndrome is now known as level 1 autism spectrum disorder.
was quite common before 2013, the term is actually no longer used by medical professionals. It has since been reclassified as level 1 autism spectrum disorder by the DSM-5 diagnostic manual. Still, Asperger’s syndrome may be used informally — in fact, autism communities use it more often than level 1 spectrum disorder.
A child with level 1 spectrum disorder will have above average intelligence and strong verbal skills but will experience challenges with social communication. In general, a child with level 1 autism spectrum disorder will display the following symptoms:
Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that mostly affects girls. It is one of the most common genetic causes of intellectual disability. Intellectual disability can range from mild to severe. RTT is due to a difference in the MECP2 gene, which is important for the development of the brain. This gene is located on the X chromosome.
RTT is a progressive disorder, which means that it can get worse as children get older. RTT causes impairment in the ability to talk, walk, eat, and breathe. There is no cure for RTT, but supportive care is available.
Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD), also known as Heller’s syndrome or disintegrative psychosis, is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by delayed onset of developmental problems in language, motor skills, or social function.
A child experiences normal development in these areas only to hit a snag after age three and up to age 10. The developmental loss can be very heartbreaking for parents who had no idea their child had autism challenges all along.
Kanner’s syndrome was discovered by psychiatrist Leo Kanner of John Hopkins University in 1943 when he characterized it as infantile autism. Doctors also describe the condition as a classic autistic disorder. Children with Kanner’s syndrome will appear attractive, alert, and intelligent with underlying characteristics of the disorder such as:
- Lack of emotional attachment with others
- Communication and interaction challenges
- Uncontrolled speech
- Obsession with handling objects
- A high degree of rote memory and visuospatial skills with major difficulties learning in other areas
Pervasive developmental disorder autism is generally less severe than others.
Children with this type of autism may have experienced delays in benchmarks, such as speaking or walking, and often lag behind other children who are on pace to hit their developmental milestones.
Children with PDD-NOS are able to manage the symptoms of this milder form more easily than those who have been diagnosed with the more pervasive forms of autism.