Surprising Autism Information You Need to Know

What Do You Really Know About Autism?:

There are plenty of myths about autism spectrum disorders out there. Some folks still believe, for example, that people with autism are all geniuses or mentally challenged. Others believe that people with autism are the result of poor parenting choices. These myths have been soundly debunked, both here and in many other places. But even those of use who are well-grounded in autism basics may be surprised by some of these facts, which are emerging from recent research.

Autism Is a Plural Noun:

Autism is not a single disorder. In fact, mainstream researchers agree that the autism spectrum is probably a collection of multiple disorders with multiple causes, prognoses, and appropriate treatments. Quite a bit of recent research has uncovered a number of distinct genetic differences (some inherited, some spontaneously mutated) that seem to be associated with various types of autism.

We Know What Causes Autism (Sometimes):

We do know what causes autism -- but only in about 20% of cases. Causes include genetic mutations, heredity, pre- and post-natal trauma or exposures to alcohol or drugs, and, in some cases, injury. In addition, some research suggests older parents, environmental pollution, and even pesticides.

Some Kids "Outgrow" Their Autism Diagnoses:

Quite a few children who are diagnosed with autism at a very young age are no longer diagnosable with autism by the time they’re school-aged. The reasons for this are controversial, and range from the possibility of misdiagnosis to ordinary maturation to claims of a cure through behavioral, developmental and/or biomedical interventions. Whatever the reasons, many children who are diagnosed with autism as toddlers will not be diagnosable by the time they're in fifth grade.

There's No Window of Opportunity for Treating Autism:

Early intervention (diagnosis and treatment prior to age three) is very helpful indeed, but there is no “window of opportunity” that slams shut at a certain age. Thus, even children who are diagnosed later or receive less early intervention may do quite well in the long run. The "now or never" approach to autism treatment is a result of media hype -- not research findings. Early intervention does, however, provide a now-or-never opportunity to allow non-verbal children to develop some kind of useful tool for communication (picture cards, signs, or even spelling boards).

Even a Cure May Not Be a Cure:

There is no official “cure” for autism. In fact, researchers like Dr. Susan Levy at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia argue that even when a young child is no longer diagnosable on the autism spectrum, he is probably still autistic. Issues that may not be of significance for a preschooler (e.g., executive functioning, picking up on complex social cues, etc.) may loom quite large as a child moves through the grades.

Late Talking is Not the End of the World:

Late talking is not an indication of a poor prognosis. Even if a child is not yet verbal at age three or four, she may still do very well in the long run.

Kids with Autism Aren't Always Visual Thinkers:

Children with autism may or may not be visual thinkers. Thus, school programs designed with visual thinking in mind may or may not be appropriate for any individual child with autism.

No One Knows Which Treatments Work for Which Kids:

After many years of research, we still don’t know which treatments are most effective for which children -- or whether one treatment is more effective than another. Behavioral interventions are the best-researched treatments for autism, but even top scientists acknowledge that developmental interventions may or may not be equally useful for any given child. Meanwhile, only two drugs -- Risperdal and Abilify -- have been approved for use with children on the autism spectrum, and neither addresses “core” issues of autism (social/communication deficits).