ASD 是一种终身性疾病，在整个童年和青春期的临床过程高度可变。[44]Baird G, Cass H, Slonims V. Diagnosis of autism. BMJ. 2003;327:488-493.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC188387/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12946972?tool=bestpractice.com许多成年 ASD 患者需要终身完全照顾。大约 15% 的成年 ASD 患者可以独立生活，而 15% 至 20% 的患者在社区支持下单独生活。[44]Baird G, Cass H, Slonims V. Diagnosis of autism. BMJ. 2003;327:488-493.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC188387/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12946972?tool=bestpractice.com言语和整体认知能力似乎是成年患者独立生活能力最重要的预测因素。[127]Howlin P, Goode S. Outcome in adult life for people with autism and Asperger's syndrome. In: Volkmar FR, Goodyer IM, eds. Autism and pervasive developmental disorders. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press; 1998.[128]Howlin P, Mawhood L, Rutter M. Autism and developmental receptive language disorder - a follow-up comparison in early adult life. II: Social, behavioural, and psychiatric outcomes. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2000;41:561-578.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10946749?tool=bestpractice.com[129]Mawhood L, Howlin P, Rutter M. Autism and developmental receptive language disorder - a comparative follow-up in early adult life. I: cognitive and language outcomes. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2000;41:547-559.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10946748?tool=bestpractice.com[130]Howlin P, Goode S, Hutton J, et al. Adult outcome for children with autism. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2004;45:212-229.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14982237?tool=bestpractice.com在患有复杂的神经系统/内科和神经精神性共病的 ASD 患者中，有证据表明，成年早期的死亡风险增加了两倍。[131]Schendel DE, Overgaard M, Christensen J, et al. Association of psychiatric and neurologic comorbidity with mortality among persons with autism spectrum disorder in a Danish population. JAMA Pediatr. 2016;170:243-250.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26752506?tool=bestpractice.com
