Researchers aim to understand how autistic children process information

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that an average of one in 110 children in the U.S. has an autism spectrum disorder. Furthermore, these conditions are reported to occur in all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups, yet are four to five times more likely to occur in boys than in girls.

In an effort to better understand autism, scientists are studying a theory called change blindness, reports The Oracle. According to researchers, this idea describes how people do not notice when large changes are made in a visual scene, such as grass changing color or a building disappearing. Although many people believe they notice change, it is often undetected.

Researchers are applying change blindness to the fact that autistic individuals typically pay more attention to things than people. They are attempting to uncover why children with autism are less affected by change blindness than those who develop normally.

The study's authors conclude that this information could be useful in evaluating how children with the condition process their surroundings.

Autistic children may benefit from enrolling in boarding schools, which aim to provide a structure that can help troubled teens.