Autism

New Jersey

51 Autism Trials near New Jersey

Power is an online platform that helps thousands of Autism patients discover FDA-reviewed trials every day. Every trial we feature meets safety and ethical standards, giving patients an easy way to discover promising new treatments in the research stage.

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No Placebo
Highly Paid
Stay on Current Meds
Pivotal Trials (Near Approval)
Breakthrough Medication

CM-AT for Autism

Voorhees Township, New Jersey
This trial is testing a special enzyme powder called CM-AT to help children with autism digest protein better.
No Placebo Group
Pivotal Trial (Near Approval)

Trial Details

Trial Status:Active Not Recruiting
Trial Phase:Phase 3
Age:3 - 17

405 Participants Needed

This study is a pragmatic clinical trial examining the comparative effectiveness of two stimulant medications (methylphenidate and amphetamine) in the treatment of ADHD in children and adolescents with autism. Using a sequential, multiple assignment randomization trial (SMART) design the study will not only assess these two medications but also the role of an increasingly popular class of ADHD medication, the alpha-2 agonists. Findings from this study will help improve clinicians' approach to medication selection and reduce the repeated trials of multiple medications that are current standard care.
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Recruiting
Trial Phase:Phase 4
Age:4 - 17

500 Participants Needed

Propranolol for Autism

Staten Island, New York
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if propranolol can help reduce challenging behaviors associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder, including aggression, self-injury, and severe disruptive behaviors. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either propranolol or a placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no drug) daily for 12 weeks. After the 12 weeks, all participants will have the opportunity to receive propranolol for an additional 12 weeks.

Trial Details

Trial Status:Recruiting
Trial Phase:Phase 2
Age:12 - 40

60 Participants Needed

ML-004 for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
This trial is testing a treatment called ML-004 to see if it can help improve social communication skills in adolescents and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The study will involve about 150 participants to determine its effectiveness.

Trial Details

Trial Status:Recruiting
Trial Phase:Phase 2
Age:12 - 45

150 Participants Needed

Sulforaphane for Autism

Piscataway, New Jersey
This trial tests if sulforaphane, a compound from broccoli, can improve symptoms in males with autism. Sulforaphane boosts protective enzymes and helps manage stress and immune responses. The study aims to see improvements in social interaction, behavior, and communication. Sulforaphane, derived from broccoli sprouts, has shown potential benefits in previous trials for improving behavior and social responsiveness in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Trial Details

Trial Status:Active Not Recruiting
Trial Phase:Phase 2
Age:13 - 30
Sex:Male

48 Participants Needed

ML-004 for Autism

Orangeburg, New York
This trial is testing the safety of a treatment called ML-004 in adolescents and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The main goal is to ensure that the treatment does not cause any harmful side effects.
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Enrolling By Invitation
Trial Phase:Phase 2
Age:12 - 46

120 Participants Needed

This trial tests a program to help toddlers with autism improve their social and communication skills. The program starts with play-based activities and is adjusted based on each child's progress. These activities have been shown to improve social communication in young children with autism. The goal is to find the best way to support these children in everyday settings.
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Active Not Recruiting
Trial Phase:Unphased
Age:24 - 36

350 Participants Needed

Community Engagement for Autism

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Centering Autistic Perspectives for Behavioral Interventions Discussions (CAPBID) PCORI Science of Engagement Award will examine different community engagement approaches for bringing together autistic people, Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) providers, and other members of the autism community to advance a shared equitable dialogue around research priorities for ABA-related research. One of these approaches will be based on existing transformative and restorative justice methods and frameworks. This project also utilizes a community-driven participatory research approach that will center autistic leadership in all aspects of the project. The investigators hope that this research will pave the way for creating spaces where autistic people are heard in their experiences and can collaborate effectively with open-minded ABA providers about how to advance the next generation of care and research in the field. More broadly, the investigators aim to create engagement approaches that may be used to have conversations around critical and difficult issues faced by the autistic and autism communities, as well as other marginalized communities.
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Not Yet Recruiting
Trial Phase:Unphased

