Abstract
Introduction. The increasing recorded prevalence of autism spectrum disorders among children highlights the importance of early identification and accurate diagnosis. Examining the evolution of autism concepts helps trace the development of clinical criteria and approaches to care. Objective. To analyze the development of autism concepts and diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorders, considering historical changes in classification and current approaches to diagnosis in children. Materials and methods. An analytical literature review was conducted using ScienceDirect, MEDLINE/PubMed, CyberLeninka, eLibrary, and Google Scholar. Publications on the history of autism research, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis were examined alongside World Health Organization documents and epidemiological data from the US Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network. Diagnostic approaches across editions of the International Classification of Diseases and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders were compared. Results. The reviewed sources describe the transition from early clinical accounts of autism to its recognition as an independent diagnostic category and the subsequent development of a spectrum approach. In DSM-5 and DSM-5-TR, diagnosis requires persistent deficits in social communication and interaction combined with restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior and fulfillment of additional diagnostic requirements. ICD-11 uses specifiers for intellectual development and functional language. Clinical heterogeneity and co-occurring conditions complicate differential diagnosis. Interpretation of increasing recorded prevalence requires consideration of differences in identification methods and study populations. Conclusions. Current diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders requires assessment of all diagnostic criteria, developmental history, intellectual and language functioning, and co-occurring conditions. The spectrum approach helps describe clinical heterogeneity while retaining the need for differential diagnosis. Early identification and individualized interdisciplinary care are important for children’s adaptation and social functioning.