Autistic spectrum disorder: a child population profile.

Daphne and colleagues counted every child with autism in one UK district. They looked at test scores, school type, and other diagnoses like ADHD.

The team compared cognitive scores with where each child actually went to school.

Autism diagnoses doubled in just four years. Many kids also had ADHD.

Surprise: high test scores did not mean a mainstream seat, and low scores did not mean a special school. Verbal skill mattered more than overall IQ.

Ilan et al. (2021) later saw the same weak link between scores and placement in preschoolers. Together the studies warn that IQ alone is a poor placement guide at any age.

Keen et al. (2016) reviewed worldwide papers and found huge scatter in school success for autistic pupils. They agree you must look at each child’s strengths, not a single number.

Guisso et al. (2018) added a new layer: one in three UK autistic children now take psychotropic medicine, often for ADHD. High overlap of conditions has stayed constant since 2004.

When you write an IEP, list verbal ability and attention needs separately from IQ. Push for observations in both mainstream and resource rooms before you pick a desk. A child who tests low but talks well may thrive with typical peers, while a quiet child with high non-verbal scores may still need intensive support.