Autism

Health Chatter: Understanding Autism

Stanton Shanedling: Hello, everybody! Welcome to winter. Our show today is on autism and all the information around it—there is a lot, and hopefully, it will be educational for all of you. We have a wonderful guest with us, Dr. Robin Austin—wait, I'll introduce her in just a second—stay with us.

We have a wonderful crew that helps us do all our great shows: Maddy Levine-Wolf, who did the background research for this show; Erin Collins; Deondra Howard; Matthew Campbell; and Sheridan Nygard. They are second to none and have been with us since day one. Dr. Barry Baines is our medical advisor and provides a medical twist for those of us with public health backgrounds. And then there is my dear colleague, Clarence Jones; we’ve been doing this since day one, having a lot of fun and providing useful information for you, the listening audience.

Our sponsor is Human Partnership, a great community health organization doing wonderful things in the community. You can check them out at humanpartnershipalliance.org or visit our website at healthchatterpodcast.com for all our past shows .

Today, we have a wonderful guest. Ellie Wilson is the Executive Director of the Autism Society of Minnesota. She has been working to support children, teens, and adults with autism spectrum disorders for 20 years. Her specialty is fostering energized, healthy community partnerships to promote the evolution of our inclusive societal landscape for individuals on the spectrum or with other disabilities.

Stanton Shanedling: Let’s start with getting your true definition of what autism is.

Ellie Wilson: Great place to start. An autism spectrum diagnosis is something we call a neurodevelopmental disability. "Neuro" means something that affects your brain, and "developmental" implies that this disorder happens from the time you are born and affects how your brain develops over time.

There are several components. Autistic people tend to have differences in how they communicate and how they process information—particularly social and sensory information. They also have a tendency to require or benefit from a lot of repetition and routine, whether that's an observable behavior or a rigidity in how they go through their days. Most diagnoses are made by age five, coinciding with entering school, but autism can be diagnosed at any age . However, if you are assessed, you must be able to attest that these differences have existed since you were a young child; you can't "develop" autism in the middle of life, and you don't "grow out" of it .

Stanton Shanedling: Is it defined as a medical issue?

Ellie Wilson: It is included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). Someone trained in psychiatry or medicine is qualified to diagnose it alongside other developmental or mental health conditions.

Clarence Jones: In certain parts of our community, people are very upset about autism and think it came from vaccinations. Can you talk more about that?

Ellie Wilson: Many people are hungry to know why autism happens . Even though it's a medical diagnosis, it's different because there is no single gene or blood test we can use for it. We are really looking at people's behavior, which is complex. We are certain it has a hereditary component; we see clear patterns across generations, and if you have one autistic child, there’s a likelihood of having another neurodivergent child .

Regarding vaccines: the routine vaccine schedule occurs during a time in a child's development where many milestones happen, like first speech or social interactions. There is a lot of confusion where behavioral differences are misattributed to the time someone is vaccinated, but that theory has been disproved about a thousand times. We don't reject the curiosity, but we are "beating a dead horse" when it comes to the specific issue of vaccination .

Stanton Shanedling: I want to preface this next part by saying it was very interesting. About six months or so ago, I was watching the show Survivor . There was a contestant on there, a young woman from Minnesota—maybe you even know her .

Ellie Wilson: I do. You are referring to Eva Erickson. She ended up being the runner-up finalist and almost took the whole thing . She is in her mid-20s, originally from Minnesota, and was diagnosed when she was only two years old .

Stanton Shanedling: She identified and let people know that she was autistic. Throughout the show, you could see some of those manifestations coming to light . I really appreciated her because she helped to put a face to it—showing that people live with it and know how to survive with it .

Ellie Wilson: Eva is an amazing intellect—she’s actually a PhD candidate at Brown right now—and she’s an incredible athlete . She defies a number of important stereotypes, which we love. But above all, what happened on Survivor is that Eva used disclosure as a way to gain allyship. It represents a cool story of someone advocating for themselves and teaching others about their needs, especially in a high-stress situation. She spoke about it beautifully and eloquently in a way that I think really rocked the fan landscape.

