Autism

skylark94

Back when I was in high school it seemed like every kid who was failing was suddenly getting a diagnosis of ADD or ADHD. Today the "fashionable" diagnosis seems to be Autism or Aspergers.

My 7 year old daughter has cerebral palsy due to extreme prematurity. She has physical limitations which require her to use a wheelchair and she has the mind of a 2 year old. Her teacher and 2 of her therapists have agreed that as many as 40% of the supposedly Autistic kids they see are just plain old brats who need to be properly disciplined and pulled away from the TV from time to time. Doctor shopping is not uncommon. If a parent wants a diagnosis, they will move from one doc to another until they can get someone to write the diagnosis they want.

Thoughts?

fbmandy55

I agree with you. There is a medical condition for every action now. I feel like the disorder most commonly abused is ADHD. Between kids getting all riled up over violent tv, games, lack of exercise and poor refined carbs/sugars in their diet, parents have lost control over their kids.

LuckyLeprechaun

We don't understand brain disorders nearly as well as we'd like to.

There's a big taboo against mental conditions, huh? If someone has one leg, they wouldn't be called lazy, but if a kid has chemical problems inside his brain, he's just a brat? Yuck.

I've worked with these kids. Some may shrug off the diagnosis of Aspergers or Autism as being "fashionable", but these conditions are real, and the families living with them struggle with society's perception of their kids, and of them as parents. That sucks.

katatak1

I'm a research psychologist, and I think it's disgusting when parents decide their kid has a problem and finds a doctor to confirm that. I don't know about your figures on 70% of cases being brats, but I'm going to say that I highly doubt it is quite that high. Autism spectrum disorders are very real, very tough disorders for both the individual and the parents/family. I've worked with some autism spectrum disorder kids, and man... they just want to be normal. They don't want the diagnosis, but it's there, like a red letter on their chest. A badge of pain they have to carry around wherever they go. Anyone who intentionally applies that spot to their child is sick, and the therapists who go along with it should have their licenses revoked.

macpatti

I have a 12 year old with autism. I can assure you there is nothing "fashionable" about this. I know many children diagnosed with autism, and none of them I would consider a bogus case.

macpatti

I'm a research psychologist, and I think it's disgusting when parents decide their kid has a problem and finds a doctor to confirm that. I don't know about your figures on 70% of cases being brats, but I'm going to say that I highly doubt it is quite that high. Autism spectrum disorders are very real, very tough disorders for both the individual and the parents/family. I've worked with some autism spectrum disorder kids, and man... they just want to be normal. They don't want the diagnosis, but it's there, like a red letter on their chest. A badge of pain they have to carry around wherever they go. Anyone who intentionally applies that spot to their child is sick, and the therapists who go along with it should have their licenses revoked.

I can't imagine a parent wanting to be told their child has autism if they don't see real signs of it. I just can't even fathom why you'd want that. When my son got diagnosed with autism (he's high functioning), he smiled and gave the doctor a thumb's up. The doctor asked him why he seemed so happy and David said, "Because now I know why I'm different". So, a diagnosis can make you feel better knowing WHY your child acts a certain way, but it shouldn't be something you want if he doesn't.

macpatti

Her teacher and 2 of her therapists have agreed that as many as 70% of the supposedly Autistic kids they see are just plain old brats who need to be properly disciplined and pulled away from the TV from time to time.

My thought is that was an ignorant, unprofessional statement for your daughter's therapists and teacher to say. One of my favorite quotes about autism is, "Discipline does not cure autism, but thanks for your concern". I suggest your daughter's teacher and therapists go back for some additional training in autism.

katatak1

I'm a research psychologist, and I think it's disgusting when parents decide their kid has a problem and finds a doctor to confirm that. I don't know about your figures on 70% of cases being brats, but I'm going to say that I highly doubt it is quite that high. Autism spectrum disorders are very real, very tough disorders for both the individual and the parents/family. I've worked with some autism spectrum disorder kids, and man... they just want to be normal. They don't want the diagnosis, but it's there, like a red letter on their chest. A badge of pain they have to carry around wherever they go. Anyone who intentionally applies that spot to their child is sick, and the therapists who go along with it should have their licenses revoked.

I can't imagine a parent wanting to be told their child has autism if they don't see real signs of it. I just can't even fathom why you'd want that. When my son got diagnosed with autism (he's high functioning), he smiled and gave the doctor a thumb's up. The doctor asked him why he seemed so happy and David said, "Because now I know why I'm different". So, a diagnosis can make you feel better knowing WHY your child acts a certain way, but it shouldn't be something you want if he doesn't.

Wow, I'm so glad your son was happy to know why he was different! I imagine having a supportive family and being high functioning improved his outlook. I know it was such a struggle for the last boy I worked with (16 at the time) because he was so frustrated that he would never be allowed to drive (impulse control), was terrified of the oven and all bugs, including butterflies, and had no friends. Being autistic, or even thinking your kid might be autistic is never something I would wish on anyone. You and your husband seem to be good and loving people, so I am glad your son was born into a family that can handle his disorder with patience and love.

macpatti

I know it was such a struggle for the last boy I worked with (16 at the time) because he was so frustrated that he would never be allowed to drive (impulse control), was terrified of the oven and all bugs, including butterflies, and had no friends.

