Introduction Rough Draft.docx PSY 444: Milestone One: Introduction Rough Draft South

Introduction Rough Draft.docx    PSY 444:   Milestone One: Introduction Rough Draft  Southern New Hampshire University   PSY 444:   Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior. Autism is considered a developmental disorder because the symptoms usually appear in the first two years of life (Autism Spectrum Disorder, 2018). Autism is typically diagnosed in early childhood; however, it can be diagnosed at any age. Milder forms of autism might not be diagnosed until middle childhood, usually between 9 and 11 years of age  (Slaughter, 2020). Autism is considered a spectrum disorder because there is a wide range in the severity of symptoms that individuals may experience as well as the type of autism (Autism Spectrum Disorder, 2018). According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) (2013), individuals that are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder have difficulty communicating and interacting with other individuals, restrictive and/or repetitive patterns of behavior or interests, and symptoms that cause significant impairments in social, occupational, or other areas of life.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2020), based on data from a survey conducted in 2016 about 1 in 54 children were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and it is more than 4 times more common among boys than girls. In a survey that was conducted in 2000, it was reported that there were roughly 1 out of 150 children diag