The 5 Types of Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) refers to a group of developmental disabilities which affects a person's ability to understand what they see, hear, and otherwise sense. It is a brain disorder that impacts communication, social interaction, and behavior. Individuals with ASD typically have difficulty understanding verbal and nonverbal communication and learning appropriate ways of relating to other people, objects, and events. No two people with ASD are the same. As its name implies, ASD is a spectrum disorder that affects individuals differently and with varying degrees of severity. ASD is often found in combination with other disabilities.

There are five known types of Autism. Classic autism, Asperger Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Rett Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder. All of these types of autism have similar symptoms as in the most common being Social and Communication development.

Classic Autism:

This is one of the most severe types of autism, also referred as severe autism. People with this type of autism are known to have problems talking and relating to people. They can get upset if their routines are changed. People with autism compulsively repeat the same thing like watching the same television program or eating the same foods.

Asperger Syndrome:

This type of autism is a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to socialize and their communication skills, but does not trigger language delays. People usually exhibit limited eye contact, seem unengaged in a conversation, and not understand the use of gestures.

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder:

This type of Autism develops in children who showed no signs of autism and seemed perfectly normal. This usually occurs in children between the ages of 2 and 4. These children show signs of autism by loss of motor skills, lose potty training skills, and stop talking. They can also stop playing and fail to make friends.

Rett Syndrome:

This is a type of autism that usually effects girls and is marked by poor head growth. Girls with this disorder have poor verbal and social skills, they cannot control their feet, and they also have a tendency to wring their hands, wash their hands, and clap their hands. Some of the problems with this type of autism can be treated. Physical, speech, and occupational therapy can help.

Pervasive Developmental Disorder:

This type of autism is a condition in which some, but not all, of the symptoms of classic autism and another pervasive developmental disorder are seen. In these cases, there can be social and speech problems, as well as unusual sensitivities to specific sights and sounds.

Some sources for this information:

http://autism.emedtv.com/autism/autism.html

http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/metro/autism/types_of.html