David has no real friends, either. Every other day he'll come home saying, "I have a friend today". What he means by that is there was a kid who didn't make fun of him. Heart breaking. David is high functioning academically, but severly deficient in social skills. We're working so hard with him! The other night he was laying next to me on my bed and said, "I might just live with you until I'm 50". I think he really wanted reassurance that was okay with us because the thought of going out on his own is scary.

skylark94

I am most certainly not saying that Autism is not real, but I have seen the doctor shopping first hand from a mom in one of my support groups. She spent 5 years shopping around for a dx so her son could get more time taking tests in school. I blame the whole vaccine mess for putting the Autism idea into so many heads.

Macpatti- I feel for your son. My daughter has no friends either due to her behavior issues. Most adults, let alone kids, don't understand or know what to do with Lily when she screams or lashes out. She wants nothing more than to talk to people and will say "hi" to everyone she sees, but few people ever respond to her.

katatak1

David has no real friends, either. Every other day he'll come home saying, "I have a friend today". What he means by that is there was a kid who didn't make fun of him. Heart breaking. David is high functioning academically, but severly deficient in social skills. We're working so hard with him! The other night he was laying next to me on my bed and said, "I might just live with you until I'm 50". I think he really wanted reassurance that was okay with us because the thought of going out on his own is scary.

T. (not putting out client names) was much the same way. Anytime he said he had a friend, he meant someone was nice to him. It really is so heartbreaking. I started letting him refer to me as his friend instead of his mentor (real title was behavioral interventionist), and until about two years ago, I sent him a birthday card each year. He moved into a group home when he was 20, and his parents say it's done wonders for him, and for their marriage. They had a particularly rough situation with one kid being borderline mentally challenged, and another which was a certified genius. Two *very* hard kids to raise.

Working hard as a family is great! I hope it works well, and with focused intervention you can help him be able to live on his own. Since he's diagnosed, has there been any discussion of bringing in someone to help teach life skills? T. had plenty of intervention from his parents, but he seemed less inclined to listen because they were family. When I started working with him, he was going to the principal weekly. After 6 months of work together, he actually went 6 whole weeks without getting in trouble! We worked on reading, cooking, going out in public, filling out job applications, and maintaining a house. Plus we had fun, sometime just hanging out and playing video games. Places like Maxim Healthcare (where I worked) are contracted by the government, and you may be able to get services like this for your son. I know that it really helped T! By the end of working with me, he was actually excited about going out on his own (although still apprehensive). I hope David gets to that point too

macpatti

Since he's diagnosed, has there been any discussion of bringing in someone to help teach life skills? T. had plenty of intervention from his parents, but he seemed less inclined to listen because they were family. When I started working with him, he was going to the principal weekly. After 6 months of work together, he actually went 6 whole weeks without getting in trouble! We worked on reading, cooking, going out in public, filling out job applications, and maintaining a house. Plus we had fun, sometime just hanging out and playing video games. Places like Maxim Healthcare (where I worked) are contracted by the government, and you may be able to get services like this for your son. I know that it really helped T! By the end of working with me, he was actually excited about going out on his own (although still apprehensive). I hope David gets to that point too

Yes, he gets all kinds of therapy. He has a life skills therapist, a social behavior therapist, a support group, his behavioral interventionist, and speech therapy. My favorite "life skill" to work on is when he has to take me on a date! He has to practice asking me and how he would behave if on a date. He's got a LONG way to go....ha! He has no filter, so tells you exactly what he's thinking. Last date he asked me to "get my hair dyed so I wouldn't have greys" before our date! Love that kid!

macpatti

I am most certainly not saying that Autism is not real, but I have seen the doctor shopping first hand from a mom in one of my support groups. She spent 5 years shopping around for a dx so her son could get more time taking tests in school. I blame the whole vaccine mess for putting the Autism idea into so many heads.

Autism will not ensure extended time on testing. That's what you get with ADD/ADHD diagnosis.

katatak1

Last date he asked me to "get my hair dyed so I wouldn't have greys" before our date! Love that kid!

Lol, sounds like a real comedian!

castadiva

While I agree that doctor-shopping for the sake of extra time etc isn't a good idea (and there seem to be many potentially-incorrect diagnoses in apparently neuro-normal, but somewhat rambunctious kids, whose parents want a medical reason for spirited childhood exploits - which is not at ALL to say that genuine cases are mis-labeled, or that 'discipline' is the issue for truly-autistic kids, just that I've seen too many energetic kids with age-normal impulse-control issues labelled and/or medicated into submission), it's quite a fine line to walk. My instincts are to trust a parent's view of their child, up to a certain point (Munchausens', anyone?) - if someone is convinced there is an issue, it may take several doctors to find the one who is receptive, able to connect with the child, and/or sufficiently educated/up-to-date to correctly identify the problem and make a diagnosis, if one is necessary.

