Autism and Overdiagnosis: Rampant, in psychologist's opinion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what actually helps people is addressing g the issues they have with therapies and interventions and supports. Knowing the causes and being able to re categorize the spectrum does nothing for individuals with ASD.

Bullshit. You can't provide the most effective treatments-and preventions-without understanding etiology. That's why the DSM does individuals with various disorders, including autism, such a grave disservice. The cancer community would never stand for this kind of diagnostic carelessness and disregard for etiology.

That's a nice point, but useless at this time. We do not have the slightest idea what causes MERLD or ASDs. None. Nothing is known about etiology for either disorder. MERLD is very like the language symptoms of autism. In the future, we may know why kids get one or the other and how they're related (or not) but you're arguing evident that doesn't currently exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what actually helps people is addressing g the issues they have with therapies and interventions and supports. Knowing the causes and being able to re categorize the spectrum does nothing for individuals with ASD.

Bullshit. You can't provide the most effective treatments-and preventions-without understanding etiology. That's why the DSM does individuals with various disorders, including autism, such a grave disservice. The cancer community would never stand for this kind of diagnostic carelessness and disregard for etiology.

That's a nice point, but useless at this time. We do not have the slightest idea what causes MERLD or ASDs. None. Nothing is known about etiology for either disorder. MERLD is very like the language symptoms of autism. In the future, we may know why kids get one or the other and how they're related (or not) but you're arguing evident that doesn't currently exist.

evidence, not evident

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ASD is not a disease like cancer.

So you are arguing for less specificity with ASD? Just lump 'em into one big group?

Good science demands specificity. I've never heard anyone argue otherwise. The truth is, today we are calling a multitude of things autism.

Yeah. At the dev ped the other day for my kid that clearly has issues - many - but clearly not asd, no less problematic probably, and probably no less dehabilitating, I saw several classically autistic kids. They look a certain way have a certain posture and a certain voice and a certain way. It's clearly genetic. I think we are calling degrees of intellectual disability all autism. Not popular. But it's true. My kid is cognitively low functioning, there's no autism. But we've been forced that way like ten times. It's fruatrating because: expertise, prognosis, specialities. Why does this need to be explained? There's no "it's just cancer." Come on.

No, they don't. This is the worst kind of stereotyping. There's a saying "If you have seen one kid with autism, you've seen one kid." There is a LOT of variation, even among sibs.

Autism is partly genetic and partly environmental. When you look at genetics for sibs with autism, they have mutations at different locations. It's not even the same genetic problem in the same family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The OP is a hypocrite b/c the ASD diagnosis lets her pay for all the speech therapy, yet she's terrified of the stigma and doesn't hesitate to create even more stigma around a diagnosis. OP, I'm sick of all your posts about how your kid was misdiagnosed by some vast conspiracy. Like it or not, we're all in the same boat.

Hmmmm. You don't read very well. I'm the OP, and my child does not have an ASD diagnosis, and I pay for therapy out of pocket.

Then why on earth would you post such a bigoted article? You need help OP.

She's rationalizing her decision to pay for therapy out of pocket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So OP does not have a child diagnosed with autism but feels the need to tell the rest of us who do have a child diagnosed with autism that our kid is probably misdiagnosed and will suffer a lifetime of stigma from having ASD.

Gee, thanks.

Actually, the OP has a child the schools tried their damnedest to label with "educational autism." The six medical professionals who saw him all gave him a language disorder diagnosis and said it was not autism.

There are only 13 education categories under which someone can get an IEP so the school is not looking for an exact diagnosis but the category that best matches the types of services the child needs. So the OP is getting the services needed under educational "autism" but still feels the need to complain to parents whose kids have an autism diagnosis about how autism is over diagnosed which makes absolutely no sense. An educational autism diagnosis does not equal a medical diagnosis and if you have so much issue with how their kid does not have autism but got categorized in their IEP then adk for another education label:

http://www.understandingspecialeducation.com/13-categories-of-special-education.html

Although I don't know why you would waste your time about semantics when you are getting the services you need. Sigh.

I am the OP. I refused the educational autism label because it was inaccurate. The school threatened, they bribed, they harassed us to try and get us to take the autism label -- and ultimately gave DS all the services under the speech and language label, where a MERLD child belongs.

Do you want a cookie? Do you get to sit at a special lunch table to avoid being contaminated by the kids with ASDs? Does it comfort you at night to think "At least my kid doesn't have autism....?"

Whatever gets you through the night, sugar.

[Anonymous]

This all reminds me of a conversation I had in the waiting room for OT a few years ago. my son was playing and I was trying to keep an eye on him.

Other Mom: He's not autistic you know. He plays with doors because he has MERLD.

Me: I'm sorry what? Who?

Other mom: You probably think my child is autistic because he keeps opening and closing the door on the toy house, but he isn't.

Me: Oh, OK. I have no idea which child is yours. I am just trying to keep an eye on my son.

Other mom: (points out her child who is playing with doors and then stops to flap with joy.) Flapping doesn't mean autism you know.

