#Specialeducation

Parents and carers of children with autism face daily challenges that stretch far beyond what most families experience, according to recent international research and expert commentary. With stress levels often higher than those seen in parents of children with other disabilities, families are struggling to cope amid emotional, physical, and logistical demands—frequently without the support systems they desperately need (The Conversation, Medical Xpress). For Thailand, where the public conversation around autism is still evolving, the findings call for urgent reflection on how caregivers are being served and supported.

Thailand, like many countries worldwide, is witnessing increased public concern as reported cases of autism rise steeply each year. However, recent research and leading international experts contend that this apparent surge in autism diagnoses may not reflect a true rise in the prevalence of autism itself, but rather the product of social, medical, and diagnostic transformations over recent decades (BBC).

The significance of understanding these trends cannot be understated for Thai parents, educators, and healthcare professionals. Against a backdrop of growing public discussion and sometimes anxiety over neurodevelopmental disorders, clear and accurate information about autism spectrum disorder (ASD)—its causes, diagnosis, and support—remains critical for societal awareness, policy planning, and resource allocation.

A groundbreaking new study has revealed that extremes in brain synchrony—either too much or too little—may underlie distinct subtypes of autism, offering Thai families, educators, and clinicians fresh hope for more tailored approaches to diagnosis and support. Published on 17 April 2025 in The Transmitter, the research used advanced brain imaging across twenty mouse models genetically engineered to mimic autism, with remarkable implications for understanding the diversity—or heterogeneity—of the autism spectrum in humans (The Transmitter, 2025).