Hi, this is Tom, and in this episode I'm going to be going through Autism Spectrum Disorder,

and you can find notes at 0.0.5.com and in the 0 to Finals Pediatrics book, and you can find

flashcards and questions to train your knowledge at members.0.0.0.com. So let's jump straight in.

Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, involves a range of impairments in social interaction, communication,

and behavior. ASD is defined in the DSM-5, which is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

5th Edition. It takes previously recognized diagnoses like Asperger's Disorder, Autistic Disorder,

and pervasive developmental disorder, and groups them into one spectrum.

The severity of autism spectrum disorder varies. Some individuals require minimal support and have

average or above average intellectual ability. This was previously known as Asperger's disorder.

Others can be severely affected and require substantial or very substantial support.

Let's talk about the features.

The features of autism spectrum disorder vary significantly between individuals.

They can be categorized as deficits in social interaction, communication and behavior. Features are usually observable from early childhood.

Deficits in social interaction may include a lack of eye contact, delay in smiling, avoiding

physical contact, being unable to read nonverbal cues in others, difficulty establishing

friendships, and not displaying a desire to share attention, meaning not playing with others.

Deficits in communication may include a delay, absence or regression in language development,

a lack of appropriate non-verbal communication, for example, smiling, eye contact, responding to others and sharing

interest with others, difficulty with imaginative or imitative behavior, and repetitive use

of specific words or phrases. Deficits in behavior may include repetitive behavior and fixed routines, anxiety and distress with

experiences that are outside their normal routine, stereotypical repetitive movements,

for example, self-stimulating movements such as hand flapping or rocking,

...