Autism Myths and Concerns

Parts of the information on myths concerning autism have been taken from Kyle's Treehouse Foundation and The Autism Sourcebook by Karen Siff Exkorn.

Children diagnosed with autism never recover. Today, more and more families report that their children recover from the symptoms, behaviors, and characteristics associated with autism. While I do not dispute the reports, and love to read and hear them because they give me such hope, parents must understand that there is no one intervention or treatment for all children to cure autism to date. Families must search, and sometimes through trial and error, what is most effective for their own child. Many times families will ask for my opinion on one type of intervention and/or treatment compared to another. I strongly advise parents to start with a trained, qualified, and certified licensed professional to discuss candidly, your child as well as your family's needs and resources. Be open and honest about what you understand and what you don't understand. Ask questions until you understand. And it never hurts to talk to other families about their treatment or intervention program-this is one way to know what you need to know.

What exactly is recovery? Does it mean that my child will be exactly like neurologically typical or NT (term used to describe children without an ASD) children?

As a parent, I believe that no one understands more the progression, achievement, breakthroughs, and successes of a child with autism as parents-because this is our lives 24-7. Therefore, recovery may be relatively unique to each child for each family. If recovery means the regression or absence of a particular behavior, progression or total presence of a social adaptation and interaction, speech, or other desired cognitive or social emotional outcome-then I would not argue the point of recovery. What we must do is not compare our child's progress or absence of progress with another child's.

Cold or distant parenting causes autism. One of the original "cause" theories was the "refrigerator parent," which held that parents who were unloving created such an unattractive world to the child that the child became autistic. This theory could not be further from the truth and is no longer considered credible. Children from all walks of life are diagnosed with autism, and parents with children who have autism also have children whom do not have autism. Today we know that parents are not to blame for causing autism. (Source: Kyle's Treehouse)

All persons with autism are like Rain Man. The film Rain Man changed how autism was perceived. The character Raymond (played by Dustin Hoffman introduced savantism to the general public. His character "Raymond" could memorize phone books and trump the house in Las Vegas. Many people who saw this movie assumed that all people with ASDs are savants. They are not. Only 10 percent of people with ASDs have savant abilities (the prevalence in the general non-ASD population is less than 1 percent). Savant syndrome occurs four to six times more frequently in males than females. There are many forms of savant abilities. The most common type of savant skills are splinter skills, as demonstrated by an obsessive hobbyist or compulsive researcher who commits to memory an enormous amount of facts related to his pet subject, such as dates or sports statistics.

Autism can be cured solely with nutrition.There is no scientific evidence that finds nutrition to be a cure for autism. There is however anecdotal evidence that adding certain vitamins and/or supplements or removing certain foods can have a large impact on the child's development.

When I am with my child in public, people stare as if he or she is weird. I feel that they are thinking why can't they control their child. I know this situation very well and as a parent it is upsetting and hard for us sometimes not to feel embarrassed or offended. So, first control your emotions, so you can control the behavior or emotional challenge at hand. Remember everyone is not informed as you concerning autism. Don't hold people who are not on this journey accountable for understanding the challenges which family outings may sometimes present. Instead, when possible, consider public challenging situations opportunities to educate people, sort of teachable moments, to briefly present your child first and autism second. An opportunity may go something like this, "Hello, I'm Kim and this is my son Noah. I noticed that his behavior, known as stemming, caught your attention. Noah has autism and he is learning what to do in a restaurant today. Please excuse any disruptions in advance and we hope that you enjoy your meal. We come every Friday night. The shrimp pasta is absolutely fantastic! Enjoy!" And remember to walk away smiling.

The goal is not be sarcastic. But you must not be ashamed or embarrassed of your child either. Acknowledge people and their feelings when appropriate (and there are times when "ignoring" is appropriate also). Believe me it opens up the door for more conversation. You will be surprised at the number of individuals who really are interested and will take the time to listen. You may not be surprised at the number of individuals who will have no interest in you, your child, or autism. But still keep smiling. While this script may sound unrealistic to some and maybe even silly to others, let people's response guide your response to them. Try to always be pleasant and positive. I can't tell you the number of friends Noah and I have made while grocery shopping, walking in the mall, dining in restaurants, and playing in the park. He attracts adults and especially children like a magnet and they can be the most enduring and accepting of all!

"The Autism Sourcebook, Everything You Need to Know About Diagnosis, Treatment, Coping, and Healing."Kyle's Treehouse Foundation,"