Wikipedia's main entry on autism.
In the diagnostic manual used to classify disabilities, the DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1994), “autistic disorder” is listed as a category under the heading of “Pervasive Developmental Disorders.” A diagnosis of autistic disorder is made when an individual displays 6 or more of 12 symptoms listed across three major areas: social interaction, communication, and behavior. Examples below.
Problems in social relatedness and communication.
Difficulty in mixing with other children; prefers to be alone; aloof, regal manner; difficulty in expressing needs; uses gestures or pointing instead of words.
Abnormal responses to one or a combination of senses; such as sight, hearing, touch, balance, smell, taste, reaction to pain.
Sustained odd play.
Have odd mannerisms such as rocking back and forth, hand flapping, walking on tip-toes or head banging.
Uneven gross/fine motor skills.
Not responsive to verbal cues, acts as deaf.
Little or no eye contact.
Insistence on sameness; resist changes in routine.
Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity.
Tantrums; displays extreme distress for no apparent reason.
Speech and language absence or delays. Inappropriate laughing and giggling.
Echolalia (repeating words or phrases in place of normal language).
Abnormal ways of relating to people, objects and events.
Inappropriate attachment to objects.
Don't seek cuddling.
Spins objects.
Not fully knowing how to hold a conversation, thinking about what the other person in a conversation understands and believes, and tuning in to the meta-linguistic signals of the other person, such as facial expression, tone of voice and body language.
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