Frequently asked questions

ASD stands for Autism Spectrum Disorder. ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition. We talk about a spectrum because there is a wide variety of disorders, but it includes a common set of symptoms: difficulties in social communication and repetitive, stereotyped and/or inflexible behaviours, which vary from person to person. They may be accompanied by other conditions such as intellectual disability, health problems and/or language difficulties.

People with autism are born with the condition. It is present throughout their lives. The first signs may appear between 12 and 18 months of a child’s life.

Autism is thought to be a biological condition. We now know that more than 100 different genes are involved in ASD. The risk of having another son or daughter with ASD is around 20%, which is 10-20 times higher than in the general population. This chance increases further if there is a sibling with ASD (up to 50%). In the case of twins, the chances are between 60% and 90%. However, environmental factors can contribute to the development of the disorder (e.g. advanced age of the parents at conception, extreme prematurity with very low birth weight, etc.).

Unfortunately, there are no specific medical tests. It is therefore necessary to use tests that rely on observation and behavioural assessment to diagnose the disorder, such as the ADOS-2 and the ADI-R. There are also screening tools such as the M-CHAT-R.

There are no specific medications to eliminate or reduce the symptoms of autism. However, healthcare professionals often use medication to treat a specific behaviour, such as reducing self-injury or other associated disorders. Minimising a symptom so that it is no longer a problem allows a person with autism to focus on other things, such as learning and communicating. Studies show that medication is most effective when combined with behavioural therapies.

There is no specific treatment. There are several psychoeducational techniques that are scientifically proven to help the person with autism in their daily life. Thanks to these techniques and human support, the person with autism becomes aware of his environment, can structure his day, express himself and develop in the world of education and work. We have to bear in mind that each person with autism is different and therefore the intervention must be personalised, specific and specialised in autism. It is necessary to avoid the false promises made by some of the pseudo-sciences about the existence of drugs or substances that can “cure” autism. Although it is true that there are drugs that help to regulate some of the comorbidities associated with autism and that can make the person with autism feel better, autism cannot be cured and therefore there is NO pharmacological treatment that can do so.

First person explanation:

“Because of the way I communicate, I don’t understand social norms. But if I am socially incorrect, it is not with bad intentions. So it is better for you to tell me what is right for me to do, rather than forbidding or stopping me. I find it hard to understand lies, jokes, double-talk or gratuitous violence. Try to use simple language, without symbolism. I accept people as they are, even if they are different from me, without trying to change them. If I feel that I am not understood, I get frustrated easily. Imagine if you didn’t understand many things going on around you, wouldn’t you get angry like me? Try to find out what makes me nervous, what doesn’t make me feel good. I don’t like to be alone. Like all people, I like company. There are certain things I really like to do and I would never stop doing them. They are usually different from what other people with autism like to do. I love my family and friends.”

It depends on each person. One of the goals of our foundation is to help people with autism have the maximum capacity to be independent, but since this is not possible in many cases, they will need others to help them. The inclusion of people with autism (in work, personal, family life…) means enhancing what they are able to do and helping them in those things in which they need help.

We all need to put ourselves in the shoes of the person in front of us, this will make things easier. Empathy (what they might feel or how they might understand their environment) will create an autism friendly environment. This will help to reduce environmental stress, increase understanding and facilitate communication.

No. It is not a disease, it is a condition and therefore not ‘curable’.