1 in 68 Children Now Has a Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Why?

[xchrom]

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/04/1-in-68-children-now-has-a-diagnosis-of-autism-spectrum-disorder-why/360482/

?n3vew3
Clinical specialist Catey Funaiock observes Marlain Dreher and her son at the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta. (David Goldman/AP)

Rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not creeping up so much as leaping up. New numbers just released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal that one in 68 children now has a diagnosis of ASD—a 30 percent increase in just two years. In 2002, about one in 150 children was considered autistic and in 1991 the figure was one in 500.

The staggering increase in cases of ASD should raise more suspicion in the medical community about its misdiagnosis and overdiagnosis than it does. Promoting early screening for autism is imperative. But, is it possible that the younger in age a child is when professionals screen for ASD—especially its milder cases—the greater the risk that a slow-to-mature child will be misperceived as autistic, thus driving the numbers up?

The science stacks up in favor of catching and treating ASD earlier because it leads to better outcomes. Dr. Laura Schreibman, who directs the Autism Intervention Research Program at the University of California, San Diego embodies the perspective of most experts when she says, “Psychologists need to advise parents that the ‘wait-and-see’ approach is not appropriate when ASD is expected. Delaying a diagnosis can mean giving up significant gains of intervention that have been demonstrated before age six.”

There is a universal push to screen for ASD at as young an age as possible and growing confidence that the early signs are clear and convincing. Dr. Jose Cordero, the founding director of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities conveys this fervor.

[YarnAddict]

1. Here's why:

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[intaglio]

3. Have you actually thought this through?

The real driver is not money but recognition. ASD has been clearly shown to be disconnected from the vaccine causation therapies because analysis of the data supports many unrecognised ASD cases prior to the vaccine scare.

ASD is something can be ameliorated at minimal cost with early treatment in cases where treatment is required. Late treatment drives up the costs.

[YarnAddict]

4. Yes, I've thought this through

Today we are "diagnosing" people with a disorder who would at one time have just been considered a bit "different." Some differences aren't disorders; they are just differences. But the more ASD students a school can claim, the more $$$ the school gets. Diagnose a child with a syndrome and they can sometimes get SSI. Parents are no longer responsible for having weird children. Weird children can no longer be expected to follow rules of social acceptability. So, What's the downside?

(I am in no way discounting actual cases of autism, which is a very serious disability. I just think the definition of autism has been expanded waaaaaaaaaaaay beyond what is responsible and necessary.)

[intaglio]

5. What do you call "actual cases of autism"

Where on the spectrum are they? Because the important word is "Spectrum".

Yes, there are many high functioning ASD sufferers who need little or no intervention, that said they do need to know that they may not be perceiving or interacting with the world as others do. Some of these will find little or no difference between their perception of the world and those of the majority but the variance between the perceptions and interactions will be worse in some people than others with ASD until you find those where the individual sufferer needs more than just awareness of the condition they need active help.

When help is needed that too lies on a spectrum. Some will need help with employment or with shopping, some will find all interactions with others confusing or frustrating, a few will need rehabilitation and a very few will need long term care to stop them being harmed or harming others.

[YarnAddict]

6. When I was in H.S.

many, many years ago, I volunteered at a "center" for people with intellectual disabilities. One of the adults was a young man, who was clearly autistic. He could never have functioned on his own.

On the other hand, my friend is married to a man who has Aspergers. Until he retired, he held a very technical job for many years. His social interactions are stilted, but meeting him casually, you wouldn't even know that he isn't a perfectly normal person. His difference is something that only people who are very close to him would even know.

Yes, it's a spectrum. but what is the purpose of labeling high functioning ASD people? Seems to me there is no point. Labeling them doesn't change a thing. Maybe you can teach them to fake empathy and normal interactions with other people, but is that really helpful?

[intaglio]

8. The purpose is not labeling the purpose is assisting

Consider someone like myself who suffers from depressive illness, before I was aware of the chronic nature of my illness I assumed that everybody had episodes like mine. Diagnosis helped me realise that others could not know or recognise my limitations and helped me see where I needed assistance. Now I am what might be termed a "high functioning" depressive, normally Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and medication keeps me functional, but there are times when I need more help; because it is recorded that I have this deficit that help is more readily available and more likely to be timely.

[YarnAddict]

9. A little different

Medications won't help Aspergers people. I have no idea what kind of behavioral therapy would be useful. Maybe you can train them to offer "there, there" when they see someone crying, but it doesn't change the fact that they are only doing what they are trained to do, and not feeling the kind of empathy others feel. Think of Sheldon on BBT when he is pretending to feel for someone else. We laugh because it looks ridiculous, and we know that he doesn't really care.

[intaglio]

11. CBT would probably help those whose deficit is smaller.

Then there is the education to find ways for the affected to reach across any gaps. Finally there is the possibility that early diagnosis might help when it comes to re-educating the brain in the same way as it is possible to help those with Cerebral Palsy if it is caught early.

[YarnAddict]

12. What is CBT?

And how does it work?

[intaglio]

14. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

By report it is one of the more effective therapies available. Note it does not offer a cure but a method of coping.

Methodologies vary with the deficit addressed, but normally begin with finding out what your behaviours are and what you feel about them (the behaviours) in relation to other people. Often you find out what it is that distresses you or confuses you about other peoples actions and recognising when they are distressing you and hence hurting you. People with a mood disorder are often asked to track how they are feeling at the time of the session and then this can be done again in later sessions to show improvements or backsliding so your progress can actually be seen.

This has several effects in that it allows you to modify your actions towards others and to take a step back when the actions of others are distressing you. Help and advice can be given about how you might modify your thinking or assumptions or even your fear perhaps only on a minute to minute basis or even permanently.

It assists even in cases where the deficit addressed is physically present in the brain such as chronic depression, bipolar disorders and schizophrenia. I repeat it does not offer a cure!

[naturallyselected]

13. Do some research

Those with Aspergers often feel things, including the emotions of others, too much, not too little, and are unable to process and express these feelings. Therapy absolutely can help them make the emotional-cognitive connections most of us take for granted. I know someone with Aspergers who cannot listen to sad songs or watch sad movies because he feels the emotions expressed in the song or the movie so intensely.

Your response seems very dismissive.

There's a place for individuals who honestly cannot empathize - it's called the Tea Party.

[Shivering Jemmy]

2. Because autistic is a kind of person

that has always been part of the human race, and not a disorder.

[rock]

7. I'm going with YarnAddict (above)

Whose comments all make sense.

[YarnAddict]

10. Thanks! n/t