Why Is Autism Referred To As A Spectrum?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disability; signs typically appear during early childhood and affect a person’s ability to communicate, and interact with others. ASD is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a “spectrum condition” that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees.


Watch the video to know why Autism is referred to as a “spectrum”.


Useful Resources and Links:


“Parenting a child with Autism”




“How to Manage Sensory Overload for an Autistic”




“Eat Well, Be Well Ebook”



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In This Video:

Autism spectrum disorder (also known as ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that begins early on in childhood and lasts throughout a person’s life. It affects the way a person interacts with others, communicates and learns. In 2018 the CDC determined that approximately 1 in 59 children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).


Now, we often hear the medical practitioners say that a child is “On the spectrum”. This usually refers to the specific set of behavioral and developmental problems and the challenges associated with autism spectrum disorder. Being on the spectrum for them means that your child’s communication, social, and play skills are affected in some way. To further categorize, experts use different names to describe ASD. These include:

Pervasive developmental disorder (PDD)

Pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS)

Asperger syndrome

High functioning autism



All of these names fall under the term ASD.


If your child falls on this spectrum, it means they exhibit different behavioral patterns. Classic autism, or autistic disorder, is the most severe of the autism spectrum disorders. According to the Autism Spectrum Resource Center, only 20% of people on the autism spectrum have classic autism. The overwhelming majority fall somewhere on the milder range of the spectrum.


In order to determine whether your child has autism, a related autism spectrum disorder, or other developmental condition, clinicians look carefully at the way your child socializes, communicates, and behaves. Diagnosis is based on the patterns of behavior that are revealed during evaluation, which is then run down through the DSM 5 diagnostic criteria. DSM 5 is the fifth edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The team of specialists involved in diagnosing your child may include:

Child psychologists

Child psychiatrists

Speech pathologists

Developmental pediatricians

Pediatric neurologists

Audiologists

Physical therapists

Special education teachers


Determining where your child falls “on the spectrum” is not a brief process. There is no single medical test that can diagnose it definitively; instead, in order to accurately pinpoint your child’s problem, multiple evaluations and tests are necessary.


For more information on Autism and the Spectrum, Sign up at Abudo’s Online Platform and make your loved one’s Autism manageable.


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