Facts instead of fakes - Autimus spectrum disorder

There is hardly a clinical picture in which misinformation, myths and rumours play such an important role as in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Time for a categorisation from the doc.

The current occasion: US President Donald Trump has claimed that there is a link between taking paracetamol during pregnancy and the development of autism and that autism is becoming more and more widespread.

There are two things to set straight. Firstly, there are currently no convincing scientific studies that could show that paracetamol consumption during pregnancy increases the risk of an ASD in the child. This means that a pregnant woman can take paracetamol or ibuprofen in the correct dosage if necessary.

Secondly: Yes, diagnoses have increased - but the clinical picture has also expanded massively. We are now talking about an autism spectrum disorder and this spectrum encompasses an extremely broad, highly variable clinical picture. It includes children who are severely affected and, so to speak, mentally disabled, but also children who manage very, very well in everyday life and only have minimal limitations. And this expansion of the term from Kanner autism or Asperger autism to autism spectrum disorder means that there are of course many more diagnoses.

It is also a fact that, as things stand today, we cannot prevent autism spectrum disorders from developing. It is assumed that they are predominantly genetic and that infections during pregnancy may play a role.

There is also no cure in the narrower sense of the word; ASD cannot be "cured" - which should not be the goal. We should continue on the path we are currently on. This means two things: recognising affected children and young people at an early stage in order to be able to help them at an early stage with various therapy steps and integrating people with ASD more and more into society.

Here is a good overview of causes, symptoms, therapeutic approaches, etc.: https://www.neurologen-und-psychiater-imnetz.org/kinder-jugendpsychiatrie-psychosomatik-und-psychotherapie/stoerungen-erkrankungen/autismus-spektrum-stoerung-ass/