Child Psychology and Psychiatry

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
The differential diagnosis of autism includes
hearing problems, global developmental delay and
language delay or disorder, especially receptive
language delay. In very young or profoundly
delayed children, differentiating autism plus
developmental delay from developmental delay
alone may be difficult. However, social interest,
use of pointing and other non-verbal gestures,
imitation and pretend play skills would usually
be commensurate with overall developmental
level in a child with general developmental delay.
In contrast, these are areas that are specifically
delayed in children with ASD. Behavioural
problems that may present a differential diagnosis
of ASD, and are possible comorbidities, include:
•
attention
deficit
hyperactivity
disorder
(ADHD);
•
deficits in attention, motor skills and perception
(DAMP);
•
oppositional behaviour, including resistance to
change;
•
acutely anxious behaviour;
•