October 11, 2023 – More than a 3rd of young children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder have outgrown the disorder by around age six, in response to a brand new study by researchers at Boston Children's Hospital.
The results were published this month in JAMA Pediatrics. The study involved 213 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) between the ages of 1 and three years. On average, children were diagnosed at about 2½ years old, and 83% of study participants were boys.
All children within the study received interventions based on the diagnosis. The mostly used intervention was applied behavior evaluation, a therapy that focuses on increasing helpful behaviors and decreasing unhelpful behaviors. Through applied behavior evaluation, people can learn to enhance skills in areas corresponding to communication, attention, concentration and sociability.
The children within the study were reassessed for ASD between ages 5 and seven. The evaluations took place between 2018 and 2022.
By the time the kids were about 6 years old, 37% of them not met the standards for ASD. The 79 children within the study who outgrew ASD were more more likely to be girls or to have what the researchers called “higher basic adaptive functioning” in comparison with those that didn't disturbance had outgrown. The term “basic adaptive function” refers to essential on a regular basis skills corresponding to communication, self-care, and decision-making.
“It is possible that children who no longer have autism by age 6 may have responded better to treatment than children whose autism persisted,” said study co-author Dr. William Barbaresi, chief of developmental medicine at Boston Children's Hospital, in a study opinion. “The results of the study should lead to a very open reconsideration of the need for much more research to understand whether current treatments for autism work, or whether major new efforts are needed to develop treatment approaches.”
The children whose ASD didn't persist all had IQ scores of 70 or higher. IQ values of 70 to 75 due to this fact indicate a major limitation of mental function American Psychiatric Associationwhile a worth below 70 is taken into account an indication of mental disability.
ASD is a developmental disorder that may typically be diagnosed before the age of three and affects the brain in ways in which cause people to behave, communicate, interact and learn in a different way than others. As individuals with autism spectrum disorder get older, they could face a wide range of challenges, corresponding to difficult relationships or understanding what is predicted of them in class or the workplace, the study says CDC. ASD rates have increased dramatically in recent times, with approx 1 in 36 children Recently released data from 2020 shows that they're being diagnosed with the disorder as young as 8 years old.
The results of this latest study show that folks of kids diagnosed with ASD must keep an open mind, said lead writer Elizabeth Harstad, MD, MPH, senior physician in developmental medicine at Boston Children's Hospital.
“It is important to recognize that diagnoses can evolve as a child develops,” she said in an announcement. “Our research shows the importance of monitoring children over time, as some children may actually experience changes in their social communication and behavioral functioning. This highlights the need for ongoing assessments and adaptable intervention strategies.”