200 Participants Needed

TUNE In for Autism

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The purpose of this study is to test a novel, cognitive behavioral treatment strategy to improve social functioning in adults with autism spectrum disorder. The treatment, named TUNE In (Training to Understand and Navigate Emotions and Interactions), includes components to address the many behavioral domains involved in social functioning, including social motivation, social anxiety, social cognition, social skills, and generalization of the skills to community settings. The Investigators will test the efficacy of TUNE In to improve social functioning in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), using a randomized controlled trial using the SRS-2 as the primary outcome measure.
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Recruiting
Trial Phase:Unphased

40 Participants Needed

Imitation Training for Autism

New Brunswick, New Jersey
The goals of this project are to (a) incorporate empirical findings on imitation training and learning in autistic children into a comprehensive protocol for Applied Behavior Analysis practitioners designed to rapidly facilitate generalized imitation called Emergent Multi-Class Imitation Training (EMIT), and (b) collect pilot data on the efficacy of EMIT with a small sample of autistic children. EMIT will incorporate several features that are grounded in prior research including: (a) evidence-based procedures for establishing trained matching relations (a pre-requisite to generalized imitation), (b) concurrent training of different response types (e.g., motor imitation, object imitation, vocal imitation) to address restricted generalization, (c) multiple manipulative object imitation training, (d) evidence-based procedures for remediating slow acquisition, and (e) frequent tests for the emergence of generalized imitation. EMIT will be the first protocol designed for clinical use that reflects research findings on imitation learning spanning almost five decades.
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Recruiting
Trial Phase:Unphased
Age:12 - 6

25 Participants Needed

Remaking Recess for Autism

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
This trial tests Remaking Recess, a program that helps children with autism or developmental disorders engage socially during school recess. It targets children aged 5-12 and involves training school staff to support these children in social interactions through structured play activities. Remaking Recess is designed to improve peer engagement for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during recess.
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Active Not Recruiting
Trial Phase:Unphased
Age:5 - 12

264 Participants Needed

The purpose of the research is to determine if changes seen during sulforaphane treatment (a compound that comes from eating certain vegetables) can better be understood using digital biomarkers. These digital biomarkers are things like heart rate, muscle movement etc. and are measured using non-invasive devices (like a watch) and are aimed at complementing the traditional clinical scores already in use in current trials (e.g. Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and Ohio Autism Clinical Impressions Scale (OACIS)).
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Enrolling By Invitation
Trial Phase:Unphased
Age:13 - 30
Sex:Male

10 Participants Needed

SDARI Program for Autism

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
This is a clinical trial that will test whether a group program called SDARI (Socio-dramatic Affective Relational Intervention) can help autistic young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 feel more connected to others and improve their social relationships. The study will try to answer: Can SDARI be used successfully with autistic adults? Does SDARI help people feel more connected, supported, and mentally well? There are two groups in the study. One group will participate in the SDARI program, and the other group will do different structured activities that don't focus on social connection. Researchers will compare the two groups to see if SDARI leads to better outcomes. Participants will: Complete screening to confirm eligibility (including autism traits and IQ) Attend weekly in-person group sessions for 10 weeks Take part in games and activities designed to support connection and collaboration Complete surveys and interviews before, during, and after the program Have the option to choose someone close to them (like a friend or family member) to fill out surveys about their experiences
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Recruiting
Trial Phase:Unphased
Age:18 - 30

54 Participants Needed

Although many children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) make significant progress in learning and their cognitive skills improve with applied behavior analysis (ABA), there are a significant number of children who show an absence or a plateau in various skills. Deficits in executive functioning are likely to be involved in many of these cognitive and learning disabilities due to poor functioning of the prefrontal cortex. Currently, the use of biological methods for improving learning and cognition is largely unexplored in research and practice. The aim of this study is to use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in combination with ABA to improve the acquisition of educational programs for students with ASD. tDCS is a low-level electrical neurostimulation and is most effective when used in combination with an active training or teaching, facilitating the neuronal circuits used for that task. tDCS has been used for various indications over a couple of decades and has been shown to be very safe and has been well-tolerated by children with ASD. The mechanism of tDCS is not clear, however animal studies show that tDCS can stimulate the flow of calcium ions through channels in the astrocytes, activating them, and facilitating their role in synapse formation and therefore learning.

