This is one fascinating study: Researchers have found that fevers temporarily restore some nerve cell communication in the brains of autistic kids. The study of 30 kids with fevers of over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit observed improvements in communication and social interactions. In fact, "More than 80 percent of those with fever showed some improvements in behavior during [the fever] and 30 percent had dramatic improvements, the researchers said. The change involved things like longer concentration spans, more talking, improved eye contact and better overall relations with adults and other children."

This phenomenon has been observed anecdotally by parents of autistic kids before. The results only seem to hold true for children, whose brains are more "plastic" than those of adults, but there is hope that this fever factor could help lead to further understanding of autism and possibly help researchers develop future treatments.