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Is autism overdiagnosed?
Results so far:
| Yes | 66% | 140 votes | Total: 213 votes | |
| No | 34% | 73 votes |
Yes
by Paul Brodie
Created on: October 11, 2010
The variety of symptoms lumped together in the Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis is indicative of the over diagnosing of autism. Using the spectrum to define autism increases the amount of children being diagnosed as autistic and draws much needed attention to the disorder, but it is a double-edged sword, blurring the lines of what autism really is. The autism spectrum gives the same classification of autistic to children who can’t communicate verbally or live independently as it does to children who are able to carry on conversations, participate in the school band and play on a football team. The question isn’t really whether or not autism is over diagnosed, but rather, what are the affects of the over diagnosis.
With so many children being diagnosed as autistic, there is an increase in awareness and research regarding the disorder. Autism is becoming a household term. Money is being raised to fund studies regarding the causes of autism as well as to develop more effective treatments. These are good results from the over diagnosing of autism. When only 1 in 150,000 children have the disorder, it doesn’t receive the same priority treatment that it receives when 1 in 150 children have it. Though, added attention isn’t all that helpful if it is misdirected or watered down.
The downside to the over diagnosing is that the focus of research will be on the most common cases. This is great for the children on the most populated section of the spectrum, but what about the children who fall on either side of them? Autistic-like traits on the less severe end of the spectrum may take away focus from the more severe end of the spectrum. With the opening up of diagnostic criteria in the early 1990’s, more children were being termed autistic than ever before. If being tall meant over 6’ in height last week, but this week it means over 5’7”, then all of the people in the 5’7” – 5’11” range who weren’t tall last week, all of a sudden are tall this week. This is what happened with autism. The diagnostic criteria changed to let in more children, creating the appearance of a boom of autism in the population, leading some to call it an epidemic, but it was just a change in diagnosing.
The over diagnosing of autism may be a sign of a greater problem than autism, that of our need to label and categorize everything that is different. Children who once would have been termed quirky or awkward are now put into a category of having a medical disorder. This creates problems for the child and the family. Everything changes with a diagnosis of autism. Parents need to be educated. Schools need to be able to open up services without a diagnosis. Medical practitioners need to rely less on medication for treatment. Not every child with limited social skills is autistic.
In my personal experience I have found that the concept of autism varies greatly from person to person. The spectrum of autism works well to draw attention to the issue, but how much does it really help? Perhaps, a more accurate diagnosing of autism would help to draw the attention to the needed areas and we would see more progress in the research of causes and treatments. Going from five cases of autism to twenty-five cases over night does nothing for those original five in terms of better understanding their situation. Autism is over diagnosed, and I don’t think it is for the better.
Learn more about this author, Paul Brodie.
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No
by Dean Traylor
Created on: May 22, 2012
It’s easy for many skeptics to jump to the conclusion that autism is being over diagnosed. Sensationalism and misunderstandings about the developmental disorder is routinely reported throughout various media outlets. Also, countless campaigns and awareness groups have raised the condition to a higher level of exposure to the public.
The specter of the condition has been cast as some sort of a boogeyman; the message is that it’s an out-of-control “disease” that must be feared. While this tactic may raise the awareness level of Autism, it can also be counterproductive and misleading – something many skeptics are aware of.
However, when one looks past the media hype and aggressive public relation campaigns, there appears to be some truths that even the most harden denier can’t ignore. The numbers of diagnosis is growing, and will continue to do so in the future.
Surprisingly, autism is an under-diagnosed condition. By its nature, it affects people in different ways and can be so mild that initial diagnosis could have missed it. Also, diagnostic tools, criteria and knowledge of Autism are either being improved or discovered. As a result, more people are being recognized as having the condition than previously thought.
First of all, the full name of autism is autism spectrum disorder (and, it is not a disease). It is a developmental disorder that can affect one’s social skills such as language, empathy, and reading body languages of others. Also, it is characterized by repetitive habits, sensitivity for tactile activities, and fixations with an object or subject.
The spectrum is based on the severities of the conditions. On one end of the spectrum, it is mild. The person with “high-functioning” autism, such as Asperger’s Syndrome, has the abilities to function in a general education setting and may appear normal with only a few “quirks” in their manners. In fact, some will show huge strides in a particular academic field. It’s not uncommon for people with high functioning autism to attend college and pursue advanced degrees.
On the other end, the person can be nearly incapacitated – physically, emotionally, and intellectually. They will be dependent on others for the rest of their lives. The most extreme cases tend to be non-verbal or seemingly “stuck” in their own world.
Although a majority of those diagnosed with autism would fall in the upper part of the spectrum, a lot of media attention has been given to those at the low end. In part, this has given a distorted view of what autism is. On top of that, it has most likely scared most people.
Critics are correct when they point this fact out. It is a scare tactic that garners a lot of attention, as well as creating distortions. However, many of these same critics fail to notice that there are other factors to consider. With scientific advancements, the slate of diagnosis is revealing a much broader picture of the number of cases, and shedding a light on what had been missed in the past.
Another aspect to autism is that it may have been around for a long time. A person with autism may have been that odd kid in the back of the classroom who unintentionally became the class clown; she could have been that socially awkward teen who sat alone in the cafeteria. Or it could have been that boy who always came to school with the same clothing, despite how rank it smelled.
Research into autism spectrum disorder has opened up the world of the autistic person, and included more people into this distinct group. In many respects, these new discoveries mean that more people may have it, but have never been tested for it.
With the current atmosphere of media hype –accompanied with exaggerations or distortions of the fact – it’s easy to dismiss the rising number of diagnosed autism as being a case of over-diagnosis. However, once, one takes a closer look at the matter, the reality it there: autism has been around for years, and it is now being diagnosed at alarming numbers.
Learn more about this author, Dean Traylor.
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