Types of Autism

Wait a minute, you thought Autism was one thing. It certainly is not. In fact there are six types of Autism! Autism is a complex neurobehavioral disorder that presents itself on a sliding scale. What did I just say? A neurobehavioral disorder is simply a disorder of the actions of the nervous system as it relates to behaviors. To add to its complexity, Autism is on a sliding scale. This is important to understand, since each individual on the spectrum functions on a different level. This disorder also covers a wide spectrum of symptoms and impairment, which is why it can be difficult to figure out in some cases. That is why the proper name for this disorder is Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD. That's an eye opener, huh? So what are the types? Are their key differences?

Autism in general usually manifests itself by the age of three. We started noticing symptoms of Autism in our son, Aiden, since he was about a year old, but we did not know that was what we were seeing. Aiden had a few classic characteristics of Autism, but others that were not typical or very subtle. One I remember very clearly is his hand flapping. Just today I caught him exploring a nail file by rubbing the different sides on his cheeks. He does this with new textures. Why the cheeks? I have no idea, that's how he explores his world. A typically developing child would manipulate the object with their hands, feel it with their fingers, use their eyes to examine it, and maybe even use their nose to smell it. Another major issue we have always had with Aiden is his resistance to transitions. If Aiden is involved in one activity he will resist changing activities, sometimes even to the point of a tantrum.

Autism can also be classified in the area of uneven skill development. Every child in the course of their development has struggles and strengths, but they are usually all in the same range. A child with Autism will excel in areas of interest and struggle in others. They may particularly be good at math or science, but suffer in areas of writing or literacy. This is a point of tension for people, since its hard to understand how someone can be so smart in one area, but lack in another. Its hard to articulate to someone with Autism how one subject affects another and why they are all important, therefor it can be exceedingly difficult to engage their interest in subjects they do not care for. The typical cue that drives people to search for answers is a child's lack of communication or socially awkward behavior. This may not be apparent at all until the child reaches school. For instance, Aiden is very affectionate and engages playmates, but his is three, social awkward behaviors do not begin until around age 6. I can only hope we have gotten early intervention involved early enough to circumvent this painful effect of Autism. Of course my son is on the high functioning end of the spectrum. Individuals with severe forms of Autism will show all the classic signs of Autism and may remain non-verbal. I met a grandmother the other day who told me her grandson is Autistic and mute. He communicates to his mother through sign language.

Until recently the six types of Autism were diagnosed separately. I have asked many health care professionals why these types were lumped into one diagnosis. There were many reasons, but the most primary and concerning point for physicians as a whole has been resources and insurance. For instance, Aspergarians were not offered as many resources as "classical" Autism through their insurance companies. The insurance companies said there was no need for intervention, but if you have ever come into contact with an Aspergarian there is a need to teach them social coping skills and to help them adapt their sensory processing issues.

What are the six types of Autism Spectrum Disorder?

• Autism Disorder: This is what people think of when you say "Autism". There are marked impairments in social, cognitive, and behavioral areas. This child will struggle with peer interactions and "imaginative" play. The symptoms can be mild to severe in range. 
• Regressive Autism Disorder: This is very much like Autism, except for onset. In this type of Autism the child develops normally until about 18-24 months old, then they begin to regress. This type of Autism occurs in approximately 20-30% of cases. 
• Asperger's Syndrome: These children are incredibly intelligent. They score very highly on intelligence tests and have good verbal communication skills. They struggle with social interactions since they typically have a narrow scope of interests, usually limited to areas that interest them, much like children with Autism Disorder. Aspergarians may also exhibit odd, repetitive behaviors, and most of them are also diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. It is not uncommon for an Autistic or Aspergarian to have a dual diagnosis with an anxiety disorder. 
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD): This is also referred to as atypical autism. This is a category specifically designed for children who present some signs of Autism, but do not fit into the other types. These children are a mixed bag of surprises. There is no "typical" PDD child. 
• Rett Syndrome: This disorder primarily effects girls. These children start to develop normally, but then slowly begin losing their skills usually between the ages of 1-4. They will exhibit stereotypical or classic autism hand movements. These children are usually severely cognitively impaired. 
• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder: This disorder is debated among mental health professionals, some believe it should be considered its own diagnosis. These children begin developing normally for at least two years, then they lose some or most of their communication or social skills. This condition is extremely rare. This is very closely related to Rett Syndrome. 

Resources: WebMD and Parents

The most important thing to remember about Autism and it can be summed up in one statement: "If you have met one child with Autism, then you have met one child with Autism". The Autism awareness ribbon is a made up of multicolored puzzle pieces and can often be associated with a rainbow. Every child with Autism is different from another. They may have some overlapping behaviors or mannerisms that help them fit together like a puzzle, but each piece is very different from the others. Their uniqueness is a blessing and a challenge. Like a puzzle, it is every parents goal to solve their child. Not to find a cure, but to find what works for them and help them cope to the world around them. Think of your Autistic child like a puzzle. Learn how to fit the pieces together so they can flow and find how they fit into this world. Its nice to hear people say its not a matter of them fitting into our world, but our world fitting into theirs. I love the idea and the message behind that, but it is not realistic. Its a sad truth, but your child is special to you, and you will conform to them, others will not feel this way. That is why I believe it is important to give my son all the tools he needs to cope with the world he lives in. I hope one day society will conform to him, like I do, but a lot of hard work needs to be done for this to happen effectively. 

Just as every mom I do the best I know how. My husband does the best he can as a father. We all do what we can as a village to help raise these special individuals we have been blessed with. Now we just have to reach out and show others how different our lives are and how wonderful our kids are. 

If you believe your child exhibits signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder, please, take them to a mental health specialist for proper diagnosis. 

We're here for you at Aiden's Hereos.