Clinic Notes: Preventing Autism Redux

In a previous post I described several studies, which found that intensive ABA in young children at risk for autism seemed to work. Of course, identifying children at risk for autism while they are young is a major hurdle. Some kind of early screening system, perhaps involving pediatricians and early well-baby exams, would have to be established. But there is a second hurdle and that is accepting the idea that intensive ABA changes the mis-wiring in the brain. Most everyone now accepts the idea that autism is a neurological disorder. But not everyone accepts the idea that ABA is rewiring faulty brain circuits.