Autism Spectrum Disorder in Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome
The three core characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are:
- Poor or unusual social interaction skills
- Delayed development or difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication (gestures, pointing, eye contact, etc.)
- The presence of repetitive behaviours or restricted interests
To read more background information on ASD, visit our key topics area and select ‘Autism Spectrum Disorder’ from the dropdown menu.
Research has suggested that an estimated 60% of individuals with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome display autistic-like characteristics, specifically repetitive behaviours (see repetitive behaviour section).
However, the repetitive behaviours that have been observed in individuals with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome are more specific than what would be expected from an individual diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Reports also suggest that individuals with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome have intact socio-communicative behaviours. Together, this suggests that the behaviours within Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome do not seem to fit with a typical Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis.
However, for some individuals, a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder may be appropriate.
In the videos below, Jo Moss and Chris Oliver talk about the importance of understanding ASD characteristics in rare genetic syndromes.
Autism Spectrum Disorder videos