Autism or Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a general term for a group of complex neurobiological disorders that affect cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral development.Some forms are associated with intellectual abnormalities including savantism (visual, musical, mathematical, and artistic skills.) Peoples’ symptoms present in varying degrees and manifest as inflexible adherence to routines or rituals, restricted patterns or preoccupation with interests, objects, or patterns, and motor coordination problems and repetitive mannerism with specific body parts or whole body movements.

The National Institute of Mental Health list of spectrum of disorders includes:

×         Autistic disorder (classic autism)

×         Asperger’s disorder (Asperger syndrome)

×         Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS)

×         Rett’s disorder (Rett syndrome)

×         Childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD)