It is not a mental illness. Cold, unemotional parents do not cause it. No one can cause autism. No one can become autistic because of an emotional problem. Armed with the knowledge of the realities of autism, we are better prepared to handle life with our autistic children.
Myths can be devastating and harmful.
This is why it is very important for parents to seek out the facts, and learn as much as they can about the realities of autism. I taught children with autism. I thought a lot of those myths were true. Hi Paula, Hi Paula, I agree. For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Sharon Gillson's Autism topic, please visit the Discussions page .