Bobbie Jo appeared to develop normally for the first year of her life, but then she began to exhibit severe isolation and communication difficulties as well as repetitive behaviors. Her head size, however, was normal. The most likely diagnosis would be ____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms described, such as severe isolation, communication difficulties, and repetitive behaviors, are characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Normal head size is also consistent with ASD, distinguishing it from conditions that might involve abnormal head size. Asperger's syndrome, now considered part of the broader category of ASD, typically does not include significant language development delays, which seems inconsistent with the described severe communication difficulties. Intellectual disability and learning disability do not fully encompass the range of symptoms described, such as severe isolation and repetitive behaviors, which are more specific to ASD.

Bobbie Jo Appeared to Develop Normally for the First Year