Five Autism Types Explained

Autism used to be the term used for anyone withis largely unknown because of extremely poor social
that particular condition. Today, there are severaland communication skills.
different sub categories for different levels ofPervasive Developmental Disorder--Not Otherwise
disability or function. No two children diagnosed will beSpecified (PDD-NOS).
the same, but there will be many things that they doThis term is used to describe children who have most
have in common. With some high functioning autisticsof the same symptoms as classic autism. They will
most people may not even be aware that they haveneed the same interventions and help that autistic
autism, while others need assistance in almost anychildren require. The differences between PDD-NOS
part of life, and they are obviously living a veryand autism are minor and usually only obvious to
different life than other children. More is beingresearchers and doctors.
discovered about each of these different autismRett's Syndrome
types as time goes on.Rett's is a rare and relatively little-known type of
Asperger's Disorderautism, and it seems to only happen in girls. This
This type of autism is something that you hear morebranch of autism was first described by Dr. Rett.
and more about. These children are oftenThese patients often have problems with muscle
misdiagnosed at first, and are thought to haveatrophy, and tend to do repetitive hand motions.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or perhaps AttentionThey area almost always mentally retarded to some
Deficit Disorder. These children are very unskilled withdegree. These girls are very low functioning and will
social interactions and have problems withneed care for most of their lives. This particular type
communicating. They have repetitive motions, andof autism has been diagnosed since the sixties, but in
are fixated on patterns of all types. They can havethe late 1990s a gene that might cause this condition
above average language skills, though they don't usewas found.
them well in social situations. They are often clumsy,Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
as motor skills are under developed. Those withThis is also thankfully pretty rare and something that
Asperger's are thought to have a talent that theystrikes children who appear to have normal
focus on almost exclusively, and are considered to bedevelopment from birth. Usually between two and
highly intelligent. Recent findings indicate that Albertfour years of age this changes. These children begin
Einstein may have had this condition.to regress, and often do not potty train. They will
Kanner's Syndrome (classic autistic disorder)lose the will and the ability to interact with other
This particular type of autism was named after a Dr.children, and will lose an interested in play. They will
Kanner. He described and studied it in the 1930s andalso have problem with the motor skills that were
into the 1940s. This is the well-known type of thissomething they at one time had mastered. They will
condition that is very common. Those with Kanner'sstop talking, or their communication skills will regress
have very limited emotional connection with anyone,to some degree.
and they are very into their own little world. TheyThough there are more autism types out there,
want everything to be the same all of the time, andthese tend to be the most common. They are all
this includes routine (sometimes down to the exactthings that take parents by surprise, and each comes
minute) clothing, food, and television shows orwith their own set of difficulties. Most children will
movies. They can be deeply effected by noises,need to be cared for long after their peers have
bright lights and smells. They are generally consideredestablished independence, even though the will to be
to be low functioning, but how well their mind workson their own is very strong.