Is it possible for Autism to go unrecognized?

Usually, a diagnosis of autism is made when someone is a child, around age three or four years of age. Symptoms of this diagnosis become more obvious as a child struggles to meet the demands of his or her world. Social, language, and behavioral problems or deficits begin to stand out.

Often times a child may be given a diagnosis other than Autism yet still be Autistic. If the symptoms the child is experiencing are intense, the diagnosis of Autism may be overlooked as attention is given to the more overt symptoms.


An example would be a child who has Asperger (one of the five diagnosis that fall under Autism) may be missing social cues that could be interpreted as defiant. This could lead to a diagnosis of Oppositional Defiant Disorder and therapy could go in a completely different direction.


Also, with Asperger, some of the challenges a child experiences may fall under the radar and not be quite as noticeable. Something may be going on in that person's life as a teenager that were not apparent earlier for him or her. This may make a diagnosis of Autism more clear. Autistic symptoms may stand out more, for example, if a child is put in a more challenging environment. As well, if a person has figured out ways to cope with some of the symptoms of Autism, it is possible they could go through life without being diagnosed.