Profound autism category proposed to describe children with highest support needs

A proposed "profound autism" category would apply to autistic children aged eight and over who have little or no language, an IQ under 50 and require 24-hour supervision; an Australian study found about 24% of autistic children met or were at risk of meeting these criteria.

A new diagnostic category called "profound autism" has been proposed to better identify autistic people with the highest support needs. The category is defined by little or no language, an IQ below 50, and a requirement for 24-hour supervision. It is intended to apply from age eight, when cognitive and communication abilities are considered more stable. The proposal aims to help governments, services and researchers plan supports that may otherwise be overlooked. Key findings: - The proposed definition specifies little or no spoken, written, signed or aided communication, IQ under 50, and need for round‑the‑clock supervision. - The category would apply only from age eight upward, which raises practical concerns because many children are assessed before that age. - An Australian study of 513 autistic children found about 24% met, or were at risk of meeting, the criteria, a proportion similar to international reports. - The study found the proposed category does not fully align with existing diagnostic support levels used for funding, and introducing an age threshold could require repeat assessments and add pressure to diagnostic services. Summary: The proposed "profound autism" category is intended to make high support needs more visible for planning and research, while concerns remain that it could misalign with current support-level systems and lead to extra assessments for families. Undetermined at this time