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Autism spectrum

Autism spectrum disorder: a developmental disability affecting social communication and interaction, with restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests.

What It Means

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that shows up as differences in social communication and interaction, together with restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. CDC notes autistic people may also learn, move or pay attention in different ways. The word spectrum reflects how widely it varies from one person to the next.

Try It: Walk Through What to Do if You're Worried

Step through what CDC and the AAP suggest when you have a concern. It doesn't diagnose anything.

Step 1 of 4: Write it down. Note what you see: how your child communicates, plays and responds to people, and any repeated behaviors or strong interests.

How Parents Say It

  • "The doctor did the autism screening at his 18-month visit."
  • "She's on the spectrum, and she's brilliant with numbers."
  • "We're on the waitlist for an evaluation."

The Breakdown

Screening and next steps by age

AgeWhat's recommendedSource
18 monthsAutism screening at the well-child visit, for every childAAP, via HealthyChildren.org and CDC
24 monthsAutism screening againAAP, via HealthyChildren.org and CDC
Any age under 3Contact your state's early intervention programEarly interventionServices under IDEA Part C for babies and toddlers from birth to age 3 who have a developmental delay or disability, and for their families. See more directly if you're concernedCDC
3 and olderAsk the local public schoolPublic schoolA school run by publicly elected or appointed officials and paid for mainly with public money, including district, charter and magnet schools. See more about an evaluation for special educationCDC

Screening sits alongside developmental monitoring at every visit, so a concern at any age is worth raising.

Signs CDC describes. Differences in social communication and interaction, which can affect how a child responds to other people and uses gestures and words, and restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests. The Child Mind Institute notes that reacting unusually strongly or weakly to sensory input, like sound or touch, is also among the features clinicians consider.

When to talk to the doctor. Any time something about how your child communicates, plays or behaves worries you, and especially if they lose skills they used to have. A screening flags who needs a closer look; a diagnosis comes from a full evaluation by a qualified professional.

Good to Know

CDC's most recent Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) report, published in 2025 with 2022 data, found autism in about 1 in 31 8-year-olds across 16 U.S. communities. CDC says those communities don't necessarily represent the whole country. Services don't have to wait for a diagnosis: CDC says you can contact early intervention yourself for a child under 3.

FAQ

At what age is autism screening done?

The AAP recommends autism screening for all children at the 18-month and 24-month well-child visits, along with developmental monitoring at every checkup.

Do I need a diagnosis to get help for my child?

No. For a child under 3, CDC says you can contact your state's early intervention program directly without a doctor's referral or a diagnosis. For a child 3 or older, contact your local public school.

How common is autism?

CDC's ADDM Network found autism in about 1 in 31 8-year-olds in 2022, in the 16 communities it tracks. CDC notes that figure doesn't necessarily reflect the whole United States.

Do It in Buhata

Calendar and Reminders

Put the 18-month and 24-month checkups on the Calendar in Buhata and set a Reminder a few days before each to write down anything you want to ask about.

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Related Terms and Categories

  • Early intervention

    Services under IDEA Part C for babies and toddlers from birth to age 3 who have a developmental delay or disability, and for their families.

  • Developmental milestones

    Skills most children can do by a certain age, like rolling over or waving bye-bye. CDC places each at the age 75% or more of children reach it.

  • Speech delay

    When a child's talking develops more slowly than most children the same age, in making speech sounds, in using words, or both.

  • Sensory processing

    How the brain takes in and responds to what a child hears, sees, touches, tastes and smells.

  • Neurodivergent

    A nonmedical word for a person whose brain develops or works differently from what's considered typical, as with autism, ADHD or a learning disability.

  • Tantrum vs meltdown

    A tantrum is an outburst in which a child still has some control; a meltdown is a loss of control from feeling overwhelmed.

Parenting and child development

Sources

CDC, "About Autism Spectrum Disorder"; CDC, "Signs and Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder"; CDC, "Clinical Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder"; CDC, "Accessing Services for Autism Spectrum Disorder"; HealthyChildren.org (AAP), "How Pediatricians Screen for Autism"; CDC, MMWR, "Prevalence and Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 4 and 8 Years, ADDM Network, 16 Sites, United States, 2022" (2025); Child Mind Institute, "Is Sensory Processing Disorder a Real Diagnosis?"

Last updated .