Many people with autism can have several different symptoms.  Physicians see autism as a “spectrum” disorder, which is a group of disorders with many similar features. An autistic person might have mild symptoms, while another could have very serious symptoms.  Yet they both have what is called an “autism spectrum disorder”–sometimes referred to as ASD for short.

Spectrum

Currently, the autism spectrum disorder ASD category includes:

• Autistic disorder (also called “classic” autism)
• Asperger syndrome
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (or atypical autism)

In some cases, health care providers use a broader term, pervasive developmental disorder, to describe autism.  This category includes the autism spectrum disorders above, plus Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and Rett syndrome.

Many people use the term “autism spectrum disorder” and “autism” and mean the same thing.