Children with autism do better in school than generally assumed. They perform well in at least one aspect of development, a new study claims.
Children with autism do well on average in school
ASD is a brain disorder that affects one in 54 children in the United States, according to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The disorder is complex and varies from person to person. Some children have limited problems with socialization and communication, others are more severely affected - speaking little if at all, getting stuck in repetitive compulsive behaviors. Some children have learning difficulties while others have average or above average IQs.
The Studyvon 272Children with autism spectrum disorder(ASS) found that almost 80% of them performed well in at least one of five developmental areas by age 10. The children were assessed three times between the ages of 2 and 5 years and twice more between the ages of 8 and 10 years. The researchers examined how well the children achieved in 5 areas: communication, social skills, daily activities, and “internalizing” and “externalizing” behaviors. The internalizing problems include anxiety disorder, social withdrawal and depression. Externalizing problems include rule breaking and aggression.
Reason for optimism and hope: A quarter of all children with autism do well in all areas of development
By age 10, most children were making good progress in at least one area. Almost 24% were good in 4 development areas. There were big differences: half of the children were good at externalizing behaviors, while only 20% were good at acquiring social skills. The fact that the children were good in one area and not in other aspects is due to the nature of ASD, but it also reflects the nature of the intervention in the children's education. The wealthier families have greater access to resources such as private tutoring. Better-functioning families can work as a team on behalf of their children.
These results indicate that the positive trends in ASD are more common than generally assumed. “We should expand our idea of what 'progressing well' means,” said lead researcher Dr. Peter Szatmari, from the Hospital for Sick Children and the Center for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada. “ASD is a disorder with many challenges, but there is also reason for optimism and hope.” Szatmari said he and his colleagues plan to continue following the study group as they grow up.
