The<unk>  includes a range of neurodevelopmental differences, commonly referred to as autism and officially designated<unk>  disorder (ASD). Autistic people are said to have difficulties with social interactions, and to show rigid and repetitive behaviours and interests. They are also likely to have unusual responses to sensory input, including high or low sensitivity, auditory processing, sensory discrimination, and sensory-based motor impairments. A<unk>  disorder is one that can manifest very differently from person to person: any given person is likely to show some, but not all of the characteristics associated with it, and may show them to very different degrees. Different autistic people might show strikingly different characteristics, and the same person may also present differently at different times. The<unk>  was historically divided into sub-categories, but there were persistent questions over the validity of these divisions, and the most recent editions of the diagnostic manuals, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5, published in 2013) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11, released in 2021) both list ASD as a single disorder. There is some dispute over the appropriateness of the term 'disorder', and many sources prefer to use the terms autism, or<unk>  conditions (ASC), rather than ASD. While psychiatry traditionally classifies autism as a neurodevelopmental disorder, some see autism as part of neurodiversity, the natural diversity in human thinking and experience. On this view, promoted by the autism rights movement, there is not necessarily anything wrong with an autistic person, but this does not preclude them being disabled and potentially having high support needs. This relatively optimistic view of autism and other related psychiatric conditions and disorders has sometimes led to friction between autistic individuals, advocates and charities, leading to infighting. Other controversies in autism include scientific ones, political and philosophical ones, and many which have aspects of all three. Scientists are still trying to determine what causes autism; it is highly heritable and believed to be mainly genetic, but there are many genes involved, and environmental factors may also be relevant. It is unclear why autism commonly co-occurs with ADHD, intellectual disabilities, epilepsy and a range of other conditions. There are ongoing disagreements about what should be included as part of the<unk> , whether meaningful sub-types of autism exist, and the significance of autism-associated traits in the wider population. The combination of broader criteria and increased awareness has led to a trend of steadily increasing estimates of autism prevalence, causing a common misconception that there is an 'autism epidemic' and feeding the myth that this is caused by vaccines.
Autism spectrum
Tardive dysmentia
Outline of autism
Nonverbal autism
Multiple complex developmental disorder
High-functioning autism
Low-functioning autism
Zellweger spectrum disorders