Trial Details

Trial Status:Recruiting
Trial Phase:Unphased
Age:5 - 12

24 Participants Needed

Ballet Program for Autism

New York, New York
This study will be a randomized trial that will examine the impact of a recreational ballet program on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The research team are primarily interested in assessing changes in motor skills with secondary objectives focused on the social, psychological, and behavioral effects. The study will aim to collect data from 24 participants with ASD. Participants must be 7-12 years old, have a confirmed diagnosis of ASD, and speak English or Spanish. All participants will be enrolled in a 12 week ballet program. The ballet program is based off the curriculum and structure of Ballet for All Kids, a non-profit organization that has been tailoring ballet classes for children with ASD for over one decade. All research team members and volunteers will be trained in the BFAK program's curriculum and structure. Ballet instruction and all research materials will be provided in both English and Spanish. The research team will randomize the sample into an intervention group and waitlist control. The research team will measure outcomes through validated self-reports that caregivers will complete. For the intervention group, questionnaires will be completed at baseline and throughout the intervention (weeks 4, 8, and 12). For those in the waitlist control group, questionnaires will be completed at baseline, throughout the intervention group's ballet classes, and throughout their own participation in the program. Results of this study will help to determine if how a recreational ballet program can impact the motor, psychological, social, and behavioral skills of a child with ASD, informing the direction of future research and interventions.

Trial Details

Trial Status:Active Not Recruiting
Age:7 - 12

24 Participants Needed

Propranolol for Autism

New Brunswick, New Jersey
Severe challenging behaviors such as aggression and self-injury can cause significant morbidity and decrease the quality of life for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). There are only two medications (Risperdal and Abilify) rigorously studied and FDA-approved for the treatment of irritability in individuals with ASD. These medications are not always successful and have many short and long-term side effects. Well-designed studies demonstrating efficacy and safety of alternative medication treatment choices are needed. There is preliminary evidence that high-dose propranolol can be effective in individuals with ASD who display severe aggression and have not responded to antipsychotics or mood stabilizers. Concerns regarding the safety of high dose propranolol have limited its clinical application. Well-designed clinical trials demonstrating the efficacy and safety of high dose propranolol will have significant effects on clinical practice and improve the physical and behavioral quality of life for an underserved subset of individuals with ASD. This study will pilot the safety and efficacy of high dose propranolol. The investigators will randomly assign participants to either propranolol or to placebo later crossing each participant over to the other group. As propranolol can cause changes in blood pressure and heart function, each participant will complete initial comprehensive testing to monitor cardiac safety throughout the study. The investigators will be utilizing telemedicine and computer based telemetry to minimize the burden of office visits on the individual and family.

Trial Details

Trial Status:Active Not Recruiting
Age:12 - 30

6 Participants Needed

The goal of this research is to explore abilities to learn word meanings from overheard conversations in children with ASD (and, as a control, typically developing children). Specific Aim 3 (Experiment 3): Determine whether children with ASD can learn verbs and pronouns by overhearing. Most prior work on learning from overheard speech has focused on learning nouns that label objects. This experiment extends this work to study other kinds of words.
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Active Not Recruiting
Age:24 - 71

179 Participants Needed

This trial studies if children with ASD can learn new words from video calls, either by being spoken to directly or by overhearing conversations. It aims to improve educational methods for these children.
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Active Not Recruiting

