{"id":3515,"date":"2023-10-19T10:32:14","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T14:32:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/dailycupofwellness\/?p=3515"},"modified":"2023-10-19T10:32:14","modified_gmt":"2023-10-19T14:32:14","slug":"new-encouraging-study-finds-some-kids-can-outgrow-autism-by-age-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/dailycupofwellness\/2023\/10\/new-encouraging-study-finds-some-kids-can-outgrow-autism-by-age-6.html","title":{"rendered":"New ‘Encouraging’ Study Finds Some Kids Can Outgrow Autism By Age 6"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"autism\"
SewCreamStudio\/Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A new study has found that a significant share of children with autism tend to \u201coutgrow\u201d the disorder within a few years of diagnosis. Boston Children\u2019s Hospital researchers followed 213 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, as toddlers between 12 and 36 months old.<\/p>\n

By the time they were 5 to 7 years old, almost four out of 10, or 37 percent, of the children no longer met the criteria for an autism diagnosis, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. According to the study findings, female children were more likely to no longer meet the criteria, as were those with \u201chigher baseline adaptive skills.\u201d The results were published in <\/a>JAMA Pediatrics. <\/em>The Boston Children\u2019s press release states that higher baseline adaptive skills refer to everyday capabilities like self-care, communication, and decision-making.<\/p>\n

All the children in the study who outgrew the diagnosis also had an IQ of at least 70. The hospital noted that these findings highlight the need for ongoing evaluations. Dr. Elizabeth Harstad, attending physician in developmental medicine at Boston Children\u2019s Hospital and the study leader, said, \u201cThe key takeaway of this study is that some children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at a young age may not continue to meet the criteria a few years later. This information is important for parents to know so that they are aware that their child\u2019s development should continue to be monitored over time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harstad also noted that development will continue to evolve for children, adding, \u201cSo even if a child doesn\u2019t meet ASD criteria at 6 years old, there may be other areas of functioning that need support and monitoring at that age, and the child\u2019s development should continue to be monitored in the future.\u201d The release said that each child in the study received interventions or treatments, primarily behavioral analysis, after the initial autism diagnosis.<\/p>\n