Skip over navigation

Health & Daily Living

Definitions and Diagnostic Terminology

The following list of links to web sites is aimed at providing information on early diagnosis, the diagnostic criteria used by health professionals and definitions for Autistic Spectrum Disorders including Asperger's Disorder/Syndrome, High Functioning Autism (HFA) and Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). There are also links to web sites with information written in a range of other languages.

Early diagnosis

The Autism Home Page
On the home page scroll down to subheading ‘Basic Training’ and scroll for ‘Fact sheet #1c- Early Detection of Autistic Disorder. Factsheet provides information on the early (before 18 months) signs of Autistic Disorder. Includes a link to the new (2000) American Academy of Neurology and American Academy of Pediatrics practice guidelines for screening and diagnosis in autism.

The Autism Society of America
Information sheet on early diagnosis. (The information package is in PDF format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read it, but it can usually be downloaded at the site.)

National Autistic Society (UK)
Information on the CHAT- The CHecklist for Autism in Toddlers (CHAT) is a screening instrument which identifies children aged 18 months who are at risk for social-communication disorders.

top

Diagnostic Criteria

The Autism Homepage
On the Homepage, scroll down and click "Basic Training" Scroll for Fact sheet #1b - Symptoms of Autistic Disorder DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.) The fact sheet provides a description of the DSM-IV criteria for diagnosing Autistic disorder.

Autism Resources/PDD Network
Click on the site index subheading "Diagnosis & Testing". The page outlines diagnostic criteria for autism and links to pages on Asperger's Disorder.

Division TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children)
Click subheading ‘Information on Autism’ listed on site index and then ‘Autism Primer: Twenty Questions and Answers’. This page provides comment on 20 ‘frequently asked questions’ including what is autism; what causes it; what are the common problems etc.

Asperger's Syndrome: A Clinical Account
By Lorna Wing. Offers a synopsis of the syndrome, course and prognosis, aetiology and pathology, epidemiology, differential diagnosis, classification, management and education. Appendix includes six case histories.

The Autism Homepage
Has extensive links including basic training for autism, fact sheets, behaviour management, special situations, (visual impairment, echolalia, sex education, savant skills, toilet training, law), Education and speech issues, possible causes, treatments, autism and God's Intervention, and research (including links to 101 Medline searches).

Center for the Study of Autism
Follow the links to pages on autism subgroups and related disorders e.g. Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Asperger Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, plus links to Web Sites on disorders such as Attention Deficit Disorder, Apraxia etc.

ACCESS- Autistic Continuum Connection Education and Support Site
Site developed by adults with autism in Vancouver. Hyperlink to pages: General Information: definitions of autism and related conditions.

National Autistic Society
Diagnosis: Information for health professionals. Hyperlink to pages on diagnosis.

top

Definitions of Autistic Spectrum Disorders

National Autistic Society
Diagnosis: a brief guide for health professionals.

National Autistic Society: What is Autism?
Hyperlink to pages on definitions, characteristics, causes, diagnosis and how people can be helped.

National Autistic Society: What is Asperger ‘s syndrome?
Hyperlink to pages on definitions, characteristics, cause, diagnosis and how people can be helped.

The Autism Society of America
Information sheets on Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD)
(The information package is in PDF format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read it but it can usually be downloaded at the site.)

The Autism Society of America
Information sheets on High Functioning Autism.
(The information package is in PDF format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read it but it can usually be downloaded at the site.)

The Autism Society of America
Information sheets on Asperger’s Disorder.
(The information package is in PDF format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read it but it can usually be downloaded at the site.)

The Cloud 9 Children's Foundation (NEW ZEALAND SITE)
The Cloud 9 Children's Foundation aspires to raise awareness of Asperger’s Syndrome in New Zealand and to raise funds to help the many people affected by this developmental disorder.Click on link ‘AS Info’.

top

Autism in Other languages

Oops Wrong Planet! Syndrome
Comprehensive list of hyperlinks to pages written in Japanese, Norwegian, Chinese, Arabic, French and other languages.

ABA Resources for Recovery from Autism/PDD/Hyperlexia
Follow the links to International/Other resources- links to web pages written in, for example, Korean, German, and French.

top

Differential Diagnosis

Division TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children)
An introduction to medical aspects of Autism. Information on conditions a paediatrician would want to exclude in evaluating a child for autism, biological conditions associated with autism and medical conditions which enhance developmental or behavioural problems.

top

Epidemiology and Causes of Autism

MRC- Medical Research Council (UK)
Follow link ‘ Autism review’ in the ‘News’ box for detailed report which was commissioned by Department of Health (UK) outlines what the scientific research has revealed about the occurrence and causes of autism and other autism spectrum disorders, identifies gaps in knowledge, and makes recommendations on future research strategy for the UK..
http://www.mrc.ac.uk/index.htm
BMJ.COM (British Medical Journal on line)
Provides overview of the same report.
http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/324/7328/10/b?eafhtm

Top