295 Participants Needed

Speech Exposure for Autism

New York, New York
The goal of this research is to explore abilities to learn word meanings from overheard conversations in children with ASD (and, as a control, typically developing children). Specific Aim 1 (Experiment 1): Subaim 1a: Identify child characteristics associated with learning from overhearing. In a prior study, the investigators found that 13 children with ASD were able to learn the meanings of novel words that they heard used in a conversation involving two adults. In the current study, the investigators aim to study a larger sample to identify what child characteristics are associated with good learning in an overhearing situation as compared to a situation in which the child is directly taught the new word. Subaim 1b: Assess retention and generalization of words learned from overhearing. The investigators will re-test children on their knowledge of the word meanings after a 10-minute delay to see if they both retain the word meanings and can generalize the new words to new situations.
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Active Not Recruiting

155 Participants Needed

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate if a redesigned version of the RUBI parenting intervention can reduce challenging behaviors and improve adaptive skills in autistic adults with co-occurring challenging behaviors. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is the redesigned RUBI intervention feasible and acceptable for autistic adults and their families? * Does the redesigned RUBI intervention reduce challenging behaviors and enhance the quality of life for autistic adults? * Researchers will compare the redesigned RUBI intervention to an active control group, Introduction to the Science and Lived Experience of Autism (ISLEA), to see if RUBI is more effective in improving outcomes for autistic adults and their families. Participants will: * Attend sessions where they receive either the RUBI intervention or the ISLEA program. * Engage in activities designed to promote communication, co-regulation, and autonomy in the context of supporting autistic adults. * Complete assessments at the start, throughout, and at the end of the 20-week trial to evaluate outcomes such as challenging behaviors, adaptive skills, and quality of life.
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Recruiting

80 Participants Needed

Why Other Patients Applied

"As a healthy volunteer, I like to participate in as many trials as I'm able to. It's a good way to help research and earn money."

IZ
Healthy Volunteer PatientAge: 38

"My orthopedist recommended a half replacement of my right knee. I have had both hips replaced. Currently have arthritis in knee, shoulder, and thumb. I want to avoid surgery, and I'm open-minded about trying a trial before using surgery as a last resort."

HZ
Arthritis PatientAge: 78

"I changed my diet in 2020 and I’ve lost 95 pounds from my highest weight (283). I am 5’3”, female, and now 188. I still have a 33 BMI. I've been doing research on alternative approaches to continue my progress, which brought me here to consider clinical trials."

WR
Obesity PatientAge: 58

"I was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer three months ago, metastatic to my liver, and I have been receiving and responding well to chemotherapy. My blood work revealed that my tumor markers have gone from 2600 in the beginning to 173 as of now, even with the delay in treatment, they are not going up. CT Scans reveal they have been shrinking as well. However, chemo is seriously deteriorating my body. I have 4 more treatments to go in this 12 treatment cycle. I am just interested in learning about my other options, if any are available to me."

ID
Pancreatic Cancer PatientAge: 40

"I've been struggling with ADHD and anxiety since I was 9 years old. I'm currently 30. I really don't like how numb the medications make me feel. And especially now, that I've lost my grandma and my aunt 8 days apart, my anxiety has been even worse. So I'm trying to find something new."

FF
ADHD PatientAge: 31

Lumateperone for Autism

Staten Island, New York
This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in pediatric patients aged 5 to 17 years with a primary diagnosis of irritability associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition Text Revision (DSM-5-TR) and confirmed by the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL).
Pivotal Trial (Near Approval)

Trial Details

Trial Status:Recruiting
Trial Phase:Phase 3
Age:5 - 17

174 Participants Needed

This trial is testing a daily pill called tasimelteon to help children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who have trouble sleeping. The medication aims to improve sleep by helping to regulate the body's internal clock.
No Placebo Group
Pivotal Trial (Near Approval)

Trial Details

Trial Status:Recruiting
Trial Phase:Phase 3
Age:2 - 65

100 Participants Needed

This trial is testing the safety and effectiveness of cariprazine in children and teens with schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, or autism. The goal is to see if the medication is safe and beneficial for use in these young patients.
No Placebo Group
Pivotal Trial (Near Approval)

Trial Details

Trial Status:Active Not Recruiting
Trial Phase:Phase 3
Age:5 - 17

310 Participants Needed

Leucovorin for Autism

Brooklyn, New York
This trial tests a liquid form of leucovorin calcium in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to see if it improves their social communication and behavior. The study focuses on children who have significant social and communication challenges. The treatment aims to enhance brain function, potentially leading to better communication and interaction skills.

