A developmental disability significantly affecting verbal & nonverbal communication & social interaction, generally evident before age 3 that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

Other characteristics often associated with autism are:

• engagement in repetitive activities & stereotyped movements

• resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines

• unusual responses to sensory experiences

The term does not apply if a child’s educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has a serious emotional disturbance.

A child who manifests the characteristics of autism after age 3 could be identified as having autism if the requirements of the first 2 sentences of this definition are satisfied.