Are There Different Types of Autism?

If you are not familiar with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, you may also be unaware that psychologists no longer separate different types of autism. Because they share diagnosis characteristics, childhood disintegrative disorder, Asperger’s syndrome, and Rett’s syndrome are all under the umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Many psychologists shorten it to simply autism.

While the diagnosis may be autism, the way different types of autism are displayed still resonates. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder believed to have genetic components. To specify various aspects of autism in this article, we will distinguish between the classifiers as different types of autism, even though they are given one diagnosis, Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD.

Level 1 autism

Once the term Asperger’s syndrome was terminated from the DSM in 2013, level 1 ASD replaced it. Another way you may have heard this is high-functioning autism. However, there is little agreement among experts as to what exactly qualifies as high functioning.

A level 1 ASD diagnosis is assigned to a person who exhibits similar cognitive development to peers but struggles with social development and mild repetitive patterns. Someone with level 1 autism may struggle:

• To interact with peers.
• To broaden his or her interests (only interested in a few fields of study).
• To maintain certain physical gestures such as eye contact, coordination, and specific bodily and facial cues.
• To switch gears when changing from one activity to the next.
• To understand what non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, mean in a social context.
• With enjoying or seeking out typical social situations.

The level 1 diagnosis signifies that a person can manage fairly well and exceeds his or her peers in specific areas of interest. The person requires some support, but they are usually also highly intelligent and don’t need the level of care that someone with a level 2 or 3 diagnosis does. In fact, you may not even be aware that someone with a level 1 diagnosis has autism.

Level 2 ASD

Someone with level 2 ASD exhibits significant defining behaviors that are so challenging, that their everyday life is impacted greatly. A person with a level 2 diagnosis would require substantial support. It does vary, though, based on the individual and how early the person was diagnosed, as well as gender. ASD looks different in girls than in boys.

The earlier their diagnosis and treatment, the better outcomes people with level 2 ASD have.

If a boy has level 2 ASD, he may struggle to connect with peers and even make obvious signs of disconnection, such as walking away during a conversation, making awkward interruptions or sounds, or a lack of interest in other people. Some with level 2 ASD only want to participate in something that relates to what they’re already interested in.

However, girls are typically better at masking their lack of understanding of nonverbal communication, so they tend to fare better in social situations. Still, it can be exhausting for them to take part in activities with others, particularly if the social settings involve high levels of change. A person with autism spectrum disorder is characterized as having trouble with change.

Level 3 ASD

Level 3 ASD patients typically struggle greatly with communication and everyday life. They usually need supportive care for daily living. They are also marked by having more severely disruptive behavior and can sometimes be nonverbal. Repetitive patterns are more pronounced too.

Treatment for different types of autism

The different types of autism, or levels, matter because the treatments they receive may vary widely. Brain mapping, neurofeedback training, and neurostimulation are all types of treatment that can be used with autism spectrum disorder. Someone with level 1 ASD is going to need less integrative therapy than someone with level 3 ASD.

A person with level 1 ASD may need help with change, managing stress, and adapting to new environments or rhythms whereas someone with level 2 or 3 ASD may not be able to communicate their distress in new environments or manage without a caregiver.

While technically there aren’t different types of autism, there are plenty of therapies that can support an ASD diagnosis regardless of the level. These may include speech therapy, sensory training, and occupational therapy, to name a few.

Help is available for different types of autism

Understanding autism of any level and living with or alongside someone who has been diagnosed is a difficult journey at times. It is important to get the emotional support you need for the journey.

If you would like more information on autism and how you can support a loved one, contact one of our offices today. We can match you with a counselor who is specifically equipped to work with all levels of autism spectrum disorder. Walking alongside you, a counselor can empower you to live well with autism.