Is it possible for children to 'grow out' of autism?

Conclusion This interesting study is part of a larger ongoing study looking in detail at individuals with an early history of autism who no longer meet criteria for a diagnosis. It raises several, as yet, unanswered questions. As the authors point out: The individuals in the OO group had above average IQ scores. It is possible that this enabled some to "compensate" for (or mask) some of their deficiencies. The study does not tell us how many children with ASD might achieve an optimal outcome. We do not know which intervention, if any, can produce the highest rate of OO. (Intervention data from the OO group was collected and is currently being examined.) It is not clear to what extent brain structure and function have normalised in OO individuals. (MRIs were carried out on a subset of each group and this data is currently being analysed.) It is possible that subtle differences in social behaviour, cognition and communication still exist in those who appear to function normally. It is possible that parents of OO children were generally highly involved in the children’s treatment programmes and their social lives and this may maximise the chance of OO. As the authors say, more research is needed to explain their findings and to assess how children with an ASD can be best helped to develop their potential.  It is normally the case that those with more severe symptoms of autism are unresponsive to treatment and are unlikely to experie...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Neurology Pregnancy/child Source Type: news