Using Science to Support All Autistic Individuals

a woman and child are painting and the child has headphones on.

At the Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (KCART), we aim to support all autistic individuals, and we maintain that all autistic individuals are valuable members of society. The autism community includes individuals with a wide range of abilities and support needs, and all autistic individuals deserve our respect. We conduct and advocate for science that pursues an understanding of autism, with the goal of improving the quality of life for autistic individuals and their families. This requires using rigorous scientific methods to pursue questions that are meaningful to the autistic community.  

We believe that pursuing science leads us to better support all autistic individuals. As we pursue new knowledge through research, we are informed by the following facts:

  • Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition. It is experienced and expressed differently across different individuals.
  • Autistic people have a variety of abilities, challenges, and co-occurring conditions (e.g., intellectual disability, speech and language disorders, medical concerns).
  • The level of support needed by autistic individuals and/or their families varies widely. Some autistic individuals need minimal supports, while others require continuous and significant supports. 

Several important research results have been well replicated and inform our understanding of the causes of autism, including the following:

  • The most common causes of autism are inherited genetic factors. Many different genes are involved. 
  • Some non-inherited gene variations also may increase autism likelihood.
  • Multiple single-gene disorders, such as Fragile X Syndrome, are associated with an increased likelihood of autism. These findings indicate that select genes can individually and significantly increase the likelihood of autism. These single-gene disorders account for approximately 15% of all autistic individuals.
  • Several environmental factors impacting prenatal or neonatal brain development appear to also increase autism likelihood. These factors include extreme pre-term birth, short intervals between pregnancies, maternal infection, gestational diabetes, and advanced age of parents, among others. 
  • Autism is thought to be present at birth, but it often is not diagnosed until later in childhood or even adulthood. This is because the diagnosis of autism is based on the presence of specific behavioral differences that may not appear (or be detectable) during infancy, and because behavioral differences may vary widely across autistic individuals. 
  • A minority of autistic children also may show a loss of some skills , or “regression”, during early childhood as has been seen in separate genetic conditions (e.g., Rett Syndrome). These observations suggest that regression in autism may reflect genetic processes that do not show up in the first year(s) of life.

Autism prevalance rates have risen over the past 25+ years. For example, in 2000, scientists estimated that 1 in 150 children had autism. In 2025, scientists estimate 1 in 31 children have autism. Multiple factors have led to increases in prevalence rates, including the following:

  • As researchers have learned more, important changes in the way autism is diagnosed, described, and documented across communities (called surveillance) have been introduced. These changes have contributed to an expansion of who is identified with autism. 
  • Early screening for autism is now a part of routine infant and toddler well-child visits. This allows individuals to be diagnosed earlier and more reliably.
  • Advocacy and awareness campaigns have allowed more professionals and caregivers to recognize indications of autism and consider seeking diagnostic services. 

 

For questions about KCART or our approach to research and support for autistic individuals, please contact us at kcart@ku.edu.