Some ‘highly functional’ people with mild autism hold down important jobs.

Dr Thomas Insel, director of the US National Institute of Mental Health which
supported the study, said: "Although the diagnosis of autism is not
usually lost over time, the findings suggest that there is a very wide range
of possible outcomes.”

The scientists drew their conclusions after examining the way the 34 inviduals
spoke and interacted with people, and comparing results to 44 peers with no
history of autism.

Dr Deborah Fein, of the University of Connecticut, said: “All children with
Autism Spectrum Disorder are capable of making progress with intensive
therapy, but with our current state of knowledge most do not achieve the
kind of optimal outcome that we are studying.”

However, Dr Judith Gould, of the National Autistic Society, warned against
giving parents of autistic children false hope.

She said many children learn coping strategies which could hide the condition
from specialists in adulthood.

“This study is looking at a small sample of high functioning people with
autism and we would urge people not to jump to conclusions about the nature
and complexity of autism, as well its longevity," said Dr Gould.

“With intensive therapy and support, it’s possible for a small sub group of
high functioning individuals with autism to learn coping behaviours and
strategies which would ‘mask’ their underlying condition, and change their
scoring in the diagnostic tests used to determine their condition in this
research.

“This research acknowledges that a diagnosis of autism is not usually lost
over time and it is important to recognise the support that people with
autism need in order to live the lives of their choosing.”

She continued: “Getting a diagnosis can be a critical milestone for children
with autism and their families, often helping parents to understand their
children better and helping them to support their children in reaching their
full potential. The importance of diagnosis can therefore not be
underestimated."