Is autism the illness du jour ?

[The Mystery Machine]

I have 2 nephews that are autistic. One is severe and one is functioning.

In the old days they would be labeled retarded.

I just think we are better at helping our kids with identfying the issues and helping them.

 

[dejr_8]

As for the diagnosis. It's NOT easy to get. It took a referral from his preschool teacher, 20 hours of classroom observation, a doctor's referral, 2 hours of pediatritian's apointments, 3 hours of speech assessment, and 7 hours with a pediatric psych. Any one of the people looking at him could have stopped it if nothing was there. It's not like kids who are fine are going to be diagnosed after that.

But I would counter that if it took this much effort to be diagnosed did he get the "correct" one?

 

[TheZue]

But I would counter that if it took this much effort to be diagnosed did he get the "correct" one?

Considering that EVERYONE who saw him had to agree, I would say absolutely.

Edit: I just want to add they didn't just sit and stare at him (outside of the classroom observations) but they were putting him through tests so we got tangible numbers back. For example he was below the 2nd percentile or at around an 18 month level on pragmatic language. His social skills were around a 14 month level. His self care was almost on track at the level of a 4 year old etc. I think it did a real disservice yesterday when Michael said "if your child lines up toys he could be labeled autistic". It takes a lot more than JUST lining up toys although lining up toys can be a symptom.

 

[debster812]

Considering that EVERYONE who saw him had to agree, I would say absolutely.

Edit: I think it did a real disservice yesterday when Michael said "if your child lines up toys he could be labeled autistic". It takes a lot more than JUST lining up toys although lining up toys can be a symptom.

I had to chime in on this one. DS was a CLASSIC toy liner-upper. He would divide his Matchbox cars by color, and type, and line them up from one end of our 30ft house to the other. Was it a little odd and quirky, yes. Is he autistic? No. DS is decidedly neuro-typical. We do have a severly autistic nephew (actually my cousin's child), and like others, every single day with him is a struggle. He will never be self supporting, and is still non-verbal at age 9. I know my cousin would GLADLY trade her diagnosis du jour for a 'brat' any day of the week.

 

[breezy1077]

Wow. For me there are two issues at play here.

First - his statement (moronic at best)

Second - should folks be calling for his firing just because they're offended by something.

As for the second issue - absolutely NOT. I'm deeply and personally offended at his comments, but - who cares. He's doing his job by bringing up controversial issues to discuss. He says something moronic and offensive. So what. IMO - he should not be fired.


With that being said, let's move onto the first issue. The guy's an idiot. Are there some kids that are misdiagnosed? Maybe. I can only speak for my child, and I can tell everyone he absolutely has the disability. Other parents with ASD kids can vouch for the fact that it goes far beyond quirky behavior and meltdowns.

When I read his suggestion to that affect his opinion lost COMPLETE merit for me and he became a joke of a man who is most likely grandstanding for ratings. More laughable than offensive when he dishes out that kind of garbage.

Yes, my son has an ASD. And I'd give anything to just have this be a case of "quirkiness", but sadly, that is not possible.

 

[jack hannah bananah]

I find this discussion fascinating. Ironically I was just having a similar discussion last night with a friend (who happens to teach the LD kids in our district). I was discussing a child in our sons' class who is really mean. He will kick and hit kids and talk meanly. She pointed out that, although he has not been officially diagnosed, she believes he has Aspergers. I replied apologetically and felt bad that I had judged him so quickly. However, her response was right on the money. Although this diagnosis would explain why he behaves that way, it absolutely does not excuse it. He needs an official diagnosis so he can get the help he needs. But this diagnosis does not give him a free pass to behave badly.
Key points:
1 - Screening and Diagnosis is necessary
2 - Parents with Autism or anything on the spectrum have to work harder than many parents to discipline and work with their children.
3 - Nobody wants this diagnosis or a child with social issues.

 

[loco4dis]

I'll throw my 2 cents in. Michael Savage is an idiot, but…

I think with the rise of the internet, more and more kids are being "diagnosed" with this or that disorder because if a child isn't TV perfect, mom and dad start surfing the net and often find some kind of affliction. Every child exhibits some of the behaviors on most behavioral affliction lists. Of course there are genuine, heart-breaking cases, but parenting seems like it's gotten so competitive that if Suzy or Johnny isn't the most popular kind, the best athlete, the top SAT scorer, then he or she has to be diagnosed with some kind of disorder. As a teacher, I see such an over-diagnosis of various learning "disorders" (in particular ADD and ADHD). These days, kids can't just be ordinary and average C students. They are either extraordinary — or afflicted with some disorder.

