NIMH Press Release Supports Autism Recovery

The National Institute of Mental Health issued a press release today in support of recent research developments on autism recovery. The press release details a study of 34 individuals previously diagnosed with ASD who through treatment met optimal outcomes. These outcomes included loss of diagnosis by independent evaluators and achieving a level of functioning identical to same-age peers. The NIMH press release indicates a growing support both in the mental health community that recovery is possible for some children with autism.

The editorial by Sally Ozonoff published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry along with the new study encourages a future dialog of recovery in autism research:

“But moving the possibility for recovery from ASD beyond public discourse and into scientific discourse is critical. No, recovery won’t be possible for everyone. No, recovery is not the only outcome worth fighting for. But it is high time we, as a scientific field, talked seriously about this as a possibility. As recent political events have demonstrated, hope can be a powerful tool. By demonstrating that there is solid science behind hope, we can add fuel to the urgency for very early diagnosis and intensive treatment of ASD.”

The Autism Recovery Foundation supports these conclusions and believes that all children with autism who have the opportunity to recover should have access to the necessary early intensive behavioral interventions that help them achieve best outcomes.

To view the study: Fein D, Barton M, Eigsti IM, Kelley, E, Naigles L, Schultz RT, Stevens M, Helt M, Orinstein A, Rosenthal M, Troyb E, Tyson K. Optimal outcome in individuals with a history of autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry DOI: 10.111/jcpp.12037. 

To View the NIMH Press Release in full : http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2013/study-documents-that-some-children-lose-autism-diagnosis.shtml