In most cases, they have been found to be false. It is believed that in most cases the cause of autism is genetic. There are also environmental factors being looked at as the cause. There are some families in which all their children have one of the Autism Spectrum Disorders, the youngest usually being the most affected. This is one of the reasons that doctors are looking at environmental factors being the cause.
Early diagnosis is important.
Without the proper diagnosis, a child with autism may not have the maximum opportunity to develop. There are various programs which are proving useful for SOME children. Not all programs help all children with autism. Each child is unique and the program must be suited to their needs. There are also some drug and hormone therapies which are helping some of the children, but again, not all of them.