There are many myths circulating about autism – all debunked by neuroscience. But once you know the facts – and get them clearly – you will see the myths for what they are: ridiculous notions bred from ignorance, distrust and fear.
Let’s start with the facts
Fact: Autism is one of many natural differences between human beings
Autism is a naturally occurring neurodevelopmental variation in the wiring of the brain. Different people process their sensory experience differently. They also communicate differently, and how they think, which we call cognition, is also different. Autism is NOT a disease or disorder.
Fact: Genetics plays a major role
Autism is highly inheritable (60–90%). But while it does run in families, it also expresses differently in members of the same family, due to the complex interactions between our genes and our environment. The differences in how it appears in individuals appears in different ways and so we can see these related neurodevelopmental differences as occurring along a spectrum.
Fact: Autism has biological origins. It is not caused by parenting
Autism develops in utero and appears in early life, and is due to biological factors. It has nothing to do with parenting. Nonetheless you may still come across long-discredited explanations blaming bad parents. Ignore them all, including the notion of the ‘refrigerator mother’.
Fact: Autistic people do form deep relationships
Autistic people, like all of us, express themselves uniquely in their own unique relationships. They do however often have intense empathy, deep loyalty and powerfully authentic connections.
Fact: Girls, women, and nonbinary people are underdiagnosed
Due to masking, learnt coping and compensation skills, and the use of outdated diagnostic models, many girls and women are missed or misdiagnosed until later in life. This includes nonbinary people.
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Fact: Autism often co-occurs with ADHD, sensory differences and anxiety
These co-occurrences are common and reflect shared neurodevelopmental traits, not separate problems. There can be a tendency to focus on the trait as meaningful and descriptive of the person – rather than recognising the essential fact of diversity in human neurology.
Fact: Autistic communication is different, not deficient
Many use direct, honest, and literal communication. Misunderstandings happen when traditional or so called ‘typical’ expectations dominate. In these contexts, people on the spectrum ‘mask’ themselves to get by more easily.
Fact: Masking leads to exhaustion and mental health struggles
Many autistic people “camouflage” to fit in, which causes identity suppression, burnout, and trauma. This constant adaptation to social expectations can be debilitating and isolating.
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Fact: Early recognition and understanding is what works (not treatment)
Identifying autism early allows for validation, understanding, accommodation of difference and ways to provide better support. Attempts to fix, cure, normalize and change can not succeed. After all, water does not run up hills.
Fact: Autism is lifelong
Autistic people do not “grow out” of autism. It is present from birth and continues to be so all their lives. With the right support, they can thrive on their own terms and by their own endeavours, independently and successfully.
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Now Let’s look at the myths
Myth: People with autism don’t want friends
Many autistic individuals deeply value social connection and desire meaningful, personal relationships. However, they may experience challenges with social communication—such as reading social cues or knowing how to respond appropriately. Their way of expressing interest or affection may differ from societal norms, but this should not be mistaken for a lack of interest in friendship. Autistic people often want friendships just as much as anyone else; they may simply not build them in an instinctive or intuitive way.
Myth: Autism is caused by vaccines
In fact this myth has been thoroughly debunked by extensive research. Because this is very much in the news, let’s be specific.
Two studies in 1998 and 2002, by the same lead researcher, Andrew Wakefield, claimed to link autism in both cases the MMR vaccine, using 12 and 161 children respectively. The original 1998 study was determined to be critically flawed and was retracted by The Lancet, which had published it, in 2010. The second was also determined to be critically flawed.
Moreover two further studies, in 1999 by Bent Taylor and co-workers in England, with over 400 children, and another in Denmark, between 1991 and 1999, by Madsen and Colleagues, both demonstrated that there is no causal relationship between the vaccine and autism. The Danish study, in particular, included more than half a million children representing 2,129,864 years of person study. Medical and neuroscience research is categorically clear: autism is NOT caused by vaccines.
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Myth: All autistic people have savant abilities
In fact While some autistic individuals have extraordinary talents or skills (known as savant syndrome), these occur relatively rarely. Masking can also involve a stronger-than-usual focus on interests and skills for the individual, which can in turn lead to a comparably more developed set of abilities. The fact is, ‘though, that most autistic people have a range of strengths and challenges, just like neurotypical individuals.
Myth: Autism only affects children
In fact autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition. While symptoms may change or evolve, autistic children grow into autistic adults. Autistic adults also tend to have matured their coping (and masking) skills and so do not ‘stand out’ as much as they might when still children.
Myth: Autism is caused by bad parenting
In fact this is an outdated and roundly discredited idea that occurred in various forms. A better known version was known as the “refrigerator mother” theory, but such notions come from a time when autism was still considered a psychological adaptation. It is not. It is a neurodevelopmental and thus biological difference with genetic components. To be absolutely clear: autism is not caused by any parenting style.
Myth: People with autism lack empathy
In fact many autistic individuals experience deep empathy, though they may express or process emotions differently. In fact, some may feel emotions so intensely that those feelings can become overwhelming for them. Combined with strong empathic and intuitive senses, their reactions will be different and a-typical – and thus harder to read.
Myth: Autism looks the same in everyone
In fact autism is a spectrum, meaning it presents differently in different people. Some may need significant support; others may live independently. It also tends to present differently in women and girls than it does in men and boys – and this can in turn lead to underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis of women and girls and even of nonbinary people.
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Myth: You can “grow out” of autism
In fact autism is not something one grows out of – nor would we consider it necessary to do so. While skills and coping strategies can improve over time, the underlying neurological differences remain.
Myth: Autistic people can’t live independent or successful lives
In fact many autistic individuals lead fulfilling, independent lives, have careers, relationships, and families – and some of the most successful figures in business, commerce, politics, the arts and digital innovations are on the spectrum. In short, with the right support and accommodations, autistic people, like others, thrive.
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