What is autism?

Also known as: autism spectrum disorder or ASD, autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), Asperger syndrome.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that is defined as social-communication deficits in combination with engagement in excessive restrictive and repetitive behaviors.

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to the wide range of symptoms of autism that can present differently in each child: Some patients present with mild (level 1) symptoms, whereas others can present with moderate (level 2) or more severe (level 3) symptoms.

---

Reviewed by: Abigail E Ley, MD

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM