Autistic children who recovered appeared to have milder social difficulties but more repetitive behaviours By studying children who appear to grow out of the disorder experts hope to create better therapies
By Claire Bates
PUBLISHED: 12:13 EST, 15 January 2013 | UPDATED: 13:36 EST, 15 January 2013
Autism is a condition some children manage to grow out of, a study has shown.
Experts studied 34 school-age children and young adults who had been diagnosed with autism early in life but now appeared to be functioning normally.
Tests confirmed that the group, aged eight to 21, no longer suffered symptoms of the developmental condition that makes it difficult to communicate and socialise.
Autistic children who recovered appeared to have milder social difficulties but more repetitive behaviours
The results, published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, provide no estimate of the proportion of children likely to recover from autism.
But the researchers say they offer hope that in at least some cases, the handicap of autism can be left behind.
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Children can GROW OUT of autism, claim scientists