Types & Causes of Autism

Presented by: Aceel Fakherddine

Dr. Maya Antoun
Overview
1. What is Autism?

2. What are the types of Autism?

3. What causes Autism?

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1. Autism Definition

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2. Types of Autism (1/6)
Autistic
Disorder

Childhood Asperger’s
Disintegrative
Disorder Disorder

5 Types

Pervasive
Developmental
Rett’s Disorder – Not
Disorder Otherwise
Specified (PDD-
NOS)

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2. Types of Autism (2/6)
1. Autistic Disorder

• Impairments in social interaction,

communication, and imaginative play.
• Apparent before age 3.
• Also includes stereotyped behaviors,
interests, and activities

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2. Types of Autism (3/6)
2. Asperger’s Disorder

• Impairments in social interactions, and

presence of restricted interests and
activities
• No clinically significant general delay in
language
• Average to above average intelligence

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2. Types of Autism (4/6)
3. Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not
Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)
• Often referred to as
atypical autism
• Used when a child does
not meet the criteria for
a specific diagnosis, but
there is severe and
pervasive impairment in
specified behaviors
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2. Types of Autism (5/6)
4. Rett’s Disorder
• Progressive disorder which, to date, has
only occurred in girls.
• Period of normal development and then
the loss of previously acquired skills
• Also loss of purposeful use of hands, which
is replaced by repetitive hand movements
• Beginning at age of 1-4 years

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2. Types of Autism (6/6)
5. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

• Normal development for at least the first 2

years
• Then significant loss of previously acquired
skills
Conclusion of the 5 types of Autism:
• Autism is a spectrum disorder
• This means that symptoms and characteristics can present themselves in wide
variety of combinations, from mild to severe
• Autistic individuals can be very different from each other
• “Autism” is still commonly used to refer to any of the 5 PDDs
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3. Causes of Autism
Autism is caused by abnormalities in brain
development, neurochemistry, and genetic factors

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Thank You

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