16 Del. Admin. Code § 4109-2.0
The following words shall have the meanings indicated:
"Autism" means any structural or biochemical abnormality, regardless of cause, diagnosed at any time before or after birth, that requires medical or surgical intervention or that interferes with normal growth or development. Reportable autism diagnoses are listed in Appendix A of these Regulations.
"Confirmed Autism or Diagnosed Autism" means an abnormality characterized by each of the following symptoms:
Impaired social behavior:
marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors, such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interest, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)
lack of social or emotional reciprocity
Abnormal development of communication skills:
delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mime)
in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others
stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language
lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level
Lack of awareness of the need for emotional support and little emotional response to family members:
encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting or complex whole-body movements)
persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
"Division" refers to the Division of Public Health under the Department of Health and Social Services.
"Infant" refers to a newborn from birth to 1 year of age.
"Registry" means a central data bank containing collected, classified, coded, and sorted data relating to confirmed autism in children from birth through age 17, as reported by health care practitioners, hospitals and clinical laboratories.
"Surveillance" means the process of identifying and investigating confirmed autism in children under age 18.
"Suspected Autism" is a term used for an infant or young child who is showing some developmental variations that do not meet the criteria for autism but whose variations have been shown to be associated with a risk of eventually developing all of the traits of autism.
16 Del. Admin. Code § 4109-2.0