Abstract

Recent scientific studies have documented the possibility that a certain percentage of people diagnosed with autism can improve surprisingly over time, to the point of losing the criteria for the diagnosis itself. The work describes the possible clinical evolution of these individuals, also in terms of individual differences, with reference to the literature on Optimal Outcome and/or people with «Loss of Autism Diagnosis» (LAD). The concept and its clinical applicability are critically analyzed: the possible assessment tools, the age to hypothesize the loss of the diagnosis but also the associated risks. Finally, we present some recent models of interpretation of autism that can integrate scientific knowledge on individuals who «miss the diagnosis».