 

[DorkyDisneyMom]

But I would counter that if it took this much effort to be diagnosed did he get the "correct" one?

You can't have it both ways. She went through all the testing to make sure to get the right diagnosis.

Yet, some in this thread are saying it's so easy to get the diagnosis. If it's so easy then why go through all the testing?

 

[ERMama]

We have taken our son to 3 different places for testing between the ages of 3-5. First place told us he was delayed but not autistic. He got into the special ed preschool via our public school system with only the "developmental delay" diagnosis. Even the teachers/therapists could see he needed help and they didnt care what his "label" was.
At 5 he was diagnosed adhd by 2 independant clinics. He is not what most people think of when they hear adhd. He is not a kid bouncing off the wall with endless energy. In my sons case, its his brain that cant turn off and it severly affects his learning. He has low impulse control and it affects him socially.
By the time he got his adhd diagnosis he had already been thru extensive therapy for 3 yrs including hippotherapy (horseback riding PT), OT, speech and the 4 day a week preschool program.
We didnt take the decision to medicate him lightly but we did feel confident we had tried basically everything else we could have. Medication does not cure him but it has helped him catch up to classmates academically. He still gets special ed help going into second grade. My son and I go to a child psych monthly to discuss behavior modification. She sends someone into the school twice a year to make sure they are helping him effectively. So its not like we are leaving it up to chemicals to make our son the best he can be.
I do know of a place by me that diagnoses alot of autism and had I taken my son there at 2yo, he may have been "incorrectly" diagnosed. But if it would have taken that diagnosis to get him the help he needed I would have gotten it and dealt with the rest later.
We are very fortunate to have received the services my son needed without any labels. His school does now know he has the adhd diagnosis. But every kid, regardless of diagnosis or labels acts and learns differently.

 

[TheZue]

I'll throw my 2 cents in. Michael Savage is an idiot, but…

I think with the rise of the internet, more and more kids are being "diagnosed" with this or that disorder because if a child isn't TV perfect, mom and dad start surfing the net and often find some kind of affliction. Every child exhibits some of the behaviors on most behavioral affliction lists. Of course there are genuine, heart-breaking cases, but parenting seems like it's gotten so competitive that if Suzy or Johnny isn't the most popular kind, the best athlete, the top SAT scorer, then he or she has to be diagnosed with some kind of disorder. As a teacher, I see such an over-diagnosis of various learning "disorders" (in particular ADD and ADHD). These days, kids can't just be ordinary and average C students. They are either extraordinary — or afflicted with some disorder.

You know it's funny too, mediocrity isn't exactly bad...it means you are NORMAL. I'm sure most of us here are quite mediocre After having a special needs kid I'd be so excited if he was on a regular learning plan getting Cs

 

[breezy1077]

You can't have it both ways. She went through all the testing to make sure to get the right diagnosis.

Yet, some in this thread are saying it's so easy to get the diagnosis. If it's so easy then why go through all the testing?

I can also vouch that the testing is both intensive, long, and expensive.

It is not easy.

 

[breezy1077]

You know it's funny too, mediocrity isn't exactly bad...it means you are NORMAL. I'm sure most of us here are quite mediocre After having a special needs kid I'd be so excited if he was on a regular learning plan getting Cs

I would be THRILLED with "average" (and so would my son) !

He would Looove to never have to deal with the "brain storms" (as he calls them) ever again. ( We're just thrilled that he's finally able to express what he's experiencing. )

 

[loco4dis]

You know it's funny too, mediocrity isn't exactly bad...it means you are NORMAL. I'm sure most of us here are quite mediocre After having a special needs kid I'd be so excited if he was on a regular learning plan getting Cs

I know. Parents with average, regular, happy-go-lucky kids sometimes don't know how lucky they are. They have to pile on this pressure. I was talking to a mom 2 nights ago about her son's freshman year in high school. She says, "We are not happy with him at all. He got some C's. His GPA is a 3.2. We just don't know what's going on with him."

So I say, "Oh, were you hoping to send him to Harvard?"

She says, "Well, no, but I mean he got some C's" and I'm just looking at her and she pauses and starts laughing. "You know," she says softly, "he's a really good kid."

