Autism and Overdiagnosis: Rampant, in psychologist's opinion

[Anonymous]

Doesn't jive with what you are saying ^^^

[Anonymous]

and this:

Mild
Requiring support
(i.e., Rituals and repetitive behaviors [RRBs] cause significant interference with functioning in one or more contexts. Resists attempts by others to interrupt RRBs or to be redirected from fixated interest.)

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=11&ved=0CFIQFjAK&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.psychiatry.org%2Ffile%2520library%2Fpractice%2Fdsm%2Fdsm-5%2Fclinicianratedseverityofautismspectrumandsocialcommunicationdisorders.pdf&ei=2gMtVYKGCYufNofLg5AL&usg=AFQjCNEognE-9SvTLn8K4F7XPXhM4UoIsQ&sig2=SNK-TlDq4_BSpAtNo8CbPA&bvm=bv.90790515,d.eXY

[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.

Placing a MERLD kid with an ASD kid (without a mix of kids) would be a disaster as many MERLD kids need that peer role model. So, if an ASD kid was there, they would try to copy that child's patterns and its a problem. It not about contaminating but about the child's needs and its important for MERLD kids to have specific type of peer interations.

OP, I have a kid with MERLD in a small classroom with a hand-flapping Aspie for two years. He never copied these behaviors ever. So maybe it's not's just MERLD with your kid.

Your argument about somehow to not have ASD mixed in with your MERLD kid sounds like the kind of argument that people used against desegregation of schools and gays serving in the military. You have a lot of prejudices towards people on the spectrum and parents of NT kids are probably judging your kid with the same skewed perspective.

So get a life and stop worrying about "rampant over diagnosis" of autism and be more concerned with the rampant prejudices in your heart and mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I've had that but it was with my child having apraxia as their child did and being told to use this provider and that provider. It is very frustrating. The difference between a MERLD kid is that if a child was hand flapping or opening a door, you can tell them to stop (if they are on the higher functioning end of MERLD like mine). Mine will stop or argue with me about stopping. A HFA cannot stop on command. "typical" kids do handflap and do those things too but it looks slightly different.

My kid with HFA stops on command and can and will argue with me about stopping. You seem to have a very skewed idea about how a kid with HFA presents.

Here is the Level 1 autism severity levels from the DSM 5. Doesn't with what you are saying at all.

Inflexibility of behavior causes significant interference with functioning in one or more contexts. Difficulty switching between activities. Problems of organization and planning hamper independence.

Being inflexible and rigid is one of the symptoms of being on the spectrum but there are degrees AND kids with ASD can be taught to be more flexible and less rigid. There is a social skills program for kids with ASD in the area called: Unstuck and On target. Many therapies for ASD address the inflexibility and my kid's behavioral plan at school and his IEP address this issue.

My DS with ASD is fully mainstreamed at a language immersion school and has no problem switching languages every other day nor any problems being told not to do something although ceasing to tell poop/fart jokes and punning about "but" and "butt" has been difficult. He is fully mainstreamed.

It is a spectrum and you really should stop getting all your information about ASD from google.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I've had that but it was with my child having apraxia as their child did and being told to use this provider and that provider. It is very frustrating. The difference between a MERLD kid is that if a child was hand flapping or opening a door, you can tell them to stop (if they are on the higher functioning end of MERLD like mine). Mine will stop or argue with me about stopping. A HFA cannot stop on command. "typical" kids do handflap and do those things too but it looks slightly different.

My kid with HFA stops on command and can and will argue with me about stopping. You seem to have a very skewed idea about how a kid with HFA presents.

Here is the Level 1 autism severity levels from the DSM 5. Doesn't with what you are saying at all.

Inflexibility of behavior causes significant interference with functioning in one or more contexts. Difficulty switching between activities. Problems of organization and planning hamper independence.

Being inflexible and rigid is one of the symptoms of being on the spectrum but there are degrees AND kids with ASD can be taught to be more flexible and less rigid. There is a social skills program for kids with ASD in the area called: Unstuck and On target. Many therapies for ASD address the inflexibility and my kid's behavioral plan at school and his IEP address this issue.

My DS with ASD is fully mainstreamed at a language immersion school and has no problem switching languages every other day nor any problems being told not to do something although ceasing to tell poop/fart jokes and punning about "but" and "butt" has been difficult. He is fully mainstreamed.

It is a spectrum and you really should stop getting all your information about ASD from google.

It's from the DSM5, not "google."

And you wonder why do many doubt your child's autism diagnosis.

[Anonymous]

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.

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.

