Is it Possible to “Grow Out” of Autism?

Some people wonder if a person is able to grow out of autism. There are even research studies that suggest that some children have been able to “recover” from their autism diagnosis as they get older. But it is important to remember that autism exists on a spectrum, with symptoms ranging in severity from mild to severe. Because of this, many symptoms of autism can be compensated for at such a level that they appear to be completely gone. This happens somewhat frequently with individuals who have mild symptoms of autism, and it may be misinterpreted as one having outgrown or overcome the diagnosis with maturity.

In other cases, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms may disappear, but another disorder seems to crop up in its place. In most such cases, this doesn't mean that a child has grown out of autism and into a different disorder, but rather that ASD was misdiagnosed to begin with. There are a myriad of other conditions with symptoms that overlap with autism symptoms, such as anxiety disorders and attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This makes autism misdiagnosis relatively common.

Whether due to compensation or misdiagnosis, up to 25% of children (or as few as 3%, depending on the study) develop to a point where they no longer fit into the parameters of an autism diagnosis. This is referred to as an optimal outcome (OO). However, this should not be considered as a curing of autism or as if a child grew out of the diagnosis.

In short, an accurate diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder is a lifelong diagnosis. One cannot grow out of autism spectrum disorder, and there is no cure at this time. That said, if symptoms are on the mild end of the spectrum and managed effectively, autism symptoms may eventually have a negligible impact on everyday life. 

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