The over diagnosis of ADHD and autism is ruining children’s lives.

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‘So, before a child has fully developed, they are diagnosed with a disorder. That’s disorientating. It's no wonder that a study has found that around 70% of children diagnosed with autism also suffer from depression and anxiety! Again, it’s worth asking who really benefits from these labels?’

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/other/opinion-this-obsession-with-diagnosing-kids-with-autism-and-adhd-is-ruining-their-lives-i-should-know/ar-AA1Iscvg?ocid=socialshare

You are very unreasonable to link to such a poorly written article that is littered with sweeping generalisations.

What's your thoughts op?

The under diagnosis ruined a hell of a lot of lives. I know that much.

The autism and adhd, depression and anxiety are still there without the diagnosis, it's there because the world is made for neurotypicals and not designed to suit any kind of deviation from this, even for physically disabled people it is still a hostile environment.

Right 🙄 What is"ruining" lives is the utter lack of resources available to support children with these particular diagnoses, not the diagnoses themselves.

Again, a diagnosis of ADHD or ASD is really difficult to access, especially through the NHS, and they're certainly not handed out like candies.

38 years old when diagnosed. For years I've suffered with anxiety and depression. If I'd had the very much needed support to live in a system that doesn't work for me, then my mental health wouldn't have struggled so much.

Ridiculous. I got mine at 36, and my MH was atrocious prior to that. The anxiety and depression would be there with or without the diagnosis, and at least we have a more comprehensive understanding of ourselves and what's going on with the addition of a dx.

I don’t think ‘diagnosis’ is the issue, as it’s a path to extra support.

However, I do think the spectrum for autism has got too broad. And children are given this diagnosis as it’s the current best fit to their symptoms/diversities and there isn’t necessarily another diagnosis to go to in order to acknowledge their needs.

In my opinion we need to reassess and adjust to have different types/levels of diagnosis so children can get the right support to stop this happening (if it is indeed happening). Not easy, as it’s so unique and complex.

Putting a non-verbal child who needs 24/7 support in the same ‘bucket’, as a child that’s coped (although with struggles) in mainstream school until their early teens, is not helpful to anyone. It’s also hugely frustrating to parents when they are trying to access support and people don’t get it because they associate autism with the latter child. And vice-versa.

I can only speak as a past researcher in the field of developmental psychiatry but my opinion is that the increase in diagnosis is at least partly due to:

• increase in awareness
• reduction in stigma
• increase in access to diagnosis
• increase in environmental factors that exert causal influences such as pollutants, microplastics, dietary additives etc
• genetic contributions magnified by assortative mating
• excessive screen use in childhood

My understanding is that depression is common amongst those within the ASD community due to the physiological and psychological changes that occur as part & parcel of the condition. Social exclusion and pressures mentioned by a previous poster are also unpleasant experiences that contribute.

”Disorder” is an unfortunate word. I hope ASD level 1 is reconceptualised in the future as a difference in thinking style rather than a disorder, if it serves the needs of the individual.

I respect your differing opinion, but maybe some of this info is useful to you.

I wasn’t diagnosed as a child but by about 14 I had worked it out, when my MH was falling apart I had to go through the WORK of getting myself diagnosed and a few years later I’m still trying to get meds. I had to do that while supporting my toddler who was STRUGGLING.

DC1 started falling apart at 2.5/3 and was diagnosed at 4.5. How much more do you think we should have waited and pushed when at 3.5 she was becoming housebound. Her Autism diagnosis helps describe her and her needs but not to the point where that’s all she is, she’s not at al what most people think of when you say “Autistic kid”, you might not even notice she’s is. It helps get her needs met and slack cut.

DC2 is more obvious but also more ignorable, you could wave his speech delay off as he’s likely to completely out grow it. Should we drop pursuing a diagnosis, even though he scored more highly than his big sister at screening? Should we wait for the wheels to fall off for him too? Would probably be muuuuch later for him as we have already adapted to a ND friendly life,have when the hormones hit and he can’t regulate himself anymore (happened with my brother and a friend when ended up on a residential school) or maybe when he’s an adult and he has a lot more pressure?

My child was first picked up on at the age of 3 in nursery with nursery staff noticing little things, referring to speech therapy initially. After being referred through school he spent years on an NHS waiting list and finally diagnosed at 9 years old...
So the idea that all these children are just being diagnosed overnight before they have developed is absolute nonsense to me. My experience is that my child was observed over time by various people and had to wait for diagnosis.

