October 11, 2023 – More than a 3rd of toddlers diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder have overcome the disorder by about age 6, in accordance with a recent study by researchers at Boston Children's Hospital.
The results were published this month in JAMA PediatricsThe study included 213 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) between the ages of 1 and three. On average, the youngsters were diagnosed at around 2½ years of age, and 83% of the study participants were boys.
All children within the study received interventions based on diagnosis. The mostly used intervention was applied behavior evaluation, a therapy that focuses on increasing helpful behavior and decreasing unhelpful behavior. Applied behavior evaluation can teach people to enhance skills in areas similar to communication, attention, concentration, and social behavior.
The children within the study were re-examined for autism between the ages of 5 and seven. The examinations took place between 2018 and 2022.
By the time the youngsters were about 6 years old, 37% of them not met the factors for autism. The 79 children within the study who had overcome autism were more prone to be girls or to have what the researchers called “higher basic adaptive skills” in comparison with those that had not overcome the disorder. The term “basic adaptive skills” refers to basic on a regular basis skills similar to communication, self-care and decision-making.
“It is possible that children who no longer have autism by age 6 responded better to treatment than children whose autism remained,” said study co-author Dr. William Barbaresi, chief of developmental medicine at Boston Children's Hospital, in a opinion“The study's results should lead us to think openly about whether much more research is needed to determine 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 an IQ rating of 70 or higher. IQ scores of 70 to 75 indicate a major impairment in mental function, in accordance with the 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 age three and affects the brain in ways in which cause people to behave, communicate, interact and learn otherwise than others. As individuals with ASD become older, they might experience a lot of challenges, similar to difficult times in relationships or understanding what is anticipated in class or the workplace, in accordance with the CDCASD rates have increased dramatically in recent times, with about 1 in 36 children Recently published data from 2020 show that the disorder is being diagnosed in children as early as age 8.
“The findings of this recent study demonstrate that parents of children diagnosed with autism need to remain open-minded,” said lead writer Elizabeth Harstad, MD, MPH, chief medical officer of developmental medicine at Boston Children's Hospital.
“It is important to recognize that diagnoses can change as a child develops,” she said in a press release. “Our research shows the importance of following children over time, as some children may actually show changes in their social communication and behavior. This highlights the need for ongoing assessments and adaptable intervention strategies.”