Placing a MERLD kid with an ASD kid (without a mix of kids) would be a disaster as many MERLD kids need that peer role model. So, if an ASD kid was there, they would try to copy that child's patterns and its a problem. It not about contaminating but about the child's needs and its important for MERLD kids to have specific type of peer interations.

OP, I have a kid with MERLD in a small classroom with a hand-flapping Aspie for two years. He never copied these behaviors ever. So maybe it's not's just MERLD with your kid.

Your argument about somehow to not have ASD mixed in with your MERLD kid sounds like the kind of argument that people used against desegregation of schools and gays serving in the military. You have a lot of prejudices towards people on the spectrum and parents of NT kids are probably judging your kid with the same skewed perspective.

So get a life and stop worrying about "rampant over diagnosis" of autism and be more concerned with the rampant prejudices in your heart and mind.

NP here. You need good peer models for MERLD though. If you put a child in a class with no typical peer models, that's a problem. MERLD children will copy the children around them. And that's routinely done around the country.

They wanted to segregate my MERLD child in an autism class. Years later, the social worked admitted it would have been a huge mistake and I my child would never be in regular school classes after that -- like he is now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I've had that but it was with my child having apraxia as their child did and being told to use this provider and that provider. It is very frustrating. The difference between a MERLD kid is that if a child was hand flapping or opening a door, you can tell them to stop (if they are on the higher functioning end of MERLD like mine). Mine will stop or argue with me about stopping. A HFA cannot stop on command. "typical" kids do handflap and do those things too but it looks slightly different.

My kid with HFA stops on command and can and will argue with me about stopping. You seem to have a very skewed idea about how a kid with HFA presents.

Here is the Level 1 autism severity levels from the DSM 5. Doesn't with what you are saying at all.

Inflexibility of behavior causes significant interference with functioning in one or more contexts. Difficulty switching between activities. Problems of organization and planning hamper independence.

Being inflexible and rigid is one of the symptoms of being on the spectrum but there are degrees AND kids with ASD can be taught to be more flexible and less rigid. There is a social skills program for kids with ASD in the area called: Unstuck and On target. Many therapies for ASD address the inflexibility and my kid's behavioral plan at school and his IEP address this issue.

My DS with ASD is fully mainstreamed at a language immersion school and has no problem switching languages every other day nor any problems being told not to do something although ceasing to tell poop/fart jokes and punning about "but" and "butt" has been difficult. He is fully mainstreamed.

It is a spectrum and you really should stop getting all your information about ASD from google.

It's from the DSM5, not "google."

And you wonder why do many doubt your child's autism diagnosis.

My child has actually seen real doctors! Who evaluated him! I did not try to do it by looking stuff up on the DSM and trying to apply it myself since I have zero expertise.

FYI, he has had a psych ed eval, a developmental pediatrician, Dr Shapiro, who observed at school. children's where he saw a neuropsych and they did ADOS and ADI-R. Dr Black who gave him a neuropsych eval this Dec. They ALL diagnosed ASD/Asperger's and Dr Black also found ADHD, combined type.

since DS has the right diagnosis and has an IEP, he does great at school! Yay!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I've had that but it was with my child having apraxia as their child did and being told to use this provider and that provider. It is very frustrating. The difference between a MERLD kid is that if a child was hand flapping or opening a door, you can tell them to stop (if they are on the higher functioning end of MERLD like mine). Mine will stop or argue with me about stopping. A HFA cannot stop on command. "typical" kids do handflap and do those things too but it looks slightly different.

My kid with HFA stops on command and can and will argue with me about stopping. You seem to have a very skewed idea about how a kid with HFA presents.

Here is the Level 1 autism severity levels from the DSM 5. Doesn't with what you are saying at all.

Inflexibility of behavior causes significant interference with functioning in one or more contexts. Difficulty switching between activities. Problems of organization and planning hamper independence.

Being inflexible and rigid is one of the symptoms of being on the spectrum but there are degrees AND kids with ASD can be taught to be more flexible and less rigid. There is a social skills program for kids with ASD in the area called: Unstuck and On target. Many therapies for ASD address the inflexibility and my kid's behavioral plan at school and his IEP address this issue.

My DS with ASD is fully mainstreamed at a language immersion school and has no problem switching languages every other day nor any problems being told not to do something although ceasing to tell poop/fart jokes and punning about "but" and "butt" has been difficult. He is fully mainstreamed.

It is a spectrum and you really should stop getting all your information about ASD from google.

It's from the DSM5, not "google."

And you wonder why do many doubt your child's autism diagnosis.

My child has actually seen real doctors! Who evaluated him! I did not try to do it by looking stuff up on the DSM and trying to apply it myself since I have zero expertise.

