Harvard Medical School Lecture Notes (1): Some of the Most Common Misconceptions About ASD

Hello, I am BCBA Minjeong Kwon.

While attending the Clinical Care for Autistic Adults lecture ( link ) at Harvard Medical School, I took notes and decided to leave the content I wanted to see on my blog.

I hope this helps anyone who is interested.

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Misconceptions about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):

Intellectual disability and autism:

• Myth: Everyone with autism has an intellectual disability.
• actually:
• About 30% of children with autism have an intellectual disability, classified as having an IQ below 70. However, it can be difficult to accurately measure the IQ of people with limited language skills.
• Language ability is not always linked to cognitive ability, and some people with autism may have apraxia of speech or have difficulty communicating in certain situations. Their abilities should be measured in a variety of ways and alternative methods of communication, such as AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices, should be considered.
• It is important for healthcare providers to always assume ability when communicating with people with autism, just as they would with patients who are unable to communicate, and to ask patients or caregivers how they best communicate.

Autism and Empathy:

• Myth: People with autism lack empathy.
• actually:
• Many people with autism are very sensitive to emotions, and sometimes those emotions can be so strong that they become overwhelming.
• For example, they may be so overwhelmed by the emotions of others in the room that they end up shutting them out. This may give the impression that they lack empathy, but in fact their empathy is so strong that it is difficult to handle. Their way of expressing empathy may be unusual, but that does not make it any less genuine.

Social Relationships and Autism:

• Myth: People with autism can’t form meaningful social relationships.
• actually:
• Many people with autism have strong bonds with their family and friends.
• People with severe autism may have intellectual and cognitive difficulties with even basic interactions, but they can still form meaningful social relationships with those around them.
• Although the process of forming these relationships can be difficult, the relationships that are formed are truly important and cherished.

Romantic Relationships and Autism:

• Myth: Autistic people don’t want or pursue intimate relationships.
• actually:
• Many people with autism desire and value close relationships and experience a wide range of emotions, just like their neurotypical peers.
• However, because they have difficulty understanding social cues, they may need additional support to navigate these relationships.

Behavioral Problems and Autism:

• Myth: Behavioral problems in people with autism are caused solely by autism spectrum disorder.
• Fact: People with autism are vulnerable to a variety of comorbid neuropsychiatric conditions, such as anxiety, ADHD, and sleep disorders, which can significantly affect their quality of life. While not an inherent part of ASD, they are common and may require additional treatment.

Mental illness and autism:

• Myth: People with autism are more likely to develop serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
• Fact: People with autism are no more likely than the general population to develop a serious mental illness, but conditions such as anxiety and depression are more often associated with ASD.

Medical and psychiatric treatment:

• Myth: Medical and psychiatric treatment for people with autism should only be provided in specialized clinics.
• actually:
• The increasing prevalence of ASD has left specialty clinics with long waiting times and limited capacity to provide treatment to all individuals with autism. Therefore, general pediatricians, primary care physicians, and other health care professionals need to be trained to provide high-quality treatment to individuals with autism throughout their lives.
• Even highly intelligent or verbally expressive people with autism may need support in managing their health information and making decisions. While some people with autism are able to make their own health care decisions, others may need support from a legal guardian, health care agent, or other advocate to share in their decision-making.

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Adolescents or adults who face more complex and diverse situations than the young children we encounter during early intervention.

In the next episode, we will come back with a summary of why children go to the hospital as infants, teenagers, and adults, and what kind of treatment they receive when they go to the hospital :)