Autism: 5 Top Common Myths

Autism Myths

Autism is often misrepresented, misunderstood by most of society who may rely on half trues, myths, hearsay and down right falsehood to form their perspectives. Theses myths and misconceptions are not helpful for anyone living with autism, their families, or the people interacting with them. Before discussing the top 5 myths, a brief overview of autism will be provided.

According to CDC, Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability  that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. There is often nothing about how people with ASD look that sets them apart from other people, but people with ASD may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged. Some people with ASD need a lot of help in their daily lives; others need less.

A diagnosis of ASD now includes several conditions that used to be diagnosed separately: autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger syndrome. These conditions are now all called autism spectrum disorder.

Now, here are the top five common autism myths:

Myth: Autism is a new condition

Truth: While the prevalence of autism is on the rise, autism is not a new condition.  In 1799, is the earliest recorded descriptions of people exhibiting autistic behavior.

In 1911, Eugen Bleuler, a Swiss psychiatrist, was the first person to use the term “Autism” to refer to one group of symptoms of schizophrenia. According to WebMD, the word “autism,” which has been in use for about 100 years, comes from the Greek word “autos,” meaning “self.” The term describes conditions in which a person is removed from social interaction — hence, an isolated self.

In the 1940s, researchers in the United States began to use the term “autism” to describe children with emotional or social problems.

Further, in 1943,  Leo Kranner, a doctor from Johns Hopkins University, used the term “autism” to describe the withdrawn behavior of several children he studied. At about the same time, Hans Asperger, a scientist in Germany, identified a similar condition that’s now called Asperger’s syndrome (WebMD).

During the 1960s through the 1970s, the research was focused on treatments for autism with various medication medications i.e. electric shock, and behavioral change techniques.

During the 1980s and 1990s, the role of behavioral therapy was used in highly controlled learning environments. This behavioral therapy approach has emerged as the primary treatments for many forms of autism and related conditions, which is now the focus of autism therapy (WebMD).

Myth: Autism is caused solely by environmental factors

Truth: The exact cause of ASD is not known for certain. However, according to CDC, there are likely many causes for multiple types of ASD. There may be many different factors that make a child more likely to have an ASD, including environmental, biologic and genetic factors.

• Most scientists agree that genes are one of the risk factors that can make a person more likely to develop ASD.⁴
• Studies have shown that parents whose first child has autism are at a higher risk of also having  a second child with ASD.
• Children born to older parents are at greater risk for having ASD.3

Myth: People with autism are intellectually disabled.

Truth: According to ID, although commonly associated with general intellectual disabilities – approximately 75% of people with autism have a non-verbal Intelligence Quotient (IQ) below 70 – autism can also occur in individuals of normal, or even superior intelligence. Often times, autism brings with it just as many exceptional abilities as limitations.

Myth: Autism is caused by bad parenting.

Truth: This idea was created and popularized in the 1950’s when moms’ so-called “emotional frigidity”  or “refrigerator mother hypothesis” arose and was blamed for the development of autism.  It was suggested that autism was caused by mothers who lacked emotional warmth. This has long been disproved. Autism has nothing to do with parenting.

Myth: Repetitive or ritualistic behaviors should be stopped

According to DSM V, one of the classic symptoms of autism is repetitive and ritualistic behaviors. While these behaviors can seem different, odd or weird, these behaviors typically serve an important function/purpose of relaxing and reassuring individuals with autism.

Unless these behaviors are interfering with family life or prevent the individual with autism from functioning independently, they should not be stopped. Children might outgrow repetitive behaviors in time, but it’s not certain.

Above are the topic 5 myths related to ASD, when we asked 200 people what they heard about ASD. What misconceptions have you heard about ASD.

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Sources:

CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html

DSM V: http://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm

Durkin MS, Maenner MJ, Newschaffer CJ, Lee LC, Cunniff CM, Daniels JL, Kirby RS, Leavitt L, Miller L, Zahorodny W, Schieve LA. Advanced parental age and the risk of autism spectrum disorder. Am J Epidemiol. 2008; 168(11): 1268-1276.

Huquet G, Ey E, Bourgeron T. The genetic landscapes of autism spectrum disorders. Annu Re Genomics Hum Genet. 2013; 14: 191-213.

Intellectual Disability: http://www.intellectualdisability.info/diagnosis/autism

WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/history-of-autism