Types of Autism

Autism is classified under Pervasive Developmental Disorders according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Other disorders under this category include:

• Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) — a condition where a child typically has many features of autism, but does not meet the written criteria for Autistic Disorder.
• Asperger's Syndrome — a form of autism, usually not diagnosed until the child is of school age, where they have fewer developmental delays but who have social and behavioral symptoms of autism.
• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) — a rare condition which resembles autism but only after a relatively prolonged period (usually 2-4 years) of clearly normal development (Volkmar, 1994).
• Rett Syndrome — a childhood neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by normal early development followed by loss of purposeful use of the hands, distinctive hand movements, slowed brain and head growth, gait abnormalities, seizures, and mental retardation. It affects females almost exclusively.