A recent study claiming that autism symptoms were reversed in twins through personalized lifestyle and environmental interventions has sparked controversy within the autism advocacy community. The study involved twin girls diagnosed with severe autism who underwent a two-year program of dietary changes, supplements, therapies, and environmental modifications. The girls showed significant improvements in their Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) scores, with one twin’s scores dropping from 76 to 32 and the other twin’s scores decreasing from 43 to 4. Despite these results, the study has been criticized by advocacy groups for perpetuating the idea that autism is a curable condition rather than a neurodiverse trait that should be accepted and embraced. The use of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in the study has also been questioned for its limitations and potential negative effects. The National Autistic Society described the study as “deeply insulting” to autistic individuals and warned against drawing broad conclusions from a single case study. Critics argue that autism is not an illness requiring treatment but rather a different way of processing information that should be recognized and accommodated. The study’s authors have yet to respond to requests for comment on the controversy.
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