Abstract:

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are generally assumed to be lifelong due to its poor prognosis. However, more sophisticated research has shown that autistic children diagnosed and treated at earlier ages are able to enter the normal range of cognitive and adaptive skills. With proper intervention, meanwhile, they lose their autism diagnosis and achieve “optimal outcomes.” That said, most of them still display varying degrees of residual deficits. This paper first describes ASD outcomes and traces the definitional evolution of “optimal outcomes.” It then analyses the distribution of optimal outcome children, with a particular focus on residual deficits. In so doing, the paper teases out individual characteristics and predictors of outcome in this group to provide empirical and effective evidence for systematic intervention in children with ASD.

Key words: children with autism spectrum disorder, recovery, optimal outcomes, residual deficits