Grate example of how misleading just reading headlines can be, even if the headline isn't intentional misleading/click bait.

> reduce autism symptoms

> chronic gastrointestinal issues are a harsh reality

> boosting microbial diversity

> when [...] treat those gastrointestinal problems, their behavior improves

Through my opinionated take is:

- gastrointestinal issue are a common comorbidity of autism

- fixing that help autistic people to mask better/easier

- which makes a lot of sense as gastrointestinal issue are very stressful and so is masking. It's quite common that autistic people under stress have a harder time masking

- and masking is removing many of the "symptoms" of autism at cost of stress and other risks (e.g. depression), and society(^1) is conditioning(^2) children to mask autism subconsciously all the time

(^1): Pretty much any society out there.

(^2): Both intentional and accidental. For most autistic people masking isn't a conscious choice, but something through live so strongly reinforced that it's done unconsciously even if they don't want to in any situation except a private one with at most some very trusted people around.

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Through a much more disturbing implication from this article is that at least in US/Arizona children with gastrointestinal issues commonly do not get appropriate treatment... Or else they couldn't have done the test as they wouldn't have found a non highly selection biased sample of autistic children.

Like treating of gastrointestinal issues shouldn't be a thing you do to reduce autistic symptoms, but something you do anyway. Even if not for quality of live, then for the reason of such issues often causing much more server long term issues if they stay untreated for years.