Myths And Misconceptions About Autism

Autism was originally identified in the early 1940s by Dr. Leo Kanner, who described the condition in a paper published in 1943. In 1944, half a world away, Dr. Hans Asperger described a similar, but milder condition that is now known by his name (Asperger syndrome) and is one of the five conditions that make up the autism spectrum. In the decades since then, many myths and misconceptions about autism have arisen that can get in the way of treatment or cause autistic children and adults to be viewed with prejudice and suspicion.

Myth: Autism is a psychological condition.
Autism is a physical condition whose symptoms arise from a difference in the way that the brain works. MRI's and brain scans have showed marked differences in at least three different areas of the brain in autistic people.

Myth: Autism is the result of a 'cold' mother or psychological trauma.
Kanner's original work cited a 'refrigerator mother' as part of the cause of autism. In the 1950s, Dr. Bruno Bettelheim perpetuated the myth by blaming autism on cold, unemotionally responsive mothers. Despite the fact that it has been proven that autism is a physical, not a psychological disorder, this myth continues to haunt parents and families of autistic children.

Myth: Autistic people are mentally retarded.
Autism and mental retardation are two distinct developmental disorders. It is, however, true that approximately 80% of people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders also have some degree of mental retardation.

Myth: Autistic people are usually geniuses or have a savant ability.
Autism is characterized by an uneven development of skills. That means that people with autism generally have some skills that are very well-developed and others that lag far behind. An autistic child, for instance, may have an amazing capacity to memorize facts, but be unable to relate those facts to each other.

That said, the incidence of people who are gifted in at least one area is higher than in the normal population among those with milder forms of autism spectrum disorders.

Myth: Autistic people are incapable of giving affection.
Autism causes a dysfunction in the ability of a person to communicate and interact with others. Their expressions of affection may be unusual, or not fit the norm, but autistic people are certainly capable of feeling and showing affection.

Myth: Autistic people can not function in society.
There are many people who are diagnosed with autism who hold jobs, maintain their own apartments, have relationships with other people and do everything that people without autism can do. Autism is a broad spectrum of symptoms of varying degrees of severity.

Whether or not a person with autism can function independently in society is dependent on how severely they are affected by the disorder. Some who can't live by themselves may do well in sheltered living situations, or even with a caring partner.

Myth: Autistic people can't be helped.
There is no cure for autism, but research has shown that there are many treatments that can help autistic people deal with their behaviors and with the world's expectations. These treatments include medications, behavior modification, physical, occupational and speech therapy and dietary changes.