Resources and Information for Autistic People

According to CDC data, 3.2% of 8-year-old children in the United States have autism.1 To put that in perspective, it’s estimated that Generalized Anxiety Disorder affects 3.1% of the entire U.S. population — or 6.8 million adults.2 Taken with the fact that many people with autism go undiagnosed, this means that you likely know someone who’s autistic or has an autistic member of their family. And with misconceptions of autism persisting, it can be very beneficial to learn more about the condition and how you can support those you care about.3

In our guide, we’ll explore what you need to know about autism — including its symptoms, prevalence, diagnostic criteria, and more — and share links to helpful organizations.

First discovered 50 years ago by Austrian-American psychiatrist Leo Kanner, autism — formally, Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD — is a neurological and developmental disorder that can affect how you communicate, behave, and think.5 6 Though it’s often associated with young boys, autism can affect people of any age, sex, or gender. It’s also important to know that autism is not a disease, and the outdated approach of trying to “cure” it is deeply harmful to autistic people.6

Autism, similar to ADHD, is a form of neurodivergence. Those who are neurodivergent have brains that work differently; they may have different challenges and strengths than people who are neurotypical (individuals without those differences). And no two neurodivergent people have the exact same struggles and strengths, either. As the Cleveland Clinic explains, “Like a person’s fingerprints, no two brains — not even those of identical twins — are exactly the same.”7

What causes autism?

Experts aren’t entirely sure what causes autism, but they think it could have a link to factors like genetics (some gene variants may increase a person’s risk of having autism) or environmental influences (e.g., infections, pregnancy complications, air pollutants).8 9

What experts do know, however, is that there is no solid evidence suggesting that vaccines can cause autism. This myth began when researcher Andrew Wakefield claimed that the childhood MMR vaccine caused autism in a 1998 study. Ultimately, it was discovered that Wakefield was opposed to vaccination from the outset and had a financial conflict of interest, leading to him falsifying his research data. In 2010, Wakefield lost his medical license due to dishonesty in research. Unfortunately, many people still believe Wakefield’s claim that vaccines cause autism, despite years of extensive research showing it to be false.3

What’s the difference between autism and Asperger's?

Asperger’s or Asperger Syndrome was a diagnosis used prior to 2013. Today, those with Asperger’s would likely be considered ASD Level 1, according to the DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria.10 (The DSM is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a standardized guide used by mental health professionals for classifying and diagnosing mental health conditions. The DSM-5-TR is the current edition.)

However, even though Asperger’s is no longer a given diagnosis, those who were previously diagnosed before the medical language evolved may still consider it to be a strong part of their identity. Sometimes, these people may describe themselves as an “aspie” instead of autistic.11

According to the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network data:1

• In 2020, an estimated one out of every 31 (3.2%) 8-year-old children had ASD
• ASD is nearly three times more prevalent among boys than girls
• ASD occurs in all racial and ethnic groups at a similar rate

To expand on that final point, the CDC’s findings from 2020 show that, among 8-year-olds from different racial and ethnic groups, autism occurs in:2

• 2.4% of White children
• 2.9% of Black children
• 3.3% of Asian and Pacific Islander children
• 3.2% of Hispanic children
• 2.7% of American Indian or Alaska Native children
• 2.3% of multiracial children

Now, you may have noticed that the previous data was about autism in children. This is because nearly all of the data on the prevalence of autism in the United States is focused on rates in young people. Fortunately, the authors of one study from 2022 worked to estimate the prevalence of ASD in U.S. adults. They found that approximately 2.21% of American adults over the age of 18 have ASD. Louisiana had the lowest prevalence of 1.97% of adults, while Massachusetts had the highest with 2.42% of adults.12

However, it’s also worth considering that doctors in Louisiana may simply be underdiagnosing ASD while those in Massachusetts are spotting more cases. This possibility is supported by the fact that Massachusetts is considered one of the best states for autism support due to its “strong emphasis on early intervention and special education programs.”16

Generally, there are two main categories of autism symptoms that healthcare providers look for:6

• Difficulties with social communication or interaction
• Restricted and repetitive behaviors, interests, or activities

Many times, the symptoms of autism are caught in early childhood, but it’s also entirely possible for someone to go their entire life without knowing they’re autistic. (Sometimes, early signs may not be caught because the parents themselves are also autistic and believe certain behaviors are typical.)

The following criteria are what an expert will look for to determine an ASD diagnosis based on the information in the DSM-5-TR:13

“Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by all of the following, currently or by history.”13 (This means that the social communication and behavior difficulties or differences are experienced in multiple settings, like at home, school, and when with friends.)

• Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity
• Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction
• Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships

“Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by at least two of the following, currently or by history.”13

• Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech
• Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior
• Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus
• Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment

The final criteria are less about the actual symptoms and more about how those symptoms impact the patient’s life. Like the previous section, at least two of the following are necessary for a diagnosis.13

• Symptoms present in the early developmental period (may not become manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities/may be masked by learned strategies in later life)
• Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning
• Disturbances are not better explained by intellectual developmental disorder or global developmental delay

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that the symptoms of autism can differ between those assigned male at birth (AMAB) and those assigned female at birth (AFAB). For instance, camouflaging (masking symptoms) is more common in AFAB people, which could lead to them being misdiagnosed or not properly supported.14

There are a lot of autism-focused organizations out there — some of which are more trustworthy than others. Generally, a true autistic advocacy organization will involve members of the autistic community and work with them instead of speaking for them. Some trustworthy organizations include:15

• Foundations for Divergent Minds: Offers resources for educators, caregivers, and neurodivergent people
• Communication First: An organization that advocates for nonspeaking (or nonverbal) neurodivergent people
• Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN): A disability rights nonprofit organization that also offers a wide variety of resources
• Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network (AWN): An organization aiming to support autistic women, nonbinary individuals, and other gender-nonconforming people
• The Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism: A platform for related news, evidence-supported information, and resources (including a list of other helpful organizations)

If you want to learn more about the signs and symptoms of autism, we recommend the following resources:

• Cleveland Clinic - Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Symptoms & Causes
• Cleveland Clinic - Debunking 8 Autism Myths and Misconceptions
• Mayo Clinic - Autism spectrum disorder - Symptoms and causes
• UCLA Health - Understanding undiagnosed autism in adult females