Stanton Shanedling: Our researcher, Maddie, found that 70-90% of children with autism have some co-occurring mental health diagnosis or intellectual disability . Some even have epilepsy. It appears as though there isn't a "norm" for autism.

Ellie Wilson: That is part of why the spectrum is so wide. The diversity of presentation is often due to how it co-occurs with other disabilities . Let’s pick those apart for a second. About a third of autistic people also qualify for an intellectual disability, which is essentially a function of how someone performs on an IQ test . That means two-thirds do not .

About a third of autistic people also have a history of seizures or epilepsy . But the most important ones we are understanding more and more as people age are the high prevalence of anxiety, depression, and ADHD . In the past, medical providers thought you had to be one or the other, but in fact, you can have both ADHD and autism . This "layering" is why two autistic people can look totally different from each other .

Stanton Shanedling: What happens with teens or adults who have what I would consider "late onset" situations? If you can't "develop" autism late in life, how do you make that distinction when people start embracing these traits later on ?

Ellie Wilson: What you’re identifying is often akin to anxiety and depression. While someone might be prone to anxiety throughout their life, these issues might layer in more strongly during the teenage or young adult years . Puberty also creates important shifts that can complicate or affect autism .

Dr. Barry Baines: I’ll weigh in here in partnership with Ellie. One interesting thing is that while the vast majority of people have excellent executive function and routines that work well, the comorbidities of anxiety, depression, or ADHD can effectively "unmask" someone .

They may not have carried the label of being autistic before, but a comorbidity can upset the routines they previously had under excellent control . Stressful things like adolescence or hormonal changes can unmask someone who either functioned very well or was trying to hide their autism . It’s that unmasking effect of mental health issues.

Stanton Shanedling: One thing we talk about on this show is the "view from the balcony"—taking a step back to look at the bigger picture of how a family or a community manages a situation. When a family gets a diagnosis, it can be overwhelming. What is that initial experience like?

Ellie Wilson: It is often a moment of intense transition. For some families, a diagnosis is a relief because it provides an answer to questions they’ve had for a long time. For others, it feels like a heavy weight. We tell families that the child hasn't changed; they are the same person they were five minutes before the doctor gave you the label.

What changes is the access to a roadmap. A diagnosis is a "key" that opens doors to services, insurance coverage, and specialized educational support. We encourage families to take a breath. You don't have to become an expert overnight. The first step is often just finding a community of other parents who have walked this path before you.

Clarence Jones: How do we make our communities more inclusive? It seems like we still have a lot of work to do in public spaces.

Ellie Wilson: Inclusion isn't just about "allowing" people to be in a room; it’s about changing the room so everyone can participate. This means thinking about sensory environments—is the music too loud? Are the lights too bright?

It also means shifting our mindset from "compliance" to "connection." If an autistic person is stimming (repetitive movements) or needs to use a tablet to communicate, an inclusive community doesn't stare or judge; they recognize it as a valid way of being in the world. What is good for autistic people—clearer communication, predictable environments, and sensory-friendly spaces—is actually good for everyone.

Dr. Barry Baines: I think that is a vital point. The "universal design" concept applies to social interactions just as much as it does to architecture.

Ellie Wilson: Exactly. When we make things accessible for the person with the most specific needs, we often make it better for the whole group.

Stanton Shanedling: Ellie, as we wrap up, what is the one thing you want our listeners to take away today?

Ellie Wilson: I want people to know that autism is not a tragedy to be cured, but a diversity to be supported. We are moving toward a world where we don't just "tolerate" neurodiversity; we value the different perspectives and talents it brings to our communities. What's good for autistic people is good for everyone, and that means all of us have a seat at the table when it comes to making the world a better place.

Stanton Shanedling: That is a beautiful sentiment. Ellie, thank you so much for being with us today and for the work you do at the Autism Society of Minnesota.

Ellie Wilson: My pleasure. Thank you for having me.

Stanton Shanedling: For our listening audience, another great show of Health Chatter in the books. Thank you to our crew—Maddie, Aaron, DeAndra, Matthew, and Sheridan. Stay tuned for our upcoming show on the new blood pressure guidelines.

Until next time, this is Stanton Shanedling. Stay safe, stay healthy, and keep health chatting away!