What level of mental disorder does autism belong to?
There is no unified standard to determine the level of autism as a mental illness, and a comprehensive assessment needs to be made based on the patient's symptoms, daily living abilities, etc. Autism often starts in infancy and childhood, mainly manifesting as varying degrees of social communication disorders, language development disorders, narrow interests, and stereotyped behaviors. Most patients will have intellectual disabilities. Here are the different levels of autism:
1. Mild Autism:
Patients with mild autism have minor social communication disorders, normal language development, and normal IQ development. They can usually live normally but may encounter some problems in interpersonal communication. This is considered mild autism and generally does not fall into the category of mental illnesses.
2. Moderate Autism:
Patients with moderate autism gradually experience more severe social communication disorders and significant language development delays. They may lack communication to varying degrees, exhibit varying degrees of language regression, and cannot express themselves correctly. Their requirements for others in daily life also gradually decrease. This falls into the category of moderate autism.
3. Severe Autism:
Patients with severe autism experience severe language development disorders and also exhibit stereotyped behaviors. They cannot engage in normal language communication or make eye contact with others. This is considered severe autism.
4. Very Severe Autism:
Patients with very severe autism have almost no language ability and do not actively communicate with others. They may exhibit passive defiance, have a dull response to pain and indifference, and may even refuse to eat or drink. They usually have low intelligence and fall into the category of severe autism. Autism often presents as a state of loneliness. Parents should promptly provide guidance and comfort when discovering autism in their children to avoid negative emotions and behaviors. At the same time, unhealthy habits such as overeating, smoking, and drinking should be avoided. More communication with patients can help with disease recovery.