My DS was diagnosed in Year 4 so aged 8. His Reception teacher suggested we get him tested when he was 4. 29 children would sit quietly on the mat - he'd be wandering around talking. When you see large numbers of same-aged children and you have the theory and practice of teaching, ND children stick out like sore thumbs. We knew he was different and challenging but we didn't know what it meant - they did!

I doubt that many children get a diagnosis for something they don't have - whether the diagnosis should change as they develop is a different but excellent point.

This is ridiculous. You either have autism or ADHD or you do not! If your aren’t informed on the matter, I suggest you politely keep your naive opinions to yourself

The diagnosis is unlikely to be causing the anxiety.
autism and anxiety go hand in hand because of what autism is.
i was diagnosed (not labelled) at a young age, it was life changing in a good way and enabled me to get all sorts of support as well as helping me understand myself.

That’s a quote from the psychologist who wrote the article. She’s most informed. I suggest you read things properly - comprehension is key - or keep your opinions to yourself.

Should a diagnosis change over time? Is there opportunity for it to do so? I think it’s a real possibility it could. But there don’t seem to be any real opportunities for diagnosis changes. Are we the same at 5 as at 35? For example.

And the rise in disability diagnoses - is huge. Is it real? Or exaggerated. We’d need real evidence somehow.

I think there’s been a valid rise in diagnoses. I also think lots are exaggerated for financial gain. I also think diagnoses or lack of should be looked at over time, as they very well might change. Since you ask!

Clickbaity, poorly written bollocks

Literally yesterday on the radio there was a report saying it was under diagnosed.

I do however think there should be scope for people to be undiagnosed if that makes sense, as sometimes ADHD is diagnosed as BPD or vice versa for example.

My child has a diagnosis but as he's got older he's changed and I actually think the diagnosis is incorrect now.

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That’s a quote from the psychologist who wrote the article. She’s most informed. I suggest you read things properly - comprehension is key - or keep your opinions to yourself.

You don’t get to ejaculate a load of poorly thought out, ill informed nonsense from an unscientific source in a highly emotive subject and then tell the people you’ve upset to “keep their opinions to themselves”.

Not how it works, sorry. Either educate yourself and debate properly and respectfully or step away with grace.

I was using a quote from the PP. She used the line about ‘keep opinions to yourself’ I was just mirroring her sad little phrase. Again. Comprehension.

I don't think anyone should be diagnosed with autism, ADHD etc unless they've had genetic tests and a brain scan to rule out other causes first.

I've known several ladies with Fragile X syndrome who weren't diagnosed for decades, and told they were just slow, depressed, anxious, BPD (is that even a real condition? Seems it's a common misdiagnosis for autistic women)

They all wish they'd known the truth sooner. Some of them unknowingly passed it onto their kids; the sons are more severely affected.

Is the diagnosis leading to anxiety/depression or is it that those who have ASD / ADHD are more prone to anxiety/depression. I am a late in life ASD diagnosed adult who has also struggled with mental health issues. Not having a diagnoses didn't save me from the associated issues of being autistic!

Just to add, babies are tested for Fragile X since the 1990s, I believe? There are many older people who have no idea they have it.

Patrick is an unusual name for a "she" - and being a psychologist doesn't mean someone can't be poorly informed about things.

The article doesn't say very much except for a rather common opinion which seems to miss 90% of the point.

Yes, no wonder autistic people are anxious and depressed when the world is frequently hostile to them. I don't think somehow it's the diagnosis making them feel that way.

There's a BBC article which has much better sources which suggests that the rise in diagnosis is due to the efforts to catch up all the people who have been missed.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg5vp62dnnro

And this NHS management document shows the estimate of how many people they think currently live in the UK with ADHD - 2.6 million. About 2 million of those are thought to be undiagnosed. There are about 500,000 on the waiting list to be diagnosed, and the large numbers are likely to be part of that "catch up".

270,000 people in the UK receive NHS prescriptions for ADHD medication - which is about half of those diagnosed and about a tenth of the estimated "real" number of individuals with ADHD.

Figures from here: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mi-adhd/may-2025

And here: https://adhduk.co.uk/adhd-diagnosis-rate-uk/

I haven't read your article.

But I wish I'd been diagnosed as a child, instead of as an adult. It may just have helped me thrive where everything was a struggle. I lived most of my life not understanding why I was always on the periphery of everything, never really fitting in or feeling part of things.