What are the differences between autism and autism spectrum disorder?

Shifting terminology: As of may 2013, new criteria will lump what had been separated disorders of autism, asperger's disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder into a single category of autism spectrum disorder. The key features remain the same, but there will be a range of severity of those symptoms.

The same deficits : In reciprocal social interaction caused by lack of joint attention, facial recognition & theory of mind underlie all types of autism. Autistic spectrum disorder is now the diagnosis that "lumps" autism, as & pdd-nos in the dsm-v. There was a misperception that the old diagnosis of as always implied superior cognitive skills. The dsm-iv required a "normal" iq ( > 70), not necessarily avg. Or >.