Autism Awareness Month

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by difficulty with social communication and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interest, or activities. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends targeted screening for ASD with a validated screening tool at 18 and 24 months of age for early identification. Prognosis is heavily affected by the severity of diagnosis and the presence of intellectual disability. Children with optimal outcomes receive earlier, more intensive behavioral intervention based on applied behavior analysis that improves cognitive ability, language and adaptive skills and less on pharmacologic treatment. (Autism Spectrum Disorder: Primary Care Principles- American Family Physician; American Academy of Family Physicians)