can a child with autism get worse

hello my 6 year old nephew has been dignosed with severe autism he is a lovley child always smileing when hes being naughty but he doset speak only get back when he doset wat to play with the other children i wanted to know if he dosent improve can he get worse ?

[Jason C Bourret, Ph.D., BCBA-D]

In a sense, the answer is yes. While the child’s “autism” doesn’t change, a child’s communication can take steps backward, and problem behavior can emerge, or worsen. It’s important to closely monitor the child to keep an eye on things and to make sure that you seek services when problems develop. It’s much better to treat a problem early before it intensifies or the child experiences a long history of problem behavior being an effective way of getting the things he wants.