The Wall Street Journal (3/25, Reddy, Subscription Publication) reports research suggests that some youngsters who receive an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis may actually outgrow the condition. The findings of the 569-child study were published online March 12 in the Journal of Child Neurology. As for why some children appear to outgrow ASD, Stephen Blumberg, of the National Center for Health Statistics, believes that almost all of the kids who supposedly outgrew ASD really had other developmental issues, most likely attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and never had an ASD at all. Michael Kogan, of the Health and Human Services Department’s Health Resources and Services Administration, believes physicians have been diagnosing youngsters with ASD along with other comorbidities just to help get services for these children.
Related Links:
— “The Autism Diagnosis That Isn’t Always Permanent, “Sumathi Reddy, The Wall Street Journal, March 25, 2019