Autism

Autism spectrum disorder, or simply autism, is a neurodevelopmental disorder "characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts" and "restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior,... Wikipedia

• Symptoms:  Difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, inflexible routines, narrow, restricted interests, repetitive body movements, unusual sensory responses
• Complications:  Social isolation, educational and employment problems, anxiety, stress, bullying, depression, self-harm, suicidality
• Usual onset:  Early childhood
• Duration:  Lifelong
• Causes:  Multifactorial, with many uncertain factors
• Risk factors:  Family history, certain genetic conditions, having older parents, certain prescribed drugs, perinatal and neonatal health issues
• Diagnostic method:  Based on combination of clinical observation of behavior and development and comprehensive diagnostic testing completed by a team of qualified professionals (including psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, neuropsychologists, pediatricians, and speech-language pathologists). For adults, the use of a patient's written and oral history of autistic traits becomes more important
• Differential diagnosis:  Intellectual disability, anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, Rett syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, schizoid personality disorder, selective mutism, schizophrenia, fragile X syndrome, obsessive–compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, Einstein syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder, learning disorders (mainly speech disorders)
• Management:  Positive behavior support, applied behavior analysis, cognitive behavioral therapy, occupational therapy, psychotropic medication, speech–language pathology
• Data source:  DuckDuckGo