Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are cognitive and
neurobehavioural disorders, having three core features:
deficits in socialization, deficits in verbal & nonverbal
communication and restricted and repetitive patterns of
behaviours1. These disorders manifest in early childhood
and are likely to last the life time of the person. In 1943,
Dr.Leo Kanner of the Jhon Hopkins Hospital, was the
first to describe the syndrome of autistic disturbances.1
However, over the period it is recognized as a spectrum
of disorder that includes: Childhood autism, Asperger’s
syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, Rett’s
syndrome and pervasive developmental disorders - not
otherwise specified1.