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Thanks to additional research and treatment options today, if a child has been diagnosed with autism, they can still live productive and rewarding lives with proper behavioral and medical treatment.
May 3, 2023
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 36 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) based to estimates from the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network.
Having a better understanding of whether a child has autism, and separating facts from fiction are important as the spotlight is placed on this often-misunderstood disorder.
“It’s important to educate oneself to be able to dismiss widespread misinformation as that can lead to stress and anxiety that in the long run may be detrimental to both the parents, as well as the child’s health and future,” said Dr. Evita Limon-Rocha, a child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist with Kaiser Permanente Southern California. “Unfortunately, it’s easy to become influenced by a lot of misinformation out there that can cause unnecessary concern with great consequences.”
According to Dr. Rocha, a major misconception among some parents, primarily through online sources, is that childhood vaccines, including COVID-19 shots, can cause a child to develop autism.
“That’s inherently false,” Dr. Rocha stressed. “There’s absolutely no truth to it, as many independent and in-depth studies have debunked this theory. It’s been long established that childhood vaccines are safe and protect children against serious diseases, including COVID-19.”
Additionally, contrary to what some may believe, there’s no autism epidemic taking place across the country, said Dr. Rocha. Although more children are being diagnosed with autism, one reason is because physicians and behavioral health professionals today are better equipped with more tools to diagnose this illness.
“We can thank advancement in medicine and behavioral health for that, which are enabling medical professionals to diagnose high-functioning children with autism,” explained Dr. Rocha. “Before such advancements in medicine, it was more common to misdiagnose children with intellectual disabilities. Now, however, we have a better understanding that many of those disabilities can be attributed to autism. As such, more children are being diagnosed with autism.”
Thanks to additional research and treatment options today, if a child has been diagnosed with autism, they can still live productive and rewarding lives with proper behavioral and medical treatment, Dr. Rocha noted.
“Early diagnosis is the key,” said Dr. Rocha. “If a child is diagnosed early, they are able to receive individualized medical and behavioral health attention that often results in good outcomes, and they are often able to live more independent and fulfilling lives.”
Dr. Rocha advises parents with any concerns related to autism to discuss them with their health care provider.
