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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Regression analysis

by  /  16 December 2008
THIS ARTICLE IS MORE THAN FIVE YEARS OLD

This article is more than five years old. Autism research — and science in general — is constantly evolving, so older articles may contain information or theories that have been reevaluated since their original publication date.

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Is regressive autism real?

That is, do some children with autism develop normally for the first couple of years of their life, and then suddenly lose their ability to speak and socialize?

Thatʼs a controversial and highly charged question in the field ― depending on how you define regression.

There are dozens of studies looking at how to diagnose autism before the symptoms become obvious, usually at age 2 or 3 years old. Some of these studies, such as Yale University researcher Ami Klinʼs eye tracking research, aim to detect subtle differences in a child as young as a few months old.

Some clinicians also say that when they study the videotapes from the first birthday of a child with autism, they see telltale signs that the parent may have missed.

Nonetheless, many parents and experts say regression is a true phenomenon. In the December issue of Neuropsychology Review, researcher Gerry A. Stefanatos estimates that up to a third of children with autism have the regressive form of the disorder.

In his review, Stefanatos focuses more on the signs that a child has regressed ― the child stops responding to his or her name, for example, and becomes prone to tantrums.

He also emphasizes that itʼs important to treat the disorder as soon as possible, so parents should consult a pediatrician as soon as they observe these symptoms, without chalking it as a manifestation of the ‘terrible twos.’

Thatʼs all sensible advice, and one that would merit little protest, but Iʼm not so sure about the characterization of regressive autism as a distinct disorder with differences from autism spectrum disorder. On that matter, I believe, the jury is still very much out.


TAGS:   autism