Rare Co-occurences of Common Autism Spectrum Diagnosis
For a short while I worked as an Autism Line Therapist. This really aided my sight into the field and allowed for me to be more accepting of my own children’s issues with the autism spectrum. Although there really isn’t a rare type of the disorder, there are rare co-occurrences within the spectrum and other diagnoses.
For instance, given that autism generally means a deficiency within three main areas of development but an increased or heightened ability in others, a co-occurring diagnosis of Down’s Syndrome with autism is rare. Most children born with Down’s have average to lesser than average intelligence levels and intellectual capacities. When this co-occurs with autism the effect is mind-boggling; the child often appears to have average or above intellectual capacities even though the autism mixed with Down’s Syndrome amplifies the difficulties associated with other areas of physical and emotional and social growth and development.
Rhett’s syndrome, which is a genetic disorder linked to the X-chromosome in girls, is estimated to be only 1 in 10,000 to 23,000 births. Because many earlier cases of Rett’s predate the scientific criteria, this is just a guess. It is rarer than autism, which is estimated to be one in every 1,000 births.
Childhood disintegrative disorder is a very baffling and sad disorder. It is even rarer than Rett’s and Asperger’s (.3 births in every 1,000) combined. A normal child can suddenly begin to lose everything they have learned and are capable of doing. Not much can be done for them either.