Sudden-Onset Autism Survey

Many parents of children diagnosed with autism describe normal development in infancy followed by rapid and lasting change consistent with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Parents sometimes describe quick and sustained changes in which their child:

• loses words, communication abilities, or other previously acquired skills;
• stops responding to their name or making eye contact;
• becomes socially withdrawn or less engaged;
• develops new repetitive behaviors or self-injurious behavior;
• becomes unusually distressed or inconsolable for prolonged periods, such as sustained high-pitched screaming or crying;
• shows marked new sensitivities to sound, touch, food, light, or other sensory experiences; or
• undergoes another striking change in behavior or development.

TrialSite News is collecting parents’ firsthand accounts of sudden, sustained autism-related developmental changes. The purpose is to identify recurring patterns, document the circumstances surrounding onset, and help inform questions for future research.

If your child experienced changes such as those described above, whether or not a formal ASD diagnosis was ever made, please complete this short survey and share your child’s story.

Please Note: Children’s Health Defense will not collect your information or have access to your responses.