Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Autism spectrum disorders, or ASD, is an umbrella term commonly used to describe several developmental disorders in which individuals have substantial differences in the nature of their social development and communication skills, as well as unusual behaviors and interests. ASD is not a diagnostic category, but is widely used to refer to three of the five diagnoses under the category of pervasive developmental disorders. Those three diagnoses are Autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS).

Summary of Advances in Autism Spectrum Disorder Research: Calendar Year 2011 (April 2012)
This summary provides short, plain language synopses of the top twenty ASD research breakthroughs for 2011. The articles are grouped according to the questions of the 2011 Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research. The Strategic Plan is organized around seven important questions for people with ASD and their families regarding diagnosis, the biology of autism, risk factors, treatments and interventions, services and supports, and questions about issues faced by adolescents, adults and seniors with autism and their families.

On March 30, 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data on the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), suggesting that 1 in 88 children in the U.S. has been identified with an ASD (1 in 54 for boys and 1 in 252 girls). The estimate is based on data collected during 2008. It marks a 23% increase since the previous report published in 2009 and a 78% increase since the first report published in 2007. The largest increases over time were among Hispanic children (110%) and black children (91%). The researchers suggest that some of this may be due to greater awareness and better identification among these groups; however this would only explain part of the increase. Read the March 30, 2012 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly (MMWR) Report (61(SS03);1-19) and the related community report.

Virginia's Supporting Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and their Families Part C Guidance Document (January 2012) (PDF: 786kb)