Tara Palmer-Tomkinson Reveals Autism Diagnosis, Insists Drugs And Alcohol Aren't The Reason For Her 'Odd' Behaviour

Tara Reveals 'Relief' At Autism Diagnosis
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Tara Palmer-Tomkinson has revealed that she has been diagnosed with autism and insisted that she isn't a drug user.

Tara suffered from substance abuse problems throughout her career and at the height of her fame, her hard-partying ways made her a tabloid staple.

However, she’s now denied that her occasionally erratic and unconventional behaviour is down to drugs or alcohol, revealing that it's actually because she has been living with autism.

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Tara Palmer-Tomkinson

The former ‘I’m A Celebrity’ star also gives details of her condition, explaining that it was a “relief” when she was given her diagnosis.

“A few weeks ago, I was in my psychiatrist’s office when he asked if I knew how many light bulbs were in the room. He clearly thought I was not focused, but I told him immediately how many in the ceiling were on or off and where all the lamps were around the room.”

Tara isn’t the only star to feel “relief” at learning they’re on the autistic spectrum, as last year ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ singer Susan Boyle admitted she felt “relieved and more relaxed about myself” when she learned she had Asperger’s syndrome, having falsely believed all of her life that she’d suffered brain damage as a child.

Facts About Autism
1 In 50 School-Age Children In The U.S. Has An Autism Spectrum Disorder (01 of11)
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According to a parental survey conducted by the CDC, prevalence has increased from 1 in 86 in 2007. In 2012, the CDC estimated that 1 in 88 kids have an ASD, an estimate that is not incorrect, but relies on different sources. Rather than parental report, it looked at medical and school records to determine prevalence. (credit:Gettystock)
Boys Are More Likely To Have Autism Than Girls(02 of11)
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Autism is found in 1 in 54 boys, compared to 1 in 252 girls. (credit:Shutterstock)
The Symptoms Of An ASD Can Present Themselves In Infancy(03 of11)
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According to the NIH, early indicators include: No babbling by age 1, no single words by 16 months, poor eye contact and more. (Click here for more information from NIH.) (credit:Shutterstock)
Scientists Are Not Certain What Causes Autism(04 of11)
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According to the NIMH, both genetic and environmental factors could contribute. (credit:Getty Images)
There Is No Cure For Autism, But There Are Ways To Treat It(05 of11)
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Autism is treated with therapy, education plans and medication. Doctors and scientists say that early identification and intervention for children with an ASD can help them thrive in academically and socially in the future. (credit:Shutterstock)
Research Shows That There Is No Link Between The Onset Of Autism And Vaccinations (06 of11)
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Even when multiple vaccines are given to a child on the same day, they are still not at risk of developing autism. (credit:Shutterstock)
If A Child Has An ASD, Their Sibling Has A 2–18 Percent Chance Of Also Being Affected (07 of11)
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Studies have also shown that if a child with an ASD has an identical twin, the other will be affected anywhere from 36-95 percent of the time. (credit:Shutterstock)
20 To 30 Percent Of Children With An ASD Develop Epilepsy(08 of11)
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Children whose language skills regress before they turn 3 have been found to have a higher risk of developing epilepsy. (credit:Alamy)
About 10 Percent Of Children Who Have An ASD Also Have Another Genetic, Metabolic Or Neurologic Disorder(09 of11)
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These disorders include Bipolar Disorder, Fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome according to the CDC. (credit:Shutterstock)
Infants And Young Children Should Be Screened For Developmental Delays At Periodic Intervals(10 of11)
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The CDC recommends children be screened when the are 9, 18 and 24-30 months. (credit:Shutterstock)