Here is the article I just saw on DailyMail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14885667/study-autism-uncovers-four-distinct-subtypes-transforming-diagnosis-treatment.html
Quote:
Researchers have uncovered four distinct types of autism, each with its own genetic fingerprint, which could unlock the mystery of what causes the condition and how it can be treated.
A team at Princeton University and the Simons Foundation analyzed 5,000 children in SPARK, the most extensive autism research study in the country. They recorded their traits and separated the children into groups based on their behaviors.
They examined more than 230 behavioral and developmental traits—from social interactions to repetitive behaviors—and created four subtypes of autism: Social and Behavioral Challenges; Mixed Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with Developmental Delay; Moderate Challenges; and Broadly Affected.
and here is the google scholar medical paper:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11343255/pdf/nihpp-2024.08.15.24312078v1.pdfBasically, this is an attempt to roll all the different kinds of spectrum people into one bucket and recategorize, with fresh names for the categories.
There is an immediate glaring error with the study. Only children were used for the study. Children cannot consent to be research subjects. I also think it is ridiculous to expect children to have a solid self-concept or identity. These things are still forming. They cannot reasonably explain their behavior, which could stem from all kinds of things.
So there's that.
There is also a growing problem that is kind of touched on with this study in that "science" cannot find a biological source for autism. A person can "act" autistic or "feel" autistic while "acting normal" but no one is sure why that is.
Changing the definitions for autism makes measuring anything even harder. I truly think we are reaching a "jump the shark" level here with autism research.
09 Jul 2025, 9:10 am
