Autism Spectrum Disorder

Question 1

Differential Diagnosis to Autism

Answer 1

Social (Pragmatic) communication disorder

Schizophrenia with childhood onset

Question 2

Diagnostic Criteria A - 3 deficits

Answer 2

1. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity (eg. failure to have normal back and forth conversation)
2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviours used for social interactions (eg. Abnormalities with eye contact)
3. Deficits in developing, maintaining and understanding relationships (Difficult adjusting behaviour to suit various social settings).

Question 3

Diagnosis criteria B

Answer 3

1. Repetitive motor movements
2. Insistence on sameness (schedules)
3. Highly fixated interested (eg penguins)
4. Hyper or hypo active sensory (eg loud sound)

Question 4

Difficult to make diagnosis due to

Answer 4

overlapping symptoms with childhood schizophrenia, intellectual disability and language disorders.

Question 5

Core Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Answer 5

A) Persistent deficits in social communication and interaction
B) Restrictive, repetitive patterns of behaviors, interests and activities