Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism and Spectrum Disorders in Children

Abstract

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed., text revision (American Psychiatric Association [APA] 2000), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), also known as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) are neurodevelopmental syndromes that are characterized by pervasive impairments in social interaction and communication, as well as by stereotypic behaviors and restricted interests. They are typically first diagnosed in early childhood and range from severe to a milder form. Diagnostic categories under the ASD umbrella currently include Autistic Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), Asperger’s Disorder, Childhood Integrative Disorder, and Rett’s Disorder. As data from around the world accumulate nosologic controversies about the validity of those classifications persist. This special issue of the Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, which includes both comprehensive review papers as well as data based papers can be grouped into three categories: (1) identification and assessment of ASD core symptoms, (2) diagnosis and assessment of comorbidity in children with ASD, and (3) assessment of adaptive behavior (play skills and verbalizations) in children with ASD. The discussion on assessment, diagnosis, and prevalence of ASD core symptoms includes the papers by Saracino and Fombonne (Diagnostic and Assessment Issues in Autism Surveillance and Prevalence), Matson and Horowitz (Methods of Early Diagnosis and Tracking for Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified [PDDNOS]), and Matson and Sipes (Stability of Autism Spectrum Disorders Symptoms over Time). Saracino and Fombonne reviewed epidemiological research of ASD between 1966 and 2010. In light of the stunning increase in reported prevalence rates in most countries the authors conclude that J Dev Phys Disabil (2010) 22:313–315 DOI 10.1007/s10882-010-9208-y