What is ASD and PDD?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) / Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) is a developmental disability that often affects the way a child relates to their environment and their interaction with other people. There are a range of difficulties people with ASD may experience, however some of the main areas of difficulty are in social communication and interaction as well as repetitive behaviour/interests, sensory interests and sensitivities, as well as intellectual impairments and learning difficulties.
It's estimated that 1/100 people suffer from ASD! Check out Autism Spectrum Australia for more info.
When to Refer?
-
Your child has limited use of words
-
Limited use of non verbal communication (pragmatic skills). For example, eye contact, facial expressions and gestures.
-
Limited use of pretend play
-
Unusually focused on a particular interest
-
Repetitive body movements e.g. hand clapping
-
Lack of interest with other people and activities