Many parents, after their child is diagnosed with autism, will ask the doctor: Is the child severe? To what extent has it reached? Today, let’s talk about the classification of autism (autism spectrum disorder).
According to the current DSM-5 classification system, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is divided into three different levels of severity: mild, moderate, and severe. Due to the significant individual differences in the symptoms of autism patients, each individual with autism has their unique characteristics; therefore, the diagnosis of autism largely depends on the professional judgment of the doctor. Currently, domestic doctors mainly assess the severity of autism based on the intellectual development level of autistic children and their overall performance in social communication and other aspects.
In the chart above, we can see the differences between children with mild, moderate, and severe spectrum disorder in terms of the 9 major functions of autistic children.
It is important to emphasize that the severity of autism spectrum disorder is not fixed but has dynamic characteristics. In other words, the degree of disability of the same child with autism may change at the time of initial diagnosis and during follow-up after intervention. This possibility is particularly significant, especially in the pre-school stage. Therefore, it is recommended that parents not dwell on the current diagnosed level of their child and should have a comprehensive understanding of their child’s situation and take appropriate intervention measures.