Trial Details

Trial Status:Recruiting
Trial Phase:Phase 2
Age:30 - 60

80 Participants Needed

This trial is testing a liquid form of leucovorin calcium to see if it can help young children with autism improve their language skills and behavior. The study involves young children who have autism and language delays. The treatment aims to enhance brain function and development. Leucovorin calcium has shown potential benefits in improving verbal communication and behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who test positive for cerebral folate receptor autoantibodies.

Trial Details

Trial Status:Recruiting
Trial Phase:Phase 2
Age:30 - 60

80 Participants Needed

This trial is testing folinic acid, a vitamin, to see if it can help children with autism who have language problems. The study focuses on whether this vitamin can improve brain function and language skills. Children with moderate language issues will participate. Folinic acid has been studied for its potential to improve verbal communication in children with autism and language impairment.

Trial Details

Trial Status:Active Not Recruiting
Trial Phase:Phase 2
Age:5 - 17

56 Participants Needed

It is well documented that motor impairments are associated with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet, appropriate therapies are scarce. Dance has been shown to not only promote fine and gross motor skills, but also psychological well-being, cognition, and social participation in neurotypical dancers. Little research has been conducted to gauge if these benefits translate to those with ASD. Ballet for all Kids (BFAK) is a recreational dance program that has been teaching ballet to children with ASD for over a decade, but has yet to be empirically studied. This study expands on the goals of former STUDY 24-00144, Approach to Dance for Autism (ADAPT), NCT06424366, to elucidate the impact of participation in a recreational dance program on children with ASD.
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Recruiting
Trial Phase:Unphased
Age:6 - 12

32 Participants Needed

KF-STRIDE for Autism

East Hanover, New Jersey
Examine the acceptability, usability, feasibility, and initial efficacy of KF-STRIDE 3.0, the data from which will serve as a basis for a future fully powered RCT
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Not Yet Recruiting
Trial Phase:Unphased
Age:18 - 65

30 Participants Needed

The goal of this clinical trial is to enhance motivation to complete daily living skills among 16 to 25-year-old autistic teens and young adults. Here are the main questions the trial aims to answer: Can this trial improve motivation to complete daily living skills for skills that people know how to do but struggle to do them consistently? Can this trial improve completion of the daily living skill that the participant identifies they want to do more often? Do people report feeling more empowered to complete the daily living skill they want to do more often? Are there any characteristics of a person that make them more or less likely to benefit from the treatment? Researchers will compare treatments that target different types of motivation: * One treatment focuses on internal motivation and explores what is important to someone and then connect that value back to their daily living skill goal. * A second treatment focuses on external motivation and will explore a person finding outside sources of motivation, like rewards. * A third treatment will use a combination of both methods. Autistic teens and young adults enrolled in this study will also be asked to choose someone in their life to be involved in the study with them. This person is called an "Important Person" (IP) and can be anyone close to them, like a family member, friend, roommate, partner, etc. The IP will be expected to support the teen/young adult throughout this treatment. Participants and their IPs will: * Complete five 'talk' therapy sessions that will last 60 to 90 minutes. The IPs will join the last 15 minutes of each session) * Be assigned to one of the three motivation treatments * Fill out questionnaires before the first session, after sessions 2 through 5, and 2 weeks after therapy ends
No Placebo Group

