The article I read in the NYT stressed that there was no way to predict which child might recover and that it had been documented only in children who had received extensive therapy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/17/health/some-with-autism-diagnosis-can-recover-study-finds.html

Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. It cannot be "cured."

What can happen however, is a child who receives interventions from a young age (the younger the better) can be shown how to deal with the world outside their home. As my son's doctor explained, "Your child is an Olympic class runner with a brick wall in front of him. We need to give him the toolbox to get around the wall to show the wall how amazing he is."

Early interventions provide the toolboxes for our children to get around the "wall" of autism but they do not cure them.

Sorry...that should be "to show the WORLD how amazing he is." :-)

I agree with Christine, and add some further information. She is accurate about the intense early intervention , but the programs ( I.E. Speech , OT, Social skill programs , etc) need to be maintained and challenged during the school age years and beyond. Ann Salomon.

With available technology these days, more and more people are having kids at an older age, but no one ever thought it could have negative side effects.
A recent study has concluded that autism and schizophrenia have a direct connection to the father's age. Older men create kids with autism.
Biologically, we were designed to procreate at a younger age but our society is leaning to push the age back and people are actually having kids while in their 40's and 50's!
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/23/health/fathers-age-is-linked-to-risk-of-autism-and-schizophrenia.html?_r=0