Learn what a typical Autism prognosis is at Consumer Reports Health.

Autism

What will happen to my child?

For many parents of children with autism, the future is one of their biggest worries. In particular, you may worry what will happen if you can't care for your child any more.

It's hard to say what will happen to your child. This is because autism affects different children in different ways. Some can live on their own. But others will always need a lot of help.

Source:
Baird G, Cass H, Slonims V.
Diagnosis of autism.
BMJ. 2003; 327: 488-493.

Source:
Wing L.
The autistic spectrum.
BMJ. 1996; 312: 327-328.

Keep in mind that the right support, education and training now may help your child have fewer problems later on.

Source:
Howlin P, Goode S.
Outcome in adult life for people with autism and Asperger's syndrome.
In: Volkmar FR, Goodyer IM (editors). Autism and pervasive developmental disorders. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK; 1998.

Here's what we know from research.

Source:
Baird G, Cass H, Slonims V.
Diagnosis of autism.
BMJ. 2003; 327: 488-493.

About 15 in 100 children with autism grow up to live on their own.
About 15 in 100 to 20 in 100 live alone but with help.
Many adults with autism need full-time care for the rest of their life.

How well your child can do on their own is linked to whether they can speak and learn.

Source:
Wing L.
The autistic spectrum.
BMJ. 1996; 312: 327-328.

³ Some children have a good chance of living alone and holding down a job later on.

³ But others have worse symptoms and need a lot of support in all areas of their life, including housing, work and social activities.

Source:
Wing L.
The autistic spectrum.
BMJ. 1996; 312: 327-328.

² Many adults with autism need to live in special places that provide care for the long term.

Autism in adults

One study looked at 75 people with autism.

³ They were 29 years old, on average. This study was small. It's also a bit out of date, from 1994. But what the study found gives us some idea of how adults with autism get along.

Living

Eight of the 75 people were living on their own or partly on their own.
About 25 were living with their parents.
About 30 were living in special communities, most built specially for people with autism.
About 10 were living in long-stay places.

Working

About 15 of the 75 people had gotten some kind of certificate, diploma or degree in school.
Seven worked in regular jobs for pay, and one worked for himself.
Four had volunteer jobs.
About 50 went to day centers or living centers. These centers didn't offer much chance to learn skills that would help the young people find regular jobs.

Social life

About 25 of the 75 people had some friends.
One was married.
About 50 didn't have any friends at all.

Autism in older children and teenagers

Autism doesn't go away. But certain kinds of behavior often get better as your child gets older. In a study of about 200 families, more than a third of parents said that their children had gotten better between the ages of 10 years and 15 years.

³ But about a quarter of parents said that their children's behavior had gotten worse.

Some types of behavior may get better, while other types get worse.

Source:
National Institute of Mental Health.
Autism spectrum disorders: pervasive developmental disorders.
Available at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/autism.cfm (accessed on 22 April 2009).

⁴

Some young people with autism may realize that they are different. This can be a good thing, especially if they learn new skills to help them cope better. But young people with autism need a lot of support. If your child realizes they don't fit in, they may get depressed or have other problems with their mental health.

Source:
Wing L.
The autistic spectrum.
BMJ. 1996; 312: 327-328.

What does it feel like?

You may wonder what it feels like to have autism. To get an idea, you can read books written by people with this condition. Here are some examples.

Nobody Nowhere: The Extraordinary Autobiography of an Autistic by Donna Williams (published by Jessica Kingsley, 1998).
Somebody Somewhere: Breaking Free From the World of Autism by Donna Williams (published by Jessica Kingsley, 1998).
Thinking in Pictures and Other Reports From My Life With Autism by Temple Grandin (published by Vintage Books, 1996).

Sources for the information on this page:

Baird G, Cass H, Slonims V.Diagnosis of autism.BMJ. 2003; 327: 488-493.

Wing L.The autistic spectrum.BMJ. 1996; 312: 327-328.

Howlin P, Goode S.Outcome in adult life for people with autism and Asperger's syndrome.In: Volkmar FR, Goodyer IM (editors). Autism and pervasive developmental disorders. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK; 1998.

National Institute of Mental Health.Autism spectrum disorders: pervasive developmental disorders.Available at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/autism.cfm (accessed on 22 April 2009).

This information was last updated on Oct 19, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2010. All rights reserved.

The information on ConsumerReportsHealth.org should not be viewed as a substitute for a consultation with a medical or health professional. The information is meant to enhance communication with your doctor, not replace it. Consumers Union can not be liable for any loss, injury, or other damages related to your use of this information.

Your use of this information is subject to our User Agreement available at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org.