Trial Details

Trial Status:Recruiting
Trial Phase:Unphased
Age:16 - 25

180 Participants Needed

Although many children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) make significant progress in learning and their cognitive skills improve with applied behavior analysis (ABA), there are a significant number of children who show an absence or a plateau in various skills. Deficits in executive functioning are likely to be involved in many of these cognitive and learning disabilities due to poor functioning of the prefrontal cortex. Currently, the use of biological methods for improving learning and cognition is largely unexplored in research and practice. The aim of this study is to use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in combination with ABA to improve the acquisition of educational programs for students with ASD. tDCS is a low-level electrical neurostimulation and is most effective when used in combination with an active training or teaching, facilitating the neuronal circuits used for that task. tDCS has been used for various indications over a couple of decades and has been shown to be very safe and has been well-tolerated by children with ASD. The mechanism of tDCS is not clear, however animal studies show that tDCS can stimulate the flow of calcium ions through channels in the astrocytes, activating them, and facilitating their role in synapse formation and therefore learning.

Trial Details

Trial Status:Recruiting
Trial Phase:Unphased
Age:5 - 12

24 Participants Needed

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Autism clinical trials in New Jersey pay?

Each trial will compensate patients a different amount, but $50-100 for each visit is a fairly common range for Phase 2–4 trials (Phase 1 trials often pay substantially more). Further, most trials will cover the costs of a travel to-and-from the clinic.

How do Autism clinical trials in New Jersey work?

After a researcher reviews your profile, they may choose to invite you in to a screening appointment, where they'll determine if you meet 100% of the eligibility requirements. If you do, you'll be sorted into one of the treatment groups, and receive your study drug. For some trials, there is a chance you'll receive a placebo. Across Autism trials in New Jersey 30% of clinical trials have a placebo. Typically, you'll be required to check-in with the clinic every month or so. The average trial length in New Jersey for Autism is 12 months.

How do I participate in a study as a "healthy volunteer"?

Not all studies recruit healthy volunteers: usually, Phase 1 studies do. Participating as a healthy volunteer means you will go to a research facility in New Jersey several times over a few days or weeks to receive a dose of either the test treatment or a "placebo," which is a harmless substance that helps researchers compare results. You will have routine tests during these visits, and you'll be compensated for your time and travel, with the number of appointments and details varying by study.

What does the "phase" of a clinical trial mean?

The phase of a trial reveals what stage the drug is in to get approval for a specific condition. Phase 1 trials are the trials to collect safety data in humans. Phase 2 trials are those where the drug has some data showing safety in humans, but where further human data is needed on drug effectiveness. Phase 3 trials are in the final step before approval. The drug already has data showing both safety and effectiveness. As a general rule, Phase 3 trials are more promising than Phase 2, and Phase 2 trials are more promising than phase 1.

Do I need to be insured to participate in a Autism medical study in New Jersey?

Clinical trials are almost always free to participants, and so do not require insurance. The only exception here are trials focused on cancer, because only a small part of the typical treatment plan is actually experimental. For these cancer trials, participants typically need insurance to cover all the non-experimental components.

What are the newest Autism clinical trials in New Jersey?

Most recently, we added Community Engagement for Autism, SDARI Program for Autism and Propranolol for Autism to the Power online platform.

Is there still a spectrum for autism?

Yes—medical guidelines still call it Autism Spectrum Disorder, but experts no longer picture that spectrum as a single line from “mild” to “severe.” Instead, it’s more like a sound-mixing board with many sliders: social communication, repetitive behaviors, sensory sensitivity, thinking style, and support needs can each sit at different points, creating a unique profile for every autistic person. Clinicians note these differences by assigning support levels (1-3) in each domain so interventions can be tailored rather than ranked.

What is the biggest symptom of autism?

There isn’t one “biggest” symptom of autism; doctors look for a pattern that includes BOTH social-communication differences (like trouble reading body language or carrying on back-and-forth conversation) and restricted, repetitive behaviours or intense interests/sensory sensitivities (such as needing strict routines or reacting strongly to noises). Which of these stands out most varies from person to person, so if you notice a persistent mix of them, the next step is to talk with your GP or a psychologist for a formal autism assessment and tailored support.

Can maternal stress cause autism?

