Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can refer to one of many different disorders: autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. ASD is a neurological disorder that can have symptoms such as trouble with social interactions, difficulty communicating, and lack of age-appropriate friendships, etc.

Children with ASD may also be especially sensitive to changes in their environments, as they can be intensely dependent on routines. Symptoms of ASD will vary from child to child. Some individuals have severely impacted behaviors and require intensive behavior intervention, while others show only minor signs and may only need focused intervention.