YOUR SPECIAL CHILD
AUTISM Myths and Truths
BY SARAH LYON
Myth # 1: Autism is
caused by vaccinations.

One of the biggest misconceptions about
ASD is that childhood vaccinations, such
as MMR, cause kids to develop autism.

According to the CDC and the Institute of
Medicine, there is no link between vaccines
and autism.

Myth # 2: People with
autism are geniuses.

There is a common misconception that all
people with autism spectrum disorder are
geniuses, can do difficult math problems in
their heads or have a special gift. It is true,
some people with ASD do have unique
talents and gifts. However, extreme cases
such as the one seen in the movie “Rain-
man,” are rare. As our cultural progress in
the understanding of autism, it is acknowl-
edged that many people with autism have
high intelligence, great attention to detail
and view the world in a different way that is
valued in work environments. This opens a
new set of opportunities in the workforce
for people with autism.

Myth # 3: People with
autism don’t want friends.

It is true that many people with ASD strug-
gle to understand social norms, which may
cause them to feel isolated or to value
alone time more than group settings. The
myth here is that people with autism do
not want friends or do not value close
relationships. Everyone needs friends,
attention, love and acceptance and all peo-
ple deserve it as well. People with ASD may
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need friends that are understanding and
supportive of their social struggles and
may benefit from support groups that help
them build social skills.

Myth # 4: People with autism
don’t experience emotions.

Those who have autism may find it hard to
read body language and understand other
people’s feelings, but that does not mean
they do not have emotions themselves.

They have feelings of joy, sadness and frus-
tration just like everyone else. They may
have trouble expressing their emotions or
they show them differently than others, but
they still experience normal highs and lows.

About one in 59
children have been
diagnosed with autism
spectrum disorder,
according to the CDC.

Myth # 5: Autism can be cured.

Over the years, as ASD has become more
common, there have been many ideas
about how it can be cured. Some examples
include removing gluten from the diet, tak-
ing vitamins, eliminating mercury from the
diet and other fads. Parents typically turn
to these ideas because they are concerned
for their children and desperate for a cure.

Studies have shown that none of these fads
have worked and autism cannot be cured.

What is encouraging, however, is the posi-
tive changes that can come from behavioral
therapy. This helps kids develop communi-
cation and social skills and gives them the
right tools to succeed in school and the
workforce. People with autism do respond differ-
ently to many situations but as we learn
more about ASD, we find that not all of
the characteristics are negative. Those
with autism can be happy, successful
and maintain healthy relationships with
support and understanding from others
around them. ■
ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS/KATARZYNABIALASIEWICZ
T he Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) defines
autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as
“a developmental disability that is caused
by differences in how the brain functions.

People with ASD may communicate, inter-
act, behave and learn in different ways.”
About one in 59 children have been
diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder,
according to the CDC. While autism may
be common, there are many myths and mis-
information. Below are some of the most
common misconceptions.