FYI, he has had a psych ed eval, a developmental pediatrician, Dr Shapiro, who observed at school. children's where he saw a neuropsych and they did ADOS and ADI-R. Dr Black who gave him a neuropsych eval this Dec. They ALL diagnosed ASD/Asperger's and Dr Black also found ADHD, combined type.

since DS has the right diagnosis and has an IEP, he does great at school! Yay!

You are being very disingenuous. You routinely come on to threads to diagnose other people's children based on your son's experience. Guess what! Six professionals said my son does NOT have autism. That doesn't stop the world around him from armchair diagnosing him as being on the spectrum because it's so broad now, it's almost unrecognizable to anyone without a lot of training.

The OP was just pointing out this alternate point of view from this psychologist. Everyone should be aware of the trend to overdiagnose autism, even if it doesn't apply to your situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I've had that but it was with my child having apraxia as their child did and being told to use this provider and that provider. It is very frustrating. The difference between a MERLD kid is that if a child was hand flapping or opening a door, you can tell them to stop (if they are on the higher functioning end of MERLD like mine). Mine will stop or argue with me about stopping. A HFA cannot stop on command. "typical" kids do handflap and do those things too but it looks slightly different.

My kid with HFA stops on command and can and will argue with me about stopping. You seem to have a very skewed idea about how a kid with HFA presents.

Here is the Level 1 autism severity levels from the DSM 5. Doesn't with what you are saying at all.

Inflexibility of behavior causes significant interference with functioning in one or more contexts. Difficulty switching between activities. Problems of organization and planning hamper independence.

Being inflexible and rigid is one of the symptoms of being on the spectrum but there are degrees AND kids with ASD can be taught to be more flexible and less rigid. There is a social skills program for kids with ASD in the area called: Unstuck and On target. Many therapies for ASD address the inflexibility and my kid's behavioral plan at school and his IEP address this issue.

My DS with ASD is fully mainstreamed at a language immersion school and has no problem switching languages every other day nor any problems being told not to do something although ceasing to tell poop/fart jokes and punning about "but" and "butt" has been difficult. He is fully mainstreamed.

It is a spectrum and you really should stop getting all your information about ASD from google.

It's from the DSM5, not "google."

And you wonder why do many doubt your child's autism diagnosis.

My child has actually seen real doctors! Who evaluated him! I did not try to do it by looking stuff up on the DSM and trying to apply it myself since I have zero expertise.

FYI, he has had a psych ed eval, a developmental pediatrician, Dr Shapiro, who observed at school. children's where he saw a neuropsych and they did ADOS and ADI-R. Dr Black who gave him a neuropsych eval this Dec. They ALL diagnosed ASD/Asperger's and Dr Black also found ADHD, combined type.

since DS has the right diagnosis and has an IEP, he does great at school! Yay!

You are being very disingenuous. You routinely come on to threads to diagnose other people's children based on your son's experience. Guess what! Six professionals said my son does NOT have autism. That doesn't stop the world around him from armchair diagnosing him as being on the spectrum because it's so broad now, it's almost unrecognizable to anyone without a lot of training.

The OP was just pointing out this alternate point of view from this psychologist. Everyone should be aware of the trend to overdiagnose autism, even if it doesn't apply to your situation.

I have never diagnosed anyone and if anyone is being disingenuous it is you since you constantly come on here saying that kids who are at the higher end of the spectrum are not autistic even though they have a diagnosis of autism that the parents fully agree with.

[Anonymous]

What are you people prattling on about? There seems to be no point to your posts other than to argue and cast aspersions on other posts. Disengage. Go hug your kid.

[Anonymous]

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.

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.

Placing a MERLD kid with an ASD kid (without a mix of kids) would be a disaster as many MERLD kids need that peer role model. So, if an ASD kid was there, they would try to copy that child's patterns and its a problem. It not about contaminating but about the child's needs and its important for MERLD kids to have specific type of peer interations.

OP, I have a kid with MERLD in a small classroom with a hand-flapping Aspie for two years. He never copied these behaviors ever. So maybe it's not's just MERLD with your kid.

Your argument about somehow to not have ASD mixed in with your MERLD kid sounds like the kind of argument that people used against desegregation of schools and gays serving in the military. You have a lot of prejudices towards people on the spectrum and parents of NT kids are probably judging your kid with the same skewed perspective.

So get a life and stop worrying about "rampant over diagnosis" of autism and be more concerned with the rampant prejudices in your heart and mind.

Well said. Thank you.

[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.

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.

Placing a MERLD kid with an ASD kid (without a mix of kids) would be a disaster as many MERLD kids need that peer role model. So, if an ASD kid was there, they would try to copy that child's patterns and its a problem. It not about contaminating but about the child's needs and its important for MERLD kids to have specific type of peer interations.

