Psyfield

    简 繁

    Topics

    All terms About

    Autism spectrum disorder

    孤独症谱系障碍

    Clinical diagnosis
    Also called
    autism, ASD, autism spectrum condition, autistic spectrum disorder, autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome

    What is autism spectrum disorder?

    Autism spectrum disorder (autism) is a neurodevelopmental condition that begins early in development and has two core features: persistent difficulty starting and sustaining social communication and interaction, and restricted, repetitive, inflexible behavior, interests or activities, which can include over- or under-sensitivity to sound or light.[1][2]

    Both required

    The spectrum: ICD-11 subcodes

    Mildly or not impairedImpairedAbsent or almost absent Without disorder of intellectual development 6A02.06A02.2No code With disorder of intellectual development 6A02.16A02.36A02.5

    Often confused with autism

    Schematic, not a self-test. The grid follows ICD-11 Table 6.5.

    Select a card, tag or grid heading for details.
    Schematic. Top: the two core domains that must both be present for an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, and two further requirements. Middle: the coding grid from ICD-11 Table 6.5, subdivided by intellectual development and functional language. Bottom: three situations often confused with autism. Select a part for details. Select a part for details
    Schematic. Top: the two core domains that must both be present for an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, and two further requirements. Middle: the coding grid from ICD-11 Table 6.5, subdivided by intellectual development and functional language. Bottom: three situations often confused with autism. Select a part for details. Save as image (PNG)

    This figure image is licensed CC BY 4.0: reuse it with credit and a link back to this page. How to reuse

    Embed this figure

    Copy the HTML below; the image and the credit both link back to this page.

    Key points

    • “Spectrum” means wide variation: intellectual ability ranges from profound impairment to superior.[3] ICD-11 subdivides by intellectual development and functional language; DSM-5 grades severity in the two core domains.[1][2]
    • About 1 in 127 people worldwide were autistic in 2021 (WHO).[3] Among 6- to 12-year-olds in eight Chinese cities the estimate was 0.70%, three times higher in boys; 43% were newly diagnosed.[4]
    • Autism often co-occurs with ADHD, anxiety, depression or epilepsy.[3] In the Chinese study, 43.1% of autistic children assessed for other conditions also had ADHD;[4] both can be diagnosed together.[1]
    • Autism is lifelong.[1] Timely, evidence-based psychosocial interventions can improve autistic children’s communication and social interaction, and support should extend to education, employment and social care.[3]

    An example

    Ms. Wang’s son, two and a half, lines up his toy cars and cries when they take a new route home. An online quiz says “high risk,” and she is worried. Many children go through phases of repetitive play; autism comes into question only with lasting social communication difficulties.[1] A quiz cannot replace a developmental assessment, which she can seek.[2]

    Misreadings and limits

    This page is not for self-diagnosis, and online tests or questionnaires cannot diagnose autism: NICE calls for a multidisciplinary team using history, observation and examination.[2] Vaccines do not cause autism; the study claiming a link was fraudulent and retracted.[3] If a child loses language or social skills, seek prompt assessment; adults can be assessed too.[1][2]

    If you need help now

    If you’re struggling to cope or having thoughts of harming yourself:

    If you’re in immediate danger, call your local emergency number.

    Psyfield is not a crisis service. Numbers checked October 2026.

    Sources

    1. 1 World Health Organization (2025). 6A02 Autism spectrum disorder. ICD-11 for mortality and morbidity statistics (2025-01 release). View source
    2. 2 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2011). Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: Recognition, referral and diagnosis (CG128). NICE clinical guideline (last updated December 20, 2017). View source
    3. 3 World Health Organization (2025). Autism. WHO fact sheet (September 17, 2025). View source
    4. 4 Zhou, H., Xu, X., Yan, W., Zou, X., Wu, L., Luo, X., Li, T., Huang, Y., Guan, H., Chen, X., Mao, M., Xia, K., Zhang, L., Li, E., Ge, X., Zhang, L., Li, C., Zhang, X., Zhou, Y., … LATENT-NHC Study Team (2020). Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in China: A nationwide multi-center population-based study among children aged 6 to 12 years. Neuroscience Bulletin, 36(9), 961–971. doi:10.1007/s12264-020-00530-6

    Last checked against sources: October 28, 2026