I said "That's great" and we parted ways.

 

[TheZue]

Ya it is interesting when they start talking about it. My son stims out on light, and he calls it "watching light bees" and asks if he can sometimes I am looking forward to when his language is good enough we can help him avoid the meltdowns and he can explain more what leads to them. We guess, but don't totally know.

 

[luvmy3]

I find this discussion fascinating. Ironically I was just having a similar discussion last night with a friend (who happens to teach the LD kids in our district). I was discussing a child in our sons' class who is really mean. He will kick and hit kids and talk meanly. She pointed out that, although he has not been officially diagnosed, she believes he has Aspergers. I replied apologetically and felt bad that I had judged him so quickly. However, her response was right on the money. Although this diagnosis would explain why he behaves that way, it absolutely does not excuse it. He needs an official diagnosis so he can get the help he needs. But this diagnosis does not give him a free pass to behave badly.
Key points:
1 - Screening and Diagnosis is necessary
2 - Parents with Autism or anything on the spectrum have to work harder than many parents to discipline and work with their children.
3 - Nobody wants this diagnosis or a child with social issues.

If this child has never been diagnosed, how can her assumption be right on the money?
This is exactly Savage's point. Here this teacher has already labled this child to explain his behavior.
Her assumption that he has this disorder may very well be correct, but without the proper testing how did she come up with her own diagnosis?

 

[jodifla]

First, to Savage: He's just a shock jock who makes outrageous statements to get a rise out of folks. His whole show last night was trying to backpedal away from what he the wild overstatements he made the week before.

BUT, more and more articles ARE coming out now that are saying kids are being misclassified as autistic. Two things affect this: The actual DSM-V criteria has changed, and IN MANY STATES, SCHOOLS CAN DIAGNOSE or "ASSESS." And the schools seem to find it easiest to deal with anyone who's different by the broad category of ASD. Schools often get more $$$$ if they check the autism box, another huge financial incentive for them.

I'm on a board with MANY parents who are basically being blackmailed by school districts across the country to accept an AUTISM LABEL, even if the parents don't agree with it and other issues are at play, particularly language and communication delays.

Language and speech disorders can mimick autism in a lot of ways, and unfortunately, many school psychologists and other school personnel aren't able to see the difference, so all kids get stamped with the broad autism stamp.

Autism has become big, big business. But it most cases, it's NOT PARENTS who are defrauding people. First, it's unqualifed screeners sending parents into a panic, searching for help.

THEN, it's quacks hawking all the UNPROVEN TREATMENTS that cost MAJOR MONEY, literally bankrupting desperate parents.

The business of autism has turned into a nasty, tangled mess.

 

[breezy1077]

Ya it is interesting when they start talking about it. My son stims out on light, and he calls it "watching light bees" and asks if he can sometimes I am looking forward to when his language is good enough we can help him avoid the meltdowns and he can explain more what leads to them. We guess, but don't totally know.

I almost cried the first time he described to me what he was experiencing - and I'm NOT a crier.

 

[jodifla]

More on diagnosing and assessing, and how the two get confused:

http://www.autism-watch.org/general/edu.shtml

How "Educational Assessments" Skew Autism Prevalence Rates
James R. Laidler, M.D.


During an Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting with our local school district, one of the teachers suggest that my younger son was autistic. This surprised me because we had just provided a letter from a well-respected developmental pediatrician that specified why the boy not meet the diagnostic criteria for autism. In response to my concerns, the teacher and school psychologist explained that he met the criteria for autism as determined in Oregon under a federal law called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

 

[Poohbear123]

I agree with you 100% Todd&Copper.

I do too, it used to be a 1 in 10,000 kids diagnosis, and now its 1 in 4? Just like ADHD, my 25 year old DS was diagnosed, at 8 and heavily medicated, however he had the stamina to say: 'Hey Mom, I don't want to take ALL this medication." (at age 16) I said OK, and guess what? He is able to fly across the world and back to Afghanistan, and have NO problems "listening to directions" and gets home safe everytime. Yea, I agree its the "new Disease" of the 2000's....I wonder what will be next?

 

[jodifla]

I can also vouch that the testing is both intensive, long, and expensive.

It is not easy.

Absolutely, if it's done RIGHT, it's not easy!!! But there are kids being labeled even by doctors after about 10 minutes in a room with them.

Hardly an adequate timeframe.