Recent developments in the diagnosis and assessment of autism spectrum disorders

Abstract

According to current estimates, the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) ranges from 1 in 500 children to 1 in 150 children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/CDC, 2007; Desmon, 2007). In the past such disorders usually were not identified until a child was school-aged, but these disorders are now more likely to be diagnosed in affected individuals during the preschool years (McConachie, Le Couteur, & Honey, 2005; Rutter, 2006). For example, Mandell, Novak, and Zubritsky (2005) surveyed over 900 caregivers of children with ASDs and learned that on an average, children with autistic disorder were diagnosed at 3.1 years of age. These researchers also reported that children who exhibited such characteristics as severe language impairment, toe walking, hand flapping, and sustained unusual play behaviors were diagnosed earlier than children without these features.

Citation

Deisinger, J.A. (2008), "Recent developments in the diagnosis and assessment of autism spectrum disorders", Rotatori, A.F., Obiakor, F.E. and Burkhardt, S. (Ed.) Autism and Developmental Disabilities: Current Practices and Issues (Advances in Special Education, Vol. 18), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 85-108. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0270-4013(08)18005-9