Regressive autism
Encyclopedia
Regressive autism occurs when a child appears to develop typically but then starts to lose speech and social skills, typically between the ages of 15 and 30 months, and is subsequently diagnosed with autism
. Other terms used to describe regression in children with autism are autism with regression, autistic regression, setback-type autism, and acquired autistic syndrome. There is no standard definition for regression, and the prevalence of regression varies depending on the definition used. Some children show a mixture of features, with some early delays and some later losses; and there is evidence of a continuous spectrum of behaviors, rather than a black-and-white distinction, between autism with and without regression.
disorders stop speaking after beginning to say words, often before the age of two. According to Ami Klin
, "Most examples of autistic regression...are based upon a child's loss of a handful of words...it's possible that these children were only echoing sounds they heard from their parents" Some children lose social development instead of language; some lose both. After the regression, the child follows the standard pattern of autistic neurological development. The term refers to the appearance that neurological development has reversed; it is actually only the affected developmental skills, rather than the neurology as a whole, that regresses. It is more usual for autistic neurological development to not include such aberrations, with age-appropriate autistic symptoms being clear from birth.
Skill loss may be quite rapid, or may be slow and preceded by a lengthy period of no skill progression; the loss may be accompanied by reduced social play or increased irritability. The temporarily acquired skills typically amount to a few words of spoken language, and may include some rudimentary social perception. There are several intermediate types of development, which do not neatly fit into either the traditional early onset or the regressive categories, including mixtures of early deficits, failures to progress, subtle diminishments, and obvious losses. If regression is defined strictly to require loss of language, it is less common; if defined more broadly, to include cases where language is preserved but social interaction is diminished, it is more common.
. In particular, because obvious symptoms often start just after children receive multiple vaccination
s, such as the MMR vaccine
or the MMRV vaccine (MMR plus varicella (chickenpox) vaccine), some people perceive a causal link
between vaccination and autism, especially if accompanied by a fever, rash, and rapid skill loss. Although a rancorous controversy has escalated since the earliest reports of a possible link began to surface in the 1980s, no link has been found with vaccine
s. There are also studies being done to test if certain types of regressive autism have an autoimmune
basis.
disorders. Over the years, the results of these studies have contradicted one another. Some researchers believe there is still nothing to support a definitive biological difference between early-onset and regressive autism. However, emerging research shows that males with regressive autism have brains that are six percent larger than anyone with early-onset autism. The brains of females with regressive autism show no difference in brain size.
, Rett syndrome
and Landau-Kleffner syndrome
.
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
. Other terms used to describe regression in children with autism are autism with regression, autistic regression, setback-type autism, and acquired autistic syndrome. There is no standard definition for regression, and the prevalence of regression varies depending on the definition used. Some children show a mixture of features, with some early delays and some later losses; and there is evidence of a continuous spectrum of behaviors, rather than a black-and-white distinction, between autism with and without regression.
Speech and social regression
Approximately 25–30% of children with autism spectrumAutism spectrum
The term "autism spectrum" is often used to describe disorders that are currently classified as pervasive developmental disorders. Pervasive developmental disorders include autism, Asperger syndrome, Childhood disintegrative disorder, Rett syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise...
disorders stop speaking after beginning to say words, often before the age of two. According to Ami Klin
Ami Klin
Ami Klin, PhD, born in Brazil to Holocaust survivors, is the first chief of autism and related disorders at the Marcus Autism Center, a wholly owned subsidiary of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta...
, "Most examples of autistic regression...are based upon a child's loss of a handful of words...it's possible that these children were only echoing sounds they heard from their parents" Some children lose social development instead of language; some lose both. After the regression, the child follows the standard pattern of autistic neurological development. The term refers to the appearance that neurological development has reversed; it is actually only the affected developmental skills, rather than the neurology as a whole, that regresses. It is more usual for autistic neurological development to not include such aberrations, with age-appropriate autistic symptoms being clear from birth.
Skill loss may be quite rapid, or may be slow and preceded by a lengthy period of no skill progression; the loss may be accompanied by reduced social play or increased irritability. The temporarily acquired skills typically amount to a few words of spoken language, and may include some rudimentary social perception. There are several intermediate types of development, which do not neatly fit into either the traditional early onset or the regressive categories, including mixtures of early deficits, failures to progress, subtle diminishments, and obvious losses. If regression is defined strictly to require loss of language, it is less common; if defined more broadly, to include cases where language is preserved but social interaction is diminished, it is more common.
Causation controversy
Regression in autism spectrum disorders is well documented; attribution of regression to environmental stress factors may result in a delay in diagnosis. The apparent onset of regressive autism is surprising and distressing to parents, who often initially suspect severe hearing loss. The pattern of symptoms naturally leads many to suspect that postnatal environmental factors trigger autism; frequently, the apparent factor cited by parents is the possibility of vaccine injuryVaccine injury
A vaccine injury is an injury caused by vaccination.Allegations of vaccine injuries in recent decades have appeared in litigation in the United States. Some families have won substantial awards from sympathetic juries, even though most public health officials believed that the claims of injuries...
. In particular, because obvious symptoms often start just after children receive multiple vaccination
Vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
s, such as the MMR vaccine
MMR vaccine
The MMR vaccine is an immunization shot against measles, mumps, and rubella . It was first developed by Maurice Hilleman while at Merck in the late 1960s....
or the MMRV vaccine (MMR plus varicella (chickenpox) vaccine), some people perceive a causal link
Causality
Causality is the relationship between an event and a second event , where the second event is understood as a consequence of the first....
between vaccination and autism, especially if accompanied by a fever, rash, and rapid skill loss. Although a rancorous controversy has escalated since the earliest reports of a possible link began to surface in the 1980s, no link has been found with vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
s. There are also studies being done to test if certain types of regressive autism have an autoimmune
Autoimmunity
Autoimmunity is the failure of an organism to recognize its own constituent parts as self, which allows an immune response against its own cells and tissues. Any disease that results from such an aberrant immune response is termed an autoimmune disease...
basis.
Research
There are some who believe that regressive autism is simply early-onset autism that was recognized at a later date. Researchers have conducted studies to determine whether regressive autism is a distinct subset of autism spectrumAutism spectrum
The term "autism spectrum" is often used to describe disorders that are currently classified as pervasive developmental disorders. Pervasive developmental disorders include autism, Asperger syndrome, Childhood disintegrative disorder, Rett syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise...
disorders. Over the years, the results of these studies have contradicted one another. Some researchers believe there is still nothing to support a definitive biological difference between early-onset and regressive autism. However, emerging research shows that males with regressive autism have brains that are six percent larger than anyone with early-onset autism. The brains of females with regressive autism show no difference in brain size.
Other disorders involving regression
Other disorders that involve regression are total blindness from birth, childhood disintegrative disorderChildhood disintegrative disorder
Childhood disintegrative disorder , also known as Heller's syndrome and disintegrative psychosis, is a rare condition characterized by late onset of developmental delays in language, social function, and motor skills...
, Rett syndrome
Rett syndrome
Rett syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder of the grey matter of the brain that almost exclusively affects females. The clinical features include small hands and feet and a deceleration of the rate of head growth . Repetitive hand movements, such as wringing and/or repeatedly putting hands into...
and Landau-Kleffner syndrome
Landau-Kleffner syndrome
Landau–Kleffner syndrome , also called infantile acquired aphasia, acquired epileptic aphasia or aphasia with convulsive disorder, is a rare, childhood neurological syndrome....
.