Me: OK. Listen, I don't observe and diagnose other people's children. I am just trying to keep an eye on mine.

This went on longer and then she asked my child's diagnosis. usually I don't share he has HFA, but I figured maybe it make her calm down.

Me: He has HFA.

Other mom: No, her doesn't. What doctors have you been to? This is what happens, they just throw around the autism diagnosis. I bet your child has MERLD.

Me: I actually think the dx fits and I also think he is benefiting from the help he is getting.

Other mom then proceeds to tell me what doctors I need to see, etc. FINALLY, my child's OT comes out to get him for the session and I left to "get something from my car." When I returned I sat next to someone quietly reading and I read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, thank you for this. Someone in my extended family is dealing with a surprise diagnosis about her son. (IMO--which I know doesn't matter, but just for purposes of responding to your post--the kid is NT, just a boy and slower to develop his speech.)

It's worth getting a second opinion when your kid is concerned.

Tell them to focus on speech therapy. If it isn't autism, it will tease itself between 4-6, when the kids start to speak. Basics, even eye contact, will come when the receptive and expressive language comes. Kids can't be social well if they don't have speech or understanding of speech.

Ok. It's very bizarre that there is this diagnosis. The kid (who is young!) looks you in the eye and follows directions and everything. His speech is garbled (like gibberish) but he clearly has the cadence, and seems to have no social issues. It's as if you are talking to a kid in English, and he understands you, but responds in a language you don't understand. That may be something, but I don't think it's autism. (but I don't have expertise in SN)

Gosh, you are that nightmare relative we all have... The one who knows better than the parents and the experts and insists on saying "he'll grow out of it". Please, butt out!
FWIW, the boy sounds just like my son, who seemed to have no social issues and talked gibberish at first. A year later, it's so much clearer to others, not just us, that the diagnosis was correct.

I had those relatives. The relative who is most Aspergers-ish was the most adamant my child isn't on the spectrum. He even said sarcastically something like "If George has HFA, then I must have severe autism because he's more social than I was at that age." This same relative has a Ph.D., but little social network. He functions well at work, but not outside of work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: This all reminds me of a conversation I had in the waiting room for OT a few years ago. my son was playing and I was trying to keep an eye on him.

Other Mom: He's not autistic you know. He plays with doors because he has MERLD.

Me: I'm sorry what? Who?

Other mom: You probably think my child is autistic because he keeps opening and closing the door on the toy house, but he isn't.

Me: Oh, OK. I have no idea which child is yours. I am just trying to keep an eye on my son.

Other mom: (points out her child who is playing with doors and then stops to flap with joy.) Flapping doesn't mean autism you know.

Me: OK. Listen, I don't observe and diagnose other people's children. I am just trying to keep an eye on mine.

This went on longer and then she asked my child's diagnosis. usually I don't share he has HFA, but I figured maybe it make her calm down.

Me: He has HFA.

Other mom: No, her doesn't. What doctors have you been to? This is what happens, they just throw around the autism diagnosis. I bet your child has MERLD.

Me: I actually think the dx fits and I also think he is benefiting from the help he is getting.

Other mom then proceeds to tell me what doctors I need to see, etc. FINALLY, my child's OT comes out to get him for the session and I left to "get something from my car." When I returned I sat next to someone quietly reading and I read.

Your point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: This all reminds me of a conversation I had in the waiting room for OT a few years ago. my son was playing and I was trying to keep an eye on him.

Other Mom: He's not autistic you know. He plays with doors because he has MERLD.

Me: I'm sorry what? Who?

Other mom: You probably think my child is autistic because he keeps opening and closing the door on the toy house, but he isn't.

Me: Oh, OK. I have no idea which child is yours. I am just trying to keep an eye on my son.

Other mom: (points out her child who is playing with doors and then stops to flap with joy.) Flapping doesn't mean autism you know.

Me: OK. Listen, I don't observe and diagnose other people's children. I am just trying to keep an eye on mine.

This went on longer and then she asked my child's diagnosis. usually I don't share he has HFA, but I figured maybe it make her calm down.

Me: He has HFA.

Other mom: No, her doesn't. What doctors have you been to? This is what happens, they just throw around the autism diagnosis. I bet your child has MERLD.

Me: I actually think the dx fits and I also think he is benefiting from the help he is getting.

Other mom then proceeds to tell me what doctors I need to see, etc. FINALLY, my child's OT comes out to get him for the session and I left to "get something from my car." When I returned I sat next to someone quietly reading and I read.

Your point?

Her point is that MERLD parents are in denial, that MERLD kids are all really autistic.

[Anonymous]

Her point is that MERLD parents are in denial, that MERLD kids are all really autistic.

Is that right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So OP does not have a child diagnosed with autism but feels the need to tell the rest of us who do have a child diagnosed with autism that our kid is probably misdiagnosed and will suffer a lifetime of stigma from having ASD.

Gee, thanks.

Actually, the OP has a child the schools tried their damnedest to label with "educational autism." The six medical professionals who saw him all gave him a language disorder diagnosis and said it was not autism.

