Massive increase of children with autism

[TickingKey46]

I've noticed since the lock down there is a massive increase in children being assessed for autism and associated conditions. I mean massive.

On the school run parents are often discussing it it's become so routine. I'm really interested in why. Why are so many children being diagnosed with this condition?

'Whilst I don't know the ins and outs, many people I know with a diagnosis got one because they were struggling. Almost every female I've met with Autism was previously diagnosed with a mental health condition.'

This. I was diagnosed as an 'elective mute' as a child, then social anxiety disorder as an adult in my twenties, a possible personality disorder was also suggested. Then as I got older, the all-purpose 'anxiety and depression'. I could also see how ASC could be construed as an avoidant personality disorder.

You are a fantasist. Your made up scenarios do not attract a diagnosis of autism and your misinformation stokes prejudice which hurts autistic people and their families.

If you are curious about the current diagnostic criteria this is freely available in DSM 5 or ICD 10/11. Plus you can read about the assessment pathway and referral criteria on the NICE website.

I think you should be adding ‘@NoMor ’ comments until you educate yourself a LittleMor…

I studied developmental disorders of childhood at University. Accounting for genetic traits of autism, male age is an independent variable that is statically proven to lead to autism in children.

Think you should go back to uni. A statistic gives no explanation for the root cause, you should have been taught not to jump to conclusions. I have not denied it is shown that older fathers have more autistic children, what I am refuting is the reason.

Find me a peer reviewed study that says it's the age of the man that causes the autism rather than genetics and a propensity for putting off fatherhood in autistic men and I'll take your rather weak insult and indeed educate myself. Until then, I think you would be wise to do the same. I'll start you off with this Risk of psychiatric illness from advanced paternal age is not predominantly from de novo mutations | Nature Genetics

My DS is severely autistic and I am also autistic, but sometimes I wonder if my diagnosis takes away from DS. I am very different from DS, I had no developmental delays at all. I’m just different much on the sensory side. However DS cannot process language well at all and was non verbal for years. As well as severe motor difficulties and well a whole host of struggles.

So it’s useful to me to understand my differences but I think my diagnosis probably inflates the number of autistic people and I’ve met a lot like me. Older women, sciency/creative who are late diagnosed. But sometimes I think my autism should be a different name or DSs. As he can never function independently. But I can. It’s not Learning disabilities that cause this in DS he’s just really severely autistic. In a way that I’m not.

At least my diagnosis gives me a voice which I try and use to advocate for DS. I agree with @LadyMadderLake that not enough ring fencing of resources and of advocacy is kept for those severely autistic as it seems crazy to me that I could get a grant when it’s really DS who needs it to be honest.

@NoMor and @Procrastinatingbecauseithelps I do think looking logically and scientifically into correlations and hopefully one day clearer cause is very helpful. I think the juries out still on paternal age it needs more evidence to point to that being a truly independent risk. At the moment it’s still too early to tell.

Genetics, turning ‘on’ genes through environment possibly or infections…

I always found that some autistic kids getting ‘less autistic’ when they had a high temperature fascinating.

For me there does seem to be a mixture of things going on. In me and DSs fathers family, plenty of those with quirkiness, stutters and good at maths but didn’t like socialising etc, which may attract a diagnosis now but wouldn’t then as they could all ‘function’. But no one on either side like DS who was nonverbal - so why in generations now a child so severe?

I find there seem to be a lot of parents that WANT a diagnosis, whether their kid has a condition or not, for some strange reason.

Agree with previous posters. It's not an increase in autism,but an increase in the awareness and diagnosis of it.

@JaiynDough there will always be a few parents who want their child to have a diagnosis of something they haven't got. Either they are anxious, want sympathy/attention, think they can get a better education for their child and many more reasons I can't think of. These parents are in the minority but some of them are so vocal about it that you would think there are more of them than there really are.

You get those kind of people with other disabilities/health problems as well. People who say things like
"I nearly died, you know" or "I had 3000 stitches and lost 18 pints of blood" as it it gives them some kind of importance. My mil will often proudly tell me about people she knows who are ill who have "the chief Dr of the whole hospital" looking after them, despite me telling her repeatedly telling her that there is no "chief dr of the whole hospital" and that each department will have a number of consultants and then one consultant who is in charge of that department. Personally I blame the way that if you say to someone you have a cold, instead of sympathy you get tales of how they know someone who has the flu. I think if we were all a bit kinder and sympathetic to people instead of being mean to each other and comparing the tiny bits of help people get for their disabled dc then we would all be better off.

@elliejjtiny @JaiynDough

Nobody wants their kid to have autism.

It makes everything damn difficult - simple things like eating and sleeping can be a nightmare. Many have no awareness of danger, fine and gross motor problems, learning difficulties…. In short an inability to function without significant parental/medical/school/other support.

I get what you’re saying that some people like the attention garnered from medical ailments and may be hypochondriacs.

But I can’t imagine any autistic person or parent doing this. The condition is exhausting in every respect and help is sought because it is needed.

Assessment is hard to get without due cause. To suggest parents “want” their child to have something like this is thoroughly unsupportive and shows a lack of understanding about the reality of the situation for children and families.

I love my DC and am comfortable in my own skin… However, nobody would want this it makes day to day life very difficult.

