What are non autism spectrum disorders that cause autism-like effects?

Answer 1

These mainly include Fragile X Syndrome, Landau-Kleffner Syndrome, and Williams Syndrome.

Fragile X Syndrome is a form of mental retardation in which the long arm on the X chromosome is constricted. Approximately 15% of people with Fragile X Syndrome exhibit autistic behaviors. These behaviors include: delay in speech/language, hyperactivity, poor eye contact, and hand-flapping. The majority of these individuals function at a mild to moderate level. As they grow older, their unique physical facial features may become more prominent (e.g., elongated face and ears), and they may develop heart problems.

People with Landau-Kleffner Syndrome also exhibit many autistic behaviors, such as social withdrawal, insistence on sameness, and language problems. These individuals are often thought of as having 'regressive' autism because they appear to be normal until sometime between ages 3 and 7. They often have good language skills in early childhood but gradually lose their ability to talk. They also have abnormal brain wave patterns which can be diagnosed by analyzing their EEG pattern during an extended sleep period.

Williams Syndrome is characterized by several autistic behaviors including: developmental and language delays, sound sensitivity, attention deficits, and social problems. In contrast to many autistic individuals, those with Williams Syndrome are quite sociable and have heart problems.

The Autism and PDD Support Network lists several disorders that have symptoms similar to autism, including other autism spectrum disorders. The list includes Heller's Disease, LKS "Landau Kleffner Syndrome" (or Acquired Childhood Epileptic Aphasia), Rett's Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Tourette's Syndrome, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, cocktail party speech syndrome, Asperger's Syndrome, Semantic-Pragmatic Speech Disorder, ADD or ADHD, Bipolar disorder (manic depression), Klinefelter Syndrome, DAS "Developmental Apraxia of Speech", prosopagnosia (or face blindness), and carnitine deficiency.

The Autism Society of America also has a list of disorders with similar symptoms to autism. This list includes Cornelia deLange Syndrome, Tourette's Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Down syndrome, Tuberous Sclerosis, Landau-Kleffner Syndrome, Congenital Rubella Syndrome, untreated phenylketonuria (PKU), Kluver-Bucy Syndrome, Prader-Willi Syndrome, and Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome.

Autism Spectrum DisordersThe autism spectrum disorders are autism, Asperger's Syndrome, Rett's Syndrome, Childhood Disintegratve Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS).

Asperger Syndrome is characterized by concrete and literal thinking, obsession with certain topics, excellent memories, and being 'eccentric.' These individuals are considered high-functioning and are capable of holding a job and of living independently.

Rett Syndrome is a degenerative disorder which affects mostly females and usually develops between 1/2 to 1 1/2 years of age. Some of their characteristic behaviors include: loss of speech, repetitive hand-wringing, body rocking, and social withdrawal. Those individuals suffering from this disorder may be severely to profoundly mentally retarded.

Special note should be given to Non-verbal Learning Disorder, which is generally defined as a milder form of Asperger's Syndrome and not regarded as an autism spectrum disorder. Connection between these disorders and attention deficit disorders remains controversial, especially in relation to over-focused attention.

Answer 2

Borderline Personality Dissorder presents itself with similar symptoms for example a person with BPD can have problems socially as can a person on the AS.BPD can behave inappropriately and fail to think of the knock on affect on their behaviour ,they also both have an impairment in facial expressions of others and can only see things as black or white.There is suggestions that they can be hereditary but the difference is BPD usually presents itself around adolescence unlike Autism which presents itself around the ages of2-5,depending on the severity.So with both you have Emotional Development Delay,Poor social interaction and Behavioural Problems.All of these conditions are neurological so they are bound to has similarities but caused in a different wayi.e persons with Autism are born with it whereas persons with BPD develop it from childhood events and trauma but can also be predisposed to it.It's just my opinion as I have been studying up for myself.I would be interested by what you think,thanks