To think a lot of children may be being misdiagnosed with Autism & Adhd

Calling a significant medical diagnosis a label sounds dismissive. The diagnosiis report gives lots of information on the patient’s difficulties and strengths, making it easier for everyone around them to understand their needs. Due to their understanding of autism and their skills, the clinicians will uncover issues that the patient and their family either hasn’t noticed or hasn’t understood.

The costs of having the diagnosis, SENS and EHCP 's that often follow are bankrupting councils

The legal definition of SEN and EHCPs are based on needs, not diagnosis. A diagnosis isn’t required to meet the definition of having SEN or get an EHCP. And a diagnosis alone doesn’t come with funding or meet the criteria for getting an EHCP.

Also, LAs don’t go bankrupt in the same way as a member of the general public does. They can’t be declared bankrupt like the general public can be. Rather than bankruptcy, it is a section 114 notice.

But yet equally I could give examples of parents I know where the opposite has happened - for example a family member who's child had a traumatic birth and therefore had brain damaged came to be absolutely convinced their child was autistic. They were assessed several times and it was confirmed they have learning difficulties but not autism. I also know several families who have initially been rejected for autism/ADHD screening only for the child to be assessed and diagnosed.

Are diagnosis always perfect? No because as much as there is a science to it, there is an element of subjectivity to it. Could there be cases of misdiagnosis? Absolutely, statistically speaking that could and will happen. However knowing some people who have experienced a certain problem is VERY different to claiming many many people are getting misdiagnosis, especially when we are still at levels of underdiagnosis for Autism and ADHD.

I agree with this and with the fact covid pandemic contributed to behavioural issues, heightened stress, anxiety and trauma which can manifest in different ways.

To be clear, I don't believe ADHD and ASD are made up at all, I have close family members who are ND and I suspect I am too (albeit undiagnosed and I've always coped with life). But I do believe in some cases the private diagnosis can unfortunately be Mickey Mouse, I've seen this with my DH and I'm positive this must happen more frequently as parents are desperate to get diagnosis quicker and avoid huge waiting lists.

I also think that increased awareness comes with more diagnosed peope naturally.

So it's a mixture of things, but yes, some people are being misdiagnosed.

100% agree.

The costs of having the diagnosis, SENS and EHCP 's that often follow are bankrupting councils, we don't want to pay more tax either...

Numbers are going through the roof, its totally unsustainable, people get a EHCP but then the council don't even have the people/funding in place for it.

It might better to ask Why? What are we doing wrong, if anything?

This isn't true, it's literally in the criteria that symptoms have to be present as a child and that's why parents and schools (where relevant) are asked to be part of the diagnosis process.
For example, I am diagnosed with Autism and ADHD. ADHD can present very similar symptoms as CPTSD so during my diagnosis process I had to have a very detailed assessment on my childhood behaviors, discuss the traumas I have been through (in so much detail it was genuinely distressing) and then talk about the work that I have done to heal that trauma. We also looked at the different symptoms presenting childhood vs adulthood. All of that was so my psychiatrist could ensure he was making a correct diagnosis.

Just glad it’s not another asd bashing thread. Interesting post op.

We didn't get any observed play sessions or a school observation. I also got cut off when I mentioned ADHD as the specialist said DS had managed to sit still but the older he gets I feel like he definitely has inattentive ADHD, so sitting still wouldn't be an issue. Felt like just a tick list by someone who wasn't overly knowledgeable.

I don't dispute he has autism but our process didn't feel particularly rigorous. Just worth noting different areas might be different.

Well it a nuanced issue. Everyone has mental health and physical health and barriers to study/learning, and it can range from needing more revision and vidoes to a condition that they need treatment for. You can talk about being confused by instructions but not equating that to ADHD.

So I think we instinctively react differently when it's mental health because sometimes, even unconsciously, it's still taboo. Only very little money (8% of the total NHS budgey) goes towards mental health and additional needs. Many more people are struggling (especially with longer wait lists) and are often not properly treated or given help on the NHS.

Also people can feel they can't talk about when they're struggling sometimes so like to drop hints, because there is still plenty of stigma. Obviously not everywhere and there is a problem with health misinformation (women and girls weren’t thought to have ADHD, and autism for ages and ths clinical studies and trials only included girls for the first time in the early 2000s). That has an impact as teachers and professional need training on the different presentation of such conditions in girls as do parents etc. But also the increase in discussion about mental health and other condition e.g ADHD in girls which initially was never researched in studies because they thought girls didn't have it and now we know they often present differently has helped many get diagnosis. When they were struggling their whole lives but didn't get the right support. Also cultural issues mean both BAME boys and girls get underdiagnosed (Black boys are overdiagnosed with ODD and schizophrenia when they have autism and ADHD so they get more aggressive medication - antipsychotics instead of the support - links to racist stereotypes about Blaxm boys being more aggressive and violent and adultification where because they look older they aren't treated as they should be for their age developmentally). The same for BAME girls we know they are underdiagnosed for SEN conditions as well.

What is the treatment for Pans/Pandas? Is there any?

Trauma also has a lot of identical symptoms to ND but that isn't talked about much either.

I've asked this before, and this is a little bit of a thread hijack, but I would love if anyone has any information on how they determine what's autistic behaviours and whats learnt behaviours (from parents, trauma, family life etc) when assessing people and how that then informs the final result.

I think it would be harder to get away with abuse, because there are so many eyes on my autistic ds. Aside from seeing OTs, SLTs, there’s his SNA, the Senco, and various teachers have him on their radar.

A lot of truth in there. A label ...what is this and why do you need it. Why not caring for each child as they are and give them what they need

A diagnosis opens the door to access services like occupational therapy, speech and language therapy (which includes feeding therapy), physiotherapy, psychological support, and educational intervention , which are offered according to the needs of the individual. It’s not like there’s an autism package that’s one size fits all.

On top of that it’s recognised that autism usually presents with comorbidities, and referrals would be made to other medical specialisms, as and when.

The decisions about what to work on are made through a combination of standardised assessments, professional judgement, parent’s concerns and priorities and referrals.

So a child who has been misdiagnosed with autism, may be accessing the services and support that they need. There is quite a range of relatively rare but similar-ish syndromes and it makes more sense to invest more funding in post diagnostic services than splitting hairs on the finer points of diagnosis. Not saying that’s ideal but it’s pragmatic.

I haven’t met anyone in the parent support groups that can’t name multiple relatives across generations that share obvious traits so I cannot believe it’s produced by screens and chicken nuggets.

I think if 1 in 6/7 kids are being diagnosed with something you would expect a lot of talk about it.

Bit of a goady title there OP.

I remember a thread on here where OP was concerned about her 16 year old DS who had suddenly become withdrawn, anxious etc. Of course everyone responded with ‘ASD ASSESSMENT’ but first she took him for blood tests which revealed his vitamin D was on the floor. After a few weeks of supplementing her son completely recovered to his old self. How many kids may be deficient given they barely go outside any more?