What do the data showing a steep rise in autism diagnoses reveal - and hide?
A 20-year study in the UK showed an astonishing eightfold rise in new autism diagnoses on an exponential curve.
We hear from the study’s author Ginny Russell and ask how the numbers compare in other parts of the world.
And Professor Joshua Stott explains how a surprising discovery at a dementia clinic led him to calculate that that enormous rise in diagnoses may still undercount the country’s autistic population by as much as 1.2 million.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002bszl
This comes up on so many threads whether in relation to children and school, or children and gender identity, and ourselves, that I thought I would post a link.
I heard part of the first episode broadcast today and it seemed very much looking at facts, or rather at what can we say is a fact.
ie is the growth in diagnosis of autism because there is a real increase, or because of past failures to diagnose.
So not sure where it will end up, or even have a conclusion.
On radio 4 at 13:45 each week day this week or all episodes on iPlayer.
And if of course by the end strange BBC type conclusions are being drawn, just as well to have mumsnetters on the case to write in and put them right!