In many ways he could be considered as having an optimal outcome, said Dr. Volkmar.

WSJ: Who Can Outgrow or Recover From Autism

World-renowned autism expert Dr. Fred Volkmar of the Yale Child Study Center is right here in New Haven.

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"It seems fairly fast for that kind of change, " said Dr. Volkmar.

WSJ: Autism Diagnoses Up Sharply

Such is the fidelity of its representation of the night sky, says Volkmar Schorcht of Zeiss, that it is actually worth taking a pair of binoculars.

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The jump in diagnoses could include more mild cases being diagnosed now than before, said Fred Volkmar, director of the Child Study Center at Yale University, who wasn't involved in the study.

WSJ: Autism Diagnoses Up Sharply

Dr. Volkmar said it is possible there was in fact an increase in the rate of autism over the long run, because of changes over time such as a greater prevalence of older fathers contributing sperm with small genetic abnormalities.

WSJ: Autism Diagnoses Up Sharply

Fred Volkmar, director of the Child Study Center at the Yale University School of Medicine, who wasn't involved in the recent study, described one former patient who has a master's degree, goes to work and lives on his own, but every night he eats the same meal, canned fish, reads on the computer about software and then goes to bed.

WSJ: Who Can Outgrow or Recover From Autism