2 months ago
Experts person slammed a study that claimed terrible autism successful children tin beryllium 'dramatically improved and reversed' pinch a arguable behaviour therapy.
The investigation focused connected a brace of copy girls from nan US whose autism was superior capable to require 'very important support' astatine 20 months old.
It was claimed nan girls' symptoms were drastically reduced — to an indistinguishable level successful 1 of them — aft a two-year programme of interventions.
These included giving them Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), which intends to thatch autistic children really to behave successful 'appropriate' ways.
The study relied solely connected anecdotal reports and descriptions from nan girls' parents, alternatively than independent observations aliases assessments
The criticised study was published successful nan little-known Journal of Personalized Medicine
They were besides placed connected a gluten-free, low-sugar fare and fixed a number of dietary supplements, including omega-3 fatty acids, a multivitamin and vitamin D.
But experts opportunity nan study was poorly devised and amounts to nary much than an 'anecdote'.
'These are not evidence-based interventions,' said Dr Rosa Hoekstra, a starring master connected neuro-developmental disorders astatine King's College London.
HOW AUTISM IN GIRLS CAN PRESENT DIFFERENTLY
Autism tin sometimes beryllium different successful boys and girls.
Rates of autism test are up to 5 times higher successful men and boys.
The nonstop logic remains unclear, but immoderate studies propose boys are astatine greater consequence of nan varied familial causes of autism.
Researchers besides judge galore girls whitethorn beryllium 'flying nether nan radar', arsenic they struggle to get a diagnosis, person a test precocious successful life aliases are misdiagnosed pinch conditions different than autism.
Signs of autism successful girls that could beryllium different to boys include:
- Hiding signs of autism by copying really different children behave and play
- Withdraw successful situations they find difficult
- Appear to header amended pinch societal situations
- Show less signs of repetitive behaviours
Source: NHS
'It's very bad science. It's conscionable an anecdote. And we don't do anecdotes successful science.'
Dr Hoekstra said nan highly mini sample size — conscionable 2 children from nan aforesaid family — intends nan findings cannot beryllium generalised to different children.
The study, published nan little-known Journal of Personalized Medicine, relied solely connected anecdotal reports and descriptions from nan parents, alternatively than independent observations aliases assessments.
And nan parents were afloat alert of, and progressive in, nan interventions — truthful their reports whitethorn person been biased.
Dr Hoekstra said: 'If you've invested a batch of money and an unthinkable magnitude of clip successful these interventions, you will people dream to spot results, and will apt framework immoderate improvement you spot arsenic successful outcome.
'Autism is simply a constellation of characteristic characteristics, likes and dislikes, things that you mightiness beryllium bully at, things that you mightiness find difficult, and those thin to beryllium reasonably unchangeable traits.
'Particular interventions tin really thief children aliases adults and make them consciousness for illustration they're thriving. But that doesn't mean that fundamentally their characteristic aliases their being has changed.
'I don't want to discourage hope, because dream is important. But nan connection of "reversal" is an outdated and inappropriate conception successful 2024.
'This is not responsible science. I activity arsenic an editor for a diary called Autism, but I would person ne'er accepted this paper.'
Tim Nicholls, adjunct head astatine nan National Autistic Society, said nan study was 'deeply insulting' to nan much than 700,000 autistic group successful nan UK.
He said: 'We are wholly baffled why this has moreover been published by UK papers. This is simply a lawsuit study of a azygous group of twins utilizing interventions that are themselves questionable.
'There are perfectly nary conclusions astatine each that tin beryllium drawn from this and to propose different is conscionable irresponsible.
'Autism cannot beryllium "cured" aliases "reversed". Imagine seeing headlines that a halfway portion of your personality could beryllium "reversed".
'Language for illustration this sets america backmost and conscionable goes to show really acold we still person to spell to build a nine that useful for autistic people.'
Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is highly arguable arsenic it tries to 'train' autistic children to fresh neurotypical standards.
The National Autistic Society says ABA is 1 of nan astir researched autism treatments, but location are important limitations and gaps successful nan research, peculiarly astir semipermanent effects.
It adds: 'We do not support immoderate involution that follows one-size-fits-all approaches...and we judge that immoderate ABA interventions utilized coming are not sufficiently person-centred and are excessively intensive.'
WHAT IS AUTISM?
Autism is simply a life-long developmental disability, which affects really group enactment connected a wide-ranging spectrum.
According to nan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autistic group tin person problem pinch social, affectional and connection skills.
Others tin find agleam lights aliases large noises overwhelming and stressful, aliases show repetitive behaviours.
Autism is not an unwellness aliases disease.
How communal is it?
It is estimated that astir 700,000 people, including adults and children, successful nan UK person an autism diagnosis.
According to a Newcastle University study published successful 2021, astir 1 successful 57 (1.76 per cent) children successful nan UK is connected nan spectrum.
In nan US, nan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate 5.4million adults, immoderate 2.2 per cent of nan population, are autistic.
People from each nationalities and cultural, belief and societal backgrounds tin person autism.
Rates are up to 5 times higher successful men and boys, though.
The nonstop logic remains unclear, but immoderate studies propose boys are astatine greater consequence of nan varied familial causes of autism.
Researchers besides judge galore girls whitethorn beryllium 'flying nether nan radar', arsenic they struggle to get a diagnosis, person a test precocious successful life aliases are misdiagnosed pinch conditions different than autism.
Are location different types?
Previously, autism was surgery down into different diagnoses, including Asperger's syndrome, autistic disorder, Kanner's syndrome, puerility autism, atypical autism and pervasive improvement upset not different specified (PDD-NOS).
As each test shared characteristics of autism, they were replaced pinch autism spectrum disorder, which is now nan umbrella word for nan group.
However, immoderate group pinch a test of Asperger's still take to usage nan term.
According to nan National Autistic Society, group pinch Asperger's do not person nan learning disabilities that galore autistic group have. The NHS says that immoderate group telephone this 'high-functioning autism'.
What causes it?
Despite years of research, scientists do not cognize what causes autism.
Instead, studies person suggested it whitethorn create from a operation of familial and biology influences.
Concerns astir a imaginable nexus betwixt MMR vaccines and autism were raised successful nan precocious 1990s.
But galore technological studies person since shown that location is nary nexus astatine each betwixt vaccines — aliases immoderate of their ingredients — and autism.
Bad parenting is besides not a cause.
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