Diagnosis and Management of a 7-year Old Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Bahrain: A Case Study

Introduction: Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impairments in three domains: social interactions, verbal and non-verbal communication, and preference for a repetitive interest or behavior. 1 There are three types of disorders classified under the Autism Spectrum Disorders according to the DSM-IV-TR: Autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PPD-NOS). Autistic disorder is further classified according to its severity to mild, moderate and severe. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 1 in 88 children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States. 2 In this paper, the terms Autism and Autism Spectrum Disroders (ASDs) are used interchangeably. It has been found that diagnosing autism between ages 2 and 3 years is quite reliable when healthcare professionals interpreted standard criteria for autism. However, many children do not receive their diagnosis until much later. 3 The importance of early diagnosis lies in the outcomes of early access of appropriate services and early intervention. Research found that preschool children with more than 2 years of intervention for an ASD performed much better than children who began the same interventions at older age. Those improvements included increases in developmental progress and intellectual performance. 4