Appropriate Deficiency Syndrome (ASD)

The ability for a mental health professional or physician to diagnose a child with ASD is tied to the age of the child as well as the severity of symptoms. Children can be diagnosed as early as 12 months of age, but these infants typically have more severe and noticeable differences such as language regression, unusual mannerisms, severe developmental delays, or having relatives with ASD (Valicenti-McDermott, Hottinger, Seijo, & Shulman, 2012). Typically, ages 4-5 are when the majority of children are diagnosed with ASD, as it coincides with the commencement of preschool or kindergarten when these children are expected to socialize with their peers but rather begin displaying certain behavioral differences.
One of the main issues with the