Autism, Child Development, and Theory

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by a deficit in social communication and presence of stereotypical patterns of behavior and interests according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (5th ed.; DSM-5). ASD is one of the fastest growing developmental disabilities with a prevalence rate of 1 in 59 among 8-year-old children in the United States according to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in 2018. This rise in prevalence is not unique to the United States. In Canada, for example, the prevalence rates of ASD grew 4.7 times higher from 1998 to 2007.