Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, February 11). Screening and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder for healthcare providers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-screening.html.

CDC ASD Screening and Diagnosis

Aside from the diagnostic criteria found in the DSM-5, there are a variety of screening tools that can help aid diagnosis. These tools typically rely on parental observations and the observation of a professional of the child’s development and behavior. 

- Autism Diagnosis Interview (ADI-R)
- Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – Generic (ADOS-G)
- Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS)
- Gilliam Autism Rating Scale - 3rd Edition (GARS-3)

ASD Diagnostic and Screening Tests and Assessments 

Prior to DSM-5, there were multiple separate diagnoses under the broad range of the Autism Spectrum, but now they are simply denoted as ASD. The single diagnosis of ASD replaced the subcategories that existed prior. To be diagnosed, the individual must have persistent difficulties in social skills and communication and restricted and repetitive behaviors that have been around since childhood. 
Screening is recommended at 18 and 24 months old during regular clinician visits, though more screenings could be recommended if the child is at higher risk. 

- Diagnostic Screening Tools
- Diagnoses Prior to DSM-5


University of Rochester

Grinnell College

Bowdoin College

As our understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder has evolved, our definition and explanations have evolved as well, modifying diagnostic criteria and labels. Most likely, it will continue to adapt and evolve as we learn more about it, as our current understanding is incomplete. 

ASD Definitions Through Time

There is no medical test for ASD. Rather, experts must study an individual's development and behavior and, using their best logic and existing criteria, suggest a diagnosis. Generally, diagnoses are more likely to be accurate by age 2 or older. 

ASD Diagnosis Techniques

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Autism Spectrum Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd/. 

ASD NIMH

Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Disabilities, Campbell et al.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Library

The diagnosis of Autism has changed a lot over time to what it is now. It’s had quite a long and convoluted history as our understanding has changed.

- 1911: The Coining of the Term "Autism"
- ASD in the 1940s-50s
- ASD in the 1950s-60s
- ASD in the 1970s-80s
- ASD in the 1990s-2000s

ASD Diagnostic History

Diagnosing ASD in Children (DSM-5)

In recent years, the approach to diagnosing conditions on the autism spectrum has shifted. Instead of several distinct diagnoses (such as Autistic Disorder and Asperger's Syndrome), a single diagnosis of 'Autism Spectrum Disorder' is now used, with specifiers for severity. Critically evaluate this change. In your response, discuss at least one potential benefit and one potential drawback of this diagnostic consolidation.

Evaluating Diagnostic Consolidation for Autism

Based on the evolution of diagnostic criteria for developmental disorders, analyze the following scenario and explain the relationship between the historical diagnosis and the current diagnostic framework.

Interpreting Historical Diagnostic Labels

Autism spectrum disorder was termed autistic disorder in earlier editions of the DSM, and the diagnostic criteria for autistic disorder were much narrower than those of autism spectrum disorder as currently defined.

"Autistic Disorder" as the Earlier, Narrower DSM Term for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Matching procedures in autism research: Evidence from meta-analytic studies

Diagnosis technique library

In order to diagnose or understand ASD, there need to be comparisons to other groups of people and the peers of the child with autism. There might be a difference in the mental age of the child compared to their chronological age, which can only be seen through comparisons. Does the child have a delay in reaching developmental milestones that their peers reached? Are their developmental milestones more in line with that of a different chronological age group, or do they have altered responses in behavior than expected to people of the same mental age?

A child with autism might be able to explain and understand where emotions come from without being able to reflect or understand the emotions themselves. This is an altered response.

ASD Diagnostic Comparisons

Although autism spectrum disorder is typically diagnosed in children, research shows that more subtle presentations of ASD are often not identified until adulthood. Adult diagnosis is particularly common in autistic women, who are less likely to display stereotypical autistic traits and are more likely to internalize their presentation. Diagnosing autism in adults requires some modification of the typical approach used to diagnose children, including the use of different screening tools. As with child diagnosis, parental input is frequently sought for the diagnosis, but significantly more weight is placed on the individual’s self-report in adult diagnosis. 

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