• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer

We’re launching NeuronUP Assessment!

NeuronUP’s new assessment product.

Request access to try it for a limited time.

Request access
NeuronUP

NeuronUP

NeuronUP. Web platform of cognitive rehabilitation

Login
Free Trial
  • Product
    • NeuronUP Rehab
      • Cognitive intervention
      • Activities
      • Sessions
      • Analysis and monitoring
      • User Management
      • Home sessions
      • Programs
    • NeuronUP Assessment
      • NeuronUP Assessment
  • Solutions
    • Type of center
      • Groups
      • Hospitals
      • Nursing homes
      • Neurorehabilitation centers
      • Associations
      • Universities
      • Schools
    • Type of user
      • Acquired brain damage
      • Neurodegenerative diseases
      • Intellectual disability
      • Mental illness
      • Normal aging
      • Neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Customers
  • Prices
  • Resources
    • Training
      • Blog
    • Downloadable resources
      • Ebooks, guides and more
      • Resources for NeuronUP customers
    • Research
      • NeuronUP Labs
      • Tools for researchers
      • Lines of research
    • Neuro
      • Areas of Intervention
      • Neurorehabilitation
  • Contact
  • Service and support
        • Help Center
        • FAQs
  • Free Trial
  • Login
Login
Free Trial
  • Contact
  • Service and support
    • Help Center
    • FAQs
    • English
    • Español
    • Português
    • Français
    • Italiano
    • Deutsch

ADHD

Autism spectrum disorder ASD

These are a group of developmental disabilities that can cause severe, and even chronic, socialization, communication and behavioral problems.

You are here: Home / Neurorehabilitation / Neurodevelopmental Disorders / ASD

The way in which these disorders manifest themselves varies greatly from one child to another, hence the term “spectrum” or “continuum of disorders”, meaning that there are different ways in which the symptoms of this type of disorder appear and that the severity of these symptoms varies from case to case. The clinical picture is neither uniform nor absolutely demarcated, and its presentation ranges on a spectrum from more to less severe, varies over time, and is influenced by factors such as the degree of associated intellectual ability or access to specialized supports.

Individuals with ASD process information in their brains differently than others and develop at a different rate in each area. They are characterized by the presentation of clinically significant and persistent difficulties in social communication (marked difficulty in nonverbal and verbal communication used in interaction, absence of social reciprocity, and difficulties in developing and maintaining developmentally appropriate peer relationships), stereotyped motor or verbal behaviors, unusual sensory behaviors, excessive adherence to ritualistic routines and behavior patterns, and restricted interests.

The following criteria are proposed for the current diagnosis:

A. Persistent deficits in social communication and interaction in multiple contexts, manifested currently or in the past as follows:

1. deficits in social-emotional reciprocity.

2. Deficits in nonverbal communication behaviors used for social interactions.

3. Deficits in the development, establishment and understanding of relationships.

*Severity must be specified.

B. Restricted and repetitive repertoire of behaviors, interests, or activities, manifesting at least two of the following criteria currently or in the past:

1. stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or vocalization.

2. Insistence on monotony, inflexible attachment to routine, or ritualistic patterns of verbal or nonverbal behaviors.

3. Very restricted and fixed interests with an abnormal degree of intensity and focus.

4. Unusual reaction to sensory stimuli or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment.

*Severity should be specified.

C. Symptoms must be present from an early period of development (although they may not fully manifest until limited capacities no longer permit response to social demands, or be masked later by learned strategies).

D. Symptoms involve clinically significant impairments in social, occupational, or even other domains of functioning.

E. Intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder) or general developmental delay does not better justify these disorders.

It is also essential to specify the following points:

  • Presence of intellectual impairment
  • Presence of language impairment
  • Associated with a known medical or genetic condition, or an environmental factor
  • Associated with another neurodevelopmental, mental, or behavioral disorder
  • Catatonia
  • Loss of acquired skills
  • Paradigm shift

In recent years, with the publication of the DSM-V, there has been a very relevant change in the classification of this pathology. The DSM-IV established the section “Pervasive Developmental Disorders” which included 5 types:

  • Autistic Disorder
  • Rett’s Disorder
  • Childhood disintegrative disorder
  • Asperger’s Disorder
  • Pervasive developmental disorder not specified

The DSM-V has created the term “Autism Spectrum Disorders” (ASD), itself included in the category “Neurodevelopmental Disorders”, which encompasses all of them with the exception of Rett’s Disorder, which is no longer part of this category. Instead of distinguishing between these subtypes, the DSM-V diagnostic definition specifies three levels of symptom severity, as well as the level of support needed, as developed above.

10 cognitive rehabilitation and stimulation worksheets

Get printable exercises to work on different areas of intervention with adults and children. Developed by and for professionals. Hope you like them!

Download worksheets
NeuronUP

Cognitive stimulation platform for professionals

Neurorehabilitation

Neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodevelopmental disorders

Acquired brain injury

Intellectual disability

Mental illness

Normal aging

Intervention areas

Cognitive functions

Activities of daily living (ADLs)

Social skills

Company

About us

Professional solutions

Request information

Contact

FAQs

Pricing

Blog

Theoretical Framework

Information security policy

Ethics channel

Clients

Testimonials

Help center

Informative pills

Resources

Research

Research publications

Research tools

NeuronUP Score

Receive all the latest news on neurorehabilitation with our NEWSLETTER

Subscribe

Enisa-Certification
ISO-27001-certification

View certificate

Innovative_SME_EN

© 2025 NeuronUP

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Privacy Policy

Legal Disclaimer

Cookies

Terms and Conditions

English

Español

Português (Brasil)

Français

Italiano

Deutsch

NeuronUP
Manage cookie consent
We use own and third party cookies to analyze the use of the website and customize it to your preferences.
Functional Always active
The storage or technical access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The storage or technical access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
El almacenamiento o acceso técnico que es utilizado exclusivamente con fines estadísticos. Technical storage or access that is used for anonymous statistical purposes only. Without a request, voluntary compliance by your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved solely for this purpose cannot be used to identify you.
Marketing
The storage or technical access is necessary to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or multiple websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}