There are only 13 education categories under which someone can get an IEP so the school is not looking for an exact diagnosis but the category that best matches the types of services the child needs. So the OP is getting the services needed under educational "autism" but still feels the need to complain to parents whose kids have an autism diagnosis about how autism is over diagnosed which makes absolutely no sense. An educational autism diagnosis does not equal a medical diagnosis and if you have so much issue with how their kid does not have autism but got categorized in their IEP then adk for another education label:

http://www.understandingspecialeducation.com/13-categories-of-special-education.html

Although I don't know why you would waste your time about semantics when you are getting the services you need. Sigh.

I am the OP. I refused the educational autism label because it was inaccurate. The school threatened, they bribed, they harassed us to try and get us to take the autism label -- and ultimately gave DS all the services under the speech and language label, where a MERLD child belongs.

Do you want a cookie? Do you get to sit at a special lunch table to avoid being contaminated by the kids with ASDs? Does it comfort you at night to think "At least my kid doesn't have autism....?"

Whatever gets you through the night, sugar.

Love you, PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So OP does not have a child diagnosed with autism but feels the need to tell the rest of us who do have a child diagnosed with autism that our kid is probably misdiagnosed and will suffer a lifetime of stigma from having ASD.

Gee, thanks.

Actually, the OP has a child the schools tried their damnedest to label with "educational autism." The six medical professionals who saw him all gave him a language disorder diagnosis and said it was not autism.

There are only 13 education categories under which someone can get an IEP so the school is not looking for an exact diagnosis but the category that best matches the types of services the child needs. So the OP is getting the services needed under educational "autism" but still feels the need to complain to parents whose kids have an autism diagnosis about how autism is over diagnosed which makes absolutely no sense. An educational autism diagnosis does not equal a medical diagnosis and if you have so much issue with how their kid does not have autism but got categorized in their IEP then adk for another education label:

http://www.understandingspecialeducation.com/13-categories-of-special-education.html

Although I don't know why you would waste your time about semantics when you are getting the services you need. Sigh.

I am the OP. I refused the educational autism label because it was inaccurate. The school threatened, they bribed, they harassed us to try and get us to take the autism label -- and ultimately gave DS all the services under the speech and language label, where a MERLD child belongs.

Do you want a cookie? Do you get to sit at a special lunch table to avoid being contaminated by the kids with ASDs? Does it comfort you at night to think "At least my kid doesn't have autism....?"

Whatever gets you through the night, sugar.

Love you, PP.

+2.

[Anonymous]

The Diagnosis Glass is always greener. We thought our ds had HFA but he is actually schizophrenic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So OP does not have a child diagnosed with autism but feels the need to tell the rest of us who do have a child diagnosed with autism that our kid is probably misdiagnosed and will suffer a lifetime of stigma from having ASD.

Gee, thanks.

Actually, the OP has a child the schools tried their damnedest to label with "educational autism." The six medical professionals who saw him all gave him a language disorder diagnosis and said it was not autism.

There are only 13 education categories under which someone can get an IEP so the school is not looking for an exact diagnosis but the category that best matches the types of services the child needs. So the OP is getting the services needed under educational "autism" but still feels the need to complain to parents whose kids have an autism diagnosis about how autism is over diagnosed which makes absolutely no sense. An educational autism diagnosis does not equal a medical diagnosis and if you have so much issue with how their kid does not have autism but got categorized in their IEP then adk for another education label:

http://www.understandingspecialeducation.com/13-categories-of-special-education.html

Although I don't know why you would waste your time about semantics when you are getting the services you need. Sigh.

I am the OP. I refused the educational autism label because it was inaccurate. The school threatened, they bribed, they harassed us to try and get us to take the autism label -- and ultimately gave DS all the services under the speech and language label, where a MERLD child belongs.

Good for you! So what are you complaining about?

These labels carry throughout kids school careers so potentially it can impact future academics and even college admissions. It is a big deal. Look at the school person who posted before saying how she treats all Merld assuming the worst in their functioning when that may not be the case.

I would worry more about the kid's grades, SAT scores, etc rather than their educational label in regards to their future college admissions and careers.

You worry about all those things too but the diagnosis and IEP greatly impact the classes one takes and opportunities given. With all the comments about why people follow the advice of the Camarata's is because of the educational impact and sadly they advocate keeping kids out of public in a private or homeschooling because of all of it. We are taking their advice as I am too tired to fight IEPS.

Really? How so? Seriously doubt a MERLD diagnosis or an ASD diagnosis makes much of a difference in the "classes one takes and opportunities given" but you seem to be saying that a MERLD diagnosis will have less of an impact. It probably depends on the individual and how severe they are impacted more than the actual diagnosis.

[Anonymous]

I read the free excerpt on Amazon and this dude doesn't know what he's talking about with respect to ASD. He discredited himself when he said he could tell after 2 minutes that a diagnosed patient wasn't truly autistic because he laughed at a poop joke during pretend play. My ASD kid can engage in pretend play and laugh at fart jokes, too. However, without the early therapies to teach him the basic skills, he wouldn't be where he is now.

I would not trust a generalist like this guy for an ASD diagnosis.