Doctors are fallible human beings with their own prejudices and pet beliefs - in my case, for example, a little doctor-shopping was entirely necessary, but for the reverse reason - an educational psychologist with a pet project, ahead of his time (mid-80s NZ), but not particularly well-educated in the syndrome, who wanted to diagnose me as having Aspergers, because I was physically clumsy, often missed non-verbal signals in the classroom, and had profound difficulty socialising with my peers. Text-book, right? What he forgot to consider in his enthusiasm for the 'new' diagnosis was that I was a year or two younger than my classmates, ergo my physical coordination was less developed, that I missed non-verbals because I was so bored that I was often in my own mind thinking about anything other than my surroundings, and had trouble socialising because I had, and used, the vocabulary of a fairly advanced 12 or 13 year old, despite being only 6. Thank goodness my mother trusted her instincts and took me to several other EPs, who firstly negated the diagnosis, and finally, one came up with a 'diagnosis' nowhere near the autistic spectrum, and a practical solution to the issues I was having at school, or I might very easily have become one of the statistics, at a time when understanding of these issues was still extremely limited.

I don't feel like I've expressed myself very well here. I guess what I'm saying is that second, and even third or fourth opinions are sometimes necessary, and positive developments. I'd hate to see a system that penalised or prevented parents from seeking alternative opinons arise because of the dysfunctional behaviour of certain adults who 'shop around' to get a diagnosis for the wrong reasons.

rml_16

I don't know about autism, so I won't comment on that. But I watched my mother's best friend doctor shop to get an ADHD diagnosis for her youngest. He misbehaved terribly with Mom, who was a pushover and never said no to anything. When his oldest sister (my best friend) had him away from Mom, and actually disciplined him, he was perfectly fine.

Another friend, when I met her, had her kids at a private religious school and the teachers didn't have to be certified. Her middle daughter's teacher was pushing for ADHD meds to control the girl. She was difficult, I will admit. Anyway, my friend finally won the battle with her ex and got her daughter into a public school with a certified, trained teacher and suddenly the behavior problems at school cleared up entirely.

I'm sure there are children out there actually in need of treatment, but I have very personal experience with two who didn't.

skylark94

I don't know about autism, so I won't comment on that. But I watched my mother's best friend doctor shop to get an ADHD diagnosis for her youngest. He misbehaved terribly with Mom, who was a pushover and never said no to anything. When his oldest sister (my best friend) had him away from Mom, and actually disciplined him, he was perfectly fine.

Another friend, when I met her, had her kids at a private religious school and the teachers didn't have to be certified. Her middle daughter's teacher was pushing for ADHD meds to control the girl. She was difficult, I will admit. Anyway, my friend finally won the battle with her ex and got her daughter into a public school with a certified, trained teacher and suddenly the behavior problems at school cleared up entirely.

I'm sure there are children out there actually in need of treatment, but I have very personal experience with two who didn't.

My son's 1st grade teacher last year tried to convince us he had ADD. My response was, "No, he's just a flake". Even though he barely squeaked by, the school promoted him to 2nd. We then requested he be dropped back to repeat 1st this year. He is absolutely THRIVING now. He is reading at grade level and is above grade in math.

My son is small for his age and is immature, so holding him back allowed him some time to grow up.

skylark94

I just realized I had a significant type-o in my OP. I fat fingered the 10 key on my keyboard. My 70% should have been a 40%. It's too late to go back and edit.

Bahet

I don't know about autism, so I won't comment on that. But I watched my mother's best friend doctor shop to get an ADHD diagnosis for her youngest. He misbehaved terribly with Mom, who was a pushover and never said no to anything. When his oldest sister (my best friend) had him away from Mom, and actually disciplined him, he was perfectly fine.

Another friend, when I met her, had her kids at a private religious school and the teachers didn't have to be certified. Her middle daughter's teacher was pushing for ADHD meds to control the girl. She was difficult, I will admit. Anyway, my friend finally won the battle with her ex and got her daughter into a public school with a certified, trained teacher and suddenly the behavior problems at school cleared up entirely.

I'm sure there are children out there actually in need of treatment, but I have very personal experience with two who didn't.

I agree. There are a lot of kids out there who supposedly have ADHD who are just brats in desperate need of some discipline. I see autism as a whole other thing though.

Grimmerick

I just realized I had a significant type-o in my OP. I fat fingered the 10 key on my keyboard. My 70% should have been a 40%. It's too late to go back and edit.

There ya go, I changed it to 40% for ya! Perks of having one of the Mod jobs lol

california_peach

The issue that I see with Autism is that many conditions have been lumped in together into the blanket term of Autism Spectrum Disorders. I agree that many conditions lumped into this category may not belong there and this may be why they breaking them back out in the next revision of the DSM (or so I have been told).

My son is very high functioning and mostly experiences social issues and anxiety issues. I have made every effort to procure for him all the resources that I can on a non existent budget. This in and of itself is as near to a nightmare as one can get. Insurance does not cover very much in the way of services for Autistic individuals and perhaps that I because of the mindset that this is an imagined condition. My son is disciplined appropriately and behaves near perfectly in public (not so at home..LOL,). What I also see is parents of Autistic children being afraid to discipline their children because of the diagnosis. Perhaps this is what your teachers are seeing,