Autism: Busting Common Autism-Related Myths

Know about the facts while busting myths about autism spectrum disorder

Autism develops in the early years of childhood

(Image: iStock)

Autism is a spectrum disorder that is caused due to developmental disability in the brain. A person suffering from ASD will face communication and socialising difficulties. They might also show repetitive behavioral patterns.

Autism begins in childhood and can differ from person to person depending on their symptoms and severity. Let's bust common autism-related myths and replace them with facts backed by science.

Myth 1: Autism is Caused by Vaccination 

Several research and studies (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) have been done to know if there's any link between autism and vaccines given but there's no scientific evidence to prove that autism is caused due to vaccination.
Autism is a complex disorder and seems to be caused due to different reasons like genetic and environmental factors.

Myth 2: Autism is a Learning Disability 

According to the doctors of Mayo Clinic, autism is not a learning disability. Patients suffering from autism may have lower levels of learning power but they can absolutely learn things once they get a good teacher.

There are evidences of people improving due to therapy but it is important to use therapies tailored for specific patients keeping their patterns in mind. Autism patients are slow learners but their loves do improve slowly and steadily with the persistent and effective measure of teaching.

Myth 3: Autism is a Disorder 

Autism is a spectrum disorder which means the disabilities and symptoms of the person will vary from person to person. A person suffering from autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may experience delayed or no speech, extreme sensitivity to sound or touch, repetitive behaviors, poor social skills, and seizures.

It is important to recognise and notice the symptoms in children for autism so that the treatment can be planned accordingly.

Myth 4: Autism is a Genetic Disorder 

There are studies that prove that there is a strong link between certain genes that cause or contribute to autism, but that is not the only reason. The environmental factors also come into play.

According to the Autism Society, there is no single cause for autism, It is mainly caused due to abnormalities in the brain.

Myth 5: Chelation is a Safe Treatment for Autism

Chelation involves taking certain medications to help remove mercury from the blood. Few parents use this method to treat autism but these treatments haven’t been proven safe and can have serious side effects like kidney damage (Mayo Clinic).

The only way to treat the patient is by consulting a doctor to help decide the medicines and therapies depending on the symptoms.