Although it is still unclear what causes autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), over time researchers and clinicians have become more precise with detecting and diagnosing ASD. Many diagnoses, however, are based on the criteria established within the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" ("DSM"); thus, any change in these diagnostic…

This article describes the revised and updated "Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood, Revised Edition (DC:0-3R)." The authors describe the impetus for developing the original diagnostic classification system for children from birth to age 3 in the 1980s. There was a need for a diagnostic…