15 Interesting Facts about Autism
By nazera - July 21, 2020
Here are a few facts that can help parents or public viewer to increase their knowledge about the disorder:
1. Autism spectrum disorder now affects 1 in 68 children. Boys are nearly 5 times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with ASD.
2. Autism spectrum disorder is one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the United States. ASD is more common than childhood cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined.
3. The term autism stands from the Greek word autos meaning “self”, autism literally means “alone”.
4. Autism spectrum disorder affects all nationalities, all creeds, all religions, all races and both sexes. It doesn’t differentiate or affect only one group or another.
5. Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability that generally appears before the age of 3.
6. The earlier autism spectrum disorder is diagnosed and treated, the better. Outcomes for children's lives are significantly improved with early diagnosis and treatment.
7. There is currently no medical detection or cure for autism spectrum disorder.
8. Parents do not and cannot cause autism spectrum disorder. Although the multiple causes of ASD are not known, it is known that parental behavior before, during and after pregnancy does not cause ASD.
9. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder have communication deficits. It is important to distinguish between spoken language and social communication deficits.
10. Autism spectrum disorder is not degenerative. Individuals with ASD can continuously improve. They are most likely to improve with specialized, individualized services and opportunities for supported inclusion.
11. Being nonverbal at age 4 does not mean children with autism spectrum disorder will never speak. Research shows that most will learn to use words and nearly half will learn to speak fluently.
12. Children and adults with autism spectrum disorder often care deeply but lack the ability to spontaneously develop empathic and socially connected typical behavior. Individuals with ASD often want to socially interact but lack the ability to spontaneously develop effective social interaction skills.
13. If one identical twin has autism spectrum disorder, there is a 60-96% chance the other twin will have some form of ASD. Although fraternal twins have a lower chance of both having ASD, if one has an ASD the other has up to a 24% chance.
14. Females with autism spectrum disorder remain an understudied group in research.
15. Many people with autism spectrum disorder are successfully living and working and contributing to the well being of others in their local communities. This is most likely to happen when appropriate services are delivered during the child's educational years.
30 Facts to Know about Autism Spectrum Disorder. (n.d.). Retrieved July 20, 2020, from https://www.massgeneral.org/children/autism/lurie-center/30-facts-to-know-about-autism-spectrum-disorder
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