Normal day-to-day worries during pregnancy have not been proven to cause autism. Large studies show that only very severe or long-lasting stress (such as the death of a close relative or a natural disaster) is linked to a small rise in risk—about 2 % to roughly 3 %—and even that link may partly reflect other genetic or environmental factors. Taking steps to manage high stress is good for overall maternal and baby health, but parents should not blame themselves or everyday stressors if a child is later diagnosed with autism.

What is the life expectancy of someone with autism?

Large registry studies (e.g., Sweden 2016, Denmark 2022) find that autistic people, on average, die 15–20 years earlier than non-autistic peers, with a median age of death around the mid-50s; the figure is lower (≈ 40s) when someone also has intellectual disability or uncontrolled epilepsy and higher (late 50s or beyond) when those conditions are absent. The gap is driven less by autism itself than by treatable or preventable issues—seizures, heart disease, accidents and suicide—so good medical follow-up, mental-health support and safety planning can help many autistic individuals live into typical older age.

What is the best treatment for autism in the world?

There is no one “best” treatment for every person with autism; the strongest evidence shows that progress comes from an individualized program that blends proven developmental-behavioral therapies (such as Applied Behavior Analysis or other naturalistic approaches) with speech-language and occupational therapy, parent coaching, and tailored educational supports. A multidisciplinary team adjusts this mix over time—and may add medication for anxiety, ADHD, or sleep problems—so the plan fits the person’s specific strengths, challenges, and goals, which is what international guidelines recommend for the best results.

Is autism overdiagnosed?

Rates of autism have risen sharply (e.g., from about 1 in 150 U.S. children in 2000 to 1 in 36 today), but most of that jump comes from broader definitions, better screening, and shifting other labels to “autism,” not from a sudden epidemic. Studies suggest roughly 1 in 10 people once given the label later lose it—evidence of some over-diagnosis—yet girls, adults, and many minority children are still frequently missed, so the real problem is uneven diagnosis rather than simply “too much” or “too little.” A careful, multidisciplinary assessment that also checks for ADHD, language disorders, anxiety, and other look-alike conditions is the best way to get an accurate answer for any individual.

Who carries the autism gene?

There is no single “autism gene.” Autism risk comes from a mix of many common genetic variants, rare mutations, and sometimes new (de-novo) changes that neither parent had; these can be inherited from either mother or father, while factors like higher paternal age and the female-protective effect can influence how that risk shows up. In short, either parent—or neither, if the change is new—can pass along genetic risk, so talking with a genetic counselor is the best way to understand a specific family’s situation.

Which state has the highest rate of autism?

In the latest CDC ADDM study, the surveillance area in California recorded the highest autism rate: roughly 4.5 % of 8-year-olds (about 45 children per 1,000). However, ADDM covers only parts of 11 states and other tracking systems use different methods, so rankings can change if you look at school records, insurance data, or adult estimates—meaning the numbers are useful for spotting trends, not declaring a single “most-autistic” state.

Has anyone ever overcome autism?

Autism is a lifelong neuro-developmental difference, so people don’t “overcome” it in the sense of being cured; instead, most continue to be autistic throughout life. With early, individualized supports and ongoing accommodations, many children and adults make major gains—some even lose the formal diagnosis—yet they often keep certain autistic traits and still benefit from understanding and acceptance. The practical aim is therefore not to erase autism but to build skills, reduce distress, and create environments where each autistic person can thrive.

What was autism called in the 1980s?

In the early-1980s diagnostic manual (DSM-III, 1980) autism was officially listed as “Infantile Autism,” and in the 1987 revision (DSM-III-R) the name was changed to “Autistic Disorder” under the larger category of “Pervasive Developmental Disorders.” Outside the U.S., doctors using the World Health Organization’s ICD-9 still called it “Childhood Autism.” In everyday practice, people might also have heard “Kanner’s autism” or “childhood psychosis,” but the two formal labels you would have seen on a medical chart during that decade were “Infantile Autism” at the start of the 1980s and “Autistic Disorder” by the end.

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