OP, I have a kid with MERLD in a small classroom with a hand-flapping Aspie for two years. He never copied these behaviors ever. So maybe it's not's just MERLD with your kid.

Your argument about somehow to not have ASD mixed in with your MERLD kid sounds like the kind of argument that people used against desegregation of schools and gays serving in the military. You have a lot of prejudices towards people on the spectrum and parents of NT kids are probably judging your kid with the same skewed perspective.

So get a life and stop worrying about "rampant over diagnosis" of autism and be more concerned with the rampant prejudices in your heart and mind.

Well said. Thank you.

Another Bravo or Brava! Well said.

Parent of a child on the spectrum here. I have met parents of MERLD kids who are down to earth people in tune with their kiddo's needs and accepting of all. There seem to be 2 or 3 or maybe just 1 MERLD parent on her with a major chip on her/his shoulder. This person shows up on every thread where MERLD and ASD appear and she/he has such rigid thinking she/he cannot comprehend that kids with autism present in a variety of ways. When you diagnose from the DSM a child doesn't need EVERY symptom, just a certain number and degrees vary. This same person seems be a concrete all or nothing thinker shows a complete lack of empathy in responses on DCUM. I suspect this person has dreams where the autism boogyman chases her/him down chanting "Your child is autistic." Sometimes the most bigoted people are the ones who share some of the traits of those they hate.

[Anonymous]

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.

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.

Placing a MERLD kid with an ASD kid (without a mix of kids) would be a disaster as many MERLD kids need that peer role model. So, if an ASD kid was there, they would try to copy that child's patterns and its a problem. It not about contaminating but about the child's needs and its important for MERLD kids to have specific type of peer interations.

OP, I have a kid with MERLD in a small classroom with a hand-flapping Aspie for two years. He never copied these behaviors ever. So maybe it's not's just MERLD with your kid.

Your argument about somehow to not have ASD mixed in with your MERLD kid sounds like the kind of argument that people used against desegregation of schools and gays serving in the military. You have a lot of prejudices towards people on the spectrum and parents of NT kids are probably judging your kid with the same skewed perspective.

So get a life and stop worrying about "rampant over diagnosis" of autism and be more concerned with the rampant prejudices in your heart and mind.

One problem. I am the OP, and you are responding to a post I didn't write. There are many MERLD parents on this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

Placing a MERLD kid with an ASD kid (without a mix of kids) would be a disaster as many MERLD kids need that peer role model. So, if an ASD kid was there, they would try to copy that child's patterns and its a problem. It not about contaminating but about the child's needs and its important for MERLD kids to have specific type of peer interations.

OP, I have a kid with MERLD in a small classroom with a hand-flapping Aspie for two years. He never copied these behaviors ever. So maybe it's not's just MERLD with your kid.

Your argument about somehow to not have ASD mixed in with your MERLD kid sounds like the kind of argument that people used against desegregation of schools and gays serving in the military. You have a lot of prejudices towards people on the spectrum and parents of NT kids are probably judging your kid with the same skewed perspective.

So get a life and stop worrying about "rampant over diagnosis" of autism and be more concerned with the rampant prejudices in your heart and mind.

Well said. Thank you.

Another Bravo or Brava! Well said.

Parent of a child on the spectrum here. I have met parents of MERLD kids who are down to earth people in tune with their kiddo's needs and accepting of all. There seem to be 2 or 3 or maybe just 1 MERLD parent on her with a major chip on her/his shoulder. This person shows up on every thread where MERLD and ASD appear and she/he has such rigid thinking she/he cannot comprehend that kids with autism present in a variety of ways. When you diagnose from the DSM a child doesn't need EVERY symptom, just a certain number and degrees vary. This same person seems be a concrete all or nothing thinker shows a complete lack of empathy in responses on DCUM. I suspect this person has dreams where the autism boogyman chases her/him down chanting "Your child is autistic." Sometimes the most bigoted people are the ones who share some of the traits of those they hate.

The DSM is pretty clear. That's the minimum level you need to be diagnosed.

And again, many MERLD parents on this thread.

[Anonymous]

I'm a little tired of this. OP comes on periodically to argue that kids with ASDs don't really have ASDs because her son was misdiagnosed and really has MERLD. I don't doubt that her son was misdiagnosed and really has MERLD but I wish she wold stop her crusade against those of us with kids who really, truly have ASDs. I don't understand why she has to question our diagnosis (and she does and has) Its like telling we're stupid and don't understand.

MERLD parents, can you share information and give each other support without attacking our kids' diagnoses? Thank you.