Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave.

Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult because there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorder. Doctors look at the child’s developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis. ASD can sometimes be detected at 18 months of age or younger.

Older children might be able to express whether they think therapy is helping if you simply ask them about it, while you might need to watch for signs of mood changes or improvements with more reserved or younger children.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a number of co-occurring physical and mental health conditions that are crucial for general pediatricians, family doctors, and nonspecialists to be aware of, since they provide the bulk of healthcare services for people with ASD. These include: Epilepsy/Seizures.

Some unproven therapies for ASD include: Nutritional supplements. Some studies have claimed that giving high doses of vitamin B6 and magnesium improves behaviors common with ASD. Other supplements like vitamin D, vitamin C, folic acid, and omega-3 fatty acids are also thought to improve behavior.

There is no evidence that single or multiple dose intravenous secretin is effective and as such currently it should not be recommended or administered as a treatment for ASD.