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    Autism being overdiagnosed?

    This morning on ABC new, i heard the american psychiatric association is proposing tighter criteria for an autistic diagnosis--under the premise the growth might be from over diagnosing.(because diagnosis is needed for access to many treatments)

    could this be a cause of the growth of MS?

    do you think its a good idea to tighten up on criteria for an autistic diagnosis?
    xxxxxxxxxxx

    #2
    I posted on a similar type thread under another forum. I think much like any diagnosis, we're dealing with much more effective diagnostic tests and technology.

    I'm not sold that autism or MS is being over diagnosed, but just more accurately diagnosed. Think back a generation (I'm 42) and in my mom's youth, kids were still just locked away from public view, there were family shame and secret. Not anymore today.

    Does the criteria need to be tightened? Why is the criteria wrong?

    I also think that trends need to be considered. In my generation, it's not the least bit of a surprise for women to be STARTING a family in her mid to late 30s... My mom's generation, getting pregnant at that age was considered the oopsie or surprise. A rise in babies to 40plus moms would equally result in a rise of reports of autism.

    I personally also have to question about the wide use of prescription meds... we are a society that takes a pill for everything, could there be a link to rise in reports of autism, MS, asthma, diabetes, etc, etc, etc....

    All of the above babble is solely my opinion....

    Jen

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      #3
      I do think that many children have gone undiagnosed in the past,but i also think today many have ben overdiagnosed.Now my G'son has Aspergers, well documented & not just because hes my G'son. He has received treatment & done very well.
      I also think many people have unreconised MS,I was blessed with a quick diagoses 11yrs. ago. I pray for those people who are waiting in "limbo Land".
      Nona Judy

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        #4
        Son on the spectrum.

        I have a five year old son with classic autism, so those changes woudn't affect him. But it will affect those with Aspergers and PDD-NOS (pervasive developmental delay not otherwise specified) which are milder cases that now fall under the autism spectrum. Those children also have all the social and cognitive issues that many autistic children have. If the government orders these changes, many kids who would otherwise be offered services will not qualify anymore.

        As with MS, I think there are better diagnostic tests out there than there were 20 years ago. I also think more Dr.'s are recognizing symptoms more easily.

        I sincerely hope this act does not pass. It would be a shame to take away necessary services. I believe they are only changing the diagnostic criteria to make it look like we a: don't have an epidemic and b: so not as many children will be able to get assistance. Just another money saving measure. The fewer kids diagnosed, the fewer that need services.

        Thanks for bringing this up. It's an interesting question.

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          #5
          MS is probably much easier to diagnose these days, thanks to MRIs and the rest. And they will call it in Australia after one neurological episode meeting whatever their criteria are. It used to be two.

          The diagnositic methods are obviously not 100percent conclusive either way, otherwise there would not be so many people in limbo.

          I ask limbolanders this with the greatest sympathy and respect: what if what you have is not MS? And what if that diesase is being overlooked by your doctors etc because they're just looking for signs of MS?

          Maybe there's a MS-like disease that doesn't quite follow the same pattern of lesions etc, but has similar symptoms, that is yet to be recognised.

          As for the overdiagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders, I don't know. Here in Queensland the rate is now supposed to be more than 1 child in every 100, which I find a bit hard to believe.

          The rate's much lower just a few kilometres away in NSW.
          Same weather, same socio-economic conditions, same age of mothers, same food.

          That spectrum looks pretty different at one end than the other.

          Comment


            #6
            great thread

            Over the last couple of months I have thought a lot about the value of a MS Dx (or not), the tunnel vision that Dr's develop during the process and the frustration that I have felt of not being heard. I had my last round of testing before Xmas and I was ready to walk away from the craziness and also felt the Dr's felt they had done their jobs since MS had been ruled out.

            Hey, if it is stress, in my head or a conversion disorder (though my pyschiatrist doesn't think so) I am scre...d because I have already been in years of therapy (including intensive and inpatient). So yes Thinkimjob I fear that there are things being overlooked and this mad quest for a MS Dx is not a good thing!

            As far as the Autism Dx is concerned I actually think is being both over and underdiagnosed at the same time complicated by the fact that it is a Dx spectrum that covers quite a bit of ground. On one hand it is a diagnostic catchall when parents want an answer, on the other hand some parents will do all they can to avoid a Dx and the labeling and stygma that goes along with the autism/aspergers diagnosis.

            I am currently being touched by the later and I am having many emotions attached to what is happening. My ex remarried ~1 1/2 yrs ago our daughters are now almost 13 and 15 1/2. His new wife has a 15 yr old son. Their home is the primary residence to all 3, with generous visitation to each non-custodial parent. I "knew" from the get go that this young man had issues, as did my daughters. It is only now, 1 1/2 years later that they are seriously looking at asperger. His mother is working on her PhD in pyschology and she has choosen to ignore the obvious effevtively robbing her son of years of help and not giving my daughters some understanding and the tools necessary to cope with this situation. I think you guys touched a sore spot. Ut it was good go get out. - Thx
            M.
            A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?
            Albert Einstein

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