In our experience they were more cautious because of lockdown.
My son was 2 when we went into lockdown.

During his autism assessments there was a lot of "is this (behaviour) because he's autistic or is it because he lost vital socialisation in lockdown?".

With his diagnosis, and as he's grown older, it's become increasingly obvious that I (female, late 30s) am also likely to be autistic (have started assessment process) and I suspect my dads younger brother (male, mid 60s) is as well.
If we are both of us were missed as children because we both "function" within society.

When my oldest uncle was diagnosed with dyslexia the head of their small village school told my grandparents "oh, I didn't think we had that here", as if it was nits or something. Historically I think there's been the same attitude to autism - it's a Very Bad Thing and didn't exist unless it was severe.

Agreed. Am DM to 4 DC, 2 of which have ASD. Am also a teacher.

I have never, ever, met any parent who wants a diagnosis of ASD for their child. I have met plenty of parents who would rather stick their fingers in their ears and ignore my concerns, though!

Equally, the diagnostic process is lengthy, with many hoops to jump through and invasive. It's not a quick test.

Diagnosis and self diagnosis are two different things.

P.S. I am up in the middle of the night as one of my ND children regularly doesn't sleep and wanders around the house during the night. Fun times.

@JaiynDough They’re not handing out diagnoses like sweets, you know!

With the NHS on its knees do people really believe, that all it takes is one appointment with your GP and you’ll be fast tracked to a neuro developmental diagnosis for your child?

The reality is it takes years watching whilst your child struggling, piecing together symptoms, poor mental health, school refusing, anxiety, never ending sleep problems, memory issues, impulsivity, sensory issues and unexplained educational difficulties.

The school will blame your reception aged child’s behaviour, separation anxiety and sensory issues on a lack of adequate parenting. They’ll tell you to go on a parenting course and send your kid to therapy. All this whilst you’re being gaslit and pleading for someone to take your concerns seriously. After years of traumatising your child and or punishing them for being a square peg in a round hole you finally find one person who is willing to listen. Someone willing to support your child. But it doesn’t undo the trauma the broken education system has already put them through.

Then you come across people who invalidate the diagnosis that had taken you over 5 years to get and countless sleepless nights with stress. One that had taken weeks of evidence being corroborated by school, multiple hours across multiple days and a team of experienced psychiatrists/clinicians to reach a consensus on your child’s presentation, only for a uninformed %%# on mumsnet to question the validity of your child’s diagnosis.

What I’d really like to say about a lot of these threads on Autism would likely get me banned. Be very thankful you have no idea what it’s like. Like @juliettesmother I’ve been since 2am with Dd12 whose still a horrendously bad sleeper!

Or they say "suspected" while in the assessment process.

I said it for two years. We have a diagnosis now.

@JaiynDough Respectfully, you’re talking out of your behind, to put it bluntly!

I'm sorry, I didn't know you live near me, went to my school or were on my Facebook 🤔

@JaiynDough

Your perspective is bananas.

Wait list for an autism diagnosis on NHS is 3-4yrs; ADHD 6yrs. If you pay private it’s still 6m - 2yrs and costs about 1k per assessment.

For autism the psychologist will come into the school and assess your child there or get the teacher to fill in a lengthy questionnaire, you as parents are interviewed at length, the child is put through various assessments and physiologically assessed. It goes on with various appointments over a few months.

Then if diagnosis is confirmed you have to attend with NHS services at various workshops - you, not the child - and are expected to attend further online - the workload being comparable to what you would expect for 2-3 university modules (half a years full time work).

You will then have to implement all the strategies at home. Meanwhile the school will be making you jump through all sorts of hoops and mountains of paperwork which is an entirely separate problem to the NHS.

Then there’s the DLA fight - which you need to get, because if you don’t your child won’t get consideration whenever you are trying to go anywhere with them as often the paperwork is required (think access to quiet spaces, not having to queue that sort of thing). Going out with an autistic child is very stressful and can feel like having an unexploded bomb with you!! Liable to go off at any moment.

I’ve had to give up work to support my child at the moment.

Trust me I do not want the diagnosis or to have anything wrong with my child.

You cannot get a diagnosis without there being quite a bit actually wrong - assessments are incredibly thorough.

They don't get diagnosed though, that's what you aren't getting.

@JaiynDough

That is not what this thread is about.

It is about an uptick in confirmed diagnoses in recent times and an overwhelming number of people coming forward to be assessed since covid.

To be crystal clear - you CAN NOT get on a waitlist for assessment without sufficient evidence to state that there is something substantial wrong - ie usually detailed letters from parents, GP and teacher all saying the same thing. Otherwise they will say there is no reason to bring it forward.

Could you keep to the thread topic and not spout nonsense.

I work in a tourist place that attracts people with ASD due to its content and I've had my eyes opened.

A few years ago I wouldn't have noticed unless obvious disabilities present but since the new awareness and learning about ASD I can pick it up very easily. It's the little things. I'm then better placed to help them have a more fun less stressful day.

Awareness can only be a good thing and help those with hidden disabilities live a happier less stressful life.

Reminder of what MN said earlier

@JaiynDough

Emmmm the statistics are coming from NHS/medical providers.

Any anecdotal questionnaires are unreliable and irrelevant.