Autism Signs May Be Missed in Short Checkups

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See http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news ... 50371.html

Please spread the news.

When expert psychologists who specialized in autism spectrum disorders rated typical and atypical behaviors, and determined whether they would refer that child for an autism evaluation, it was found that 89% of the behavior seen among the children with autism was noted as typical.

The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends universal screening for autism at 18 and 24 months. Spotting an autism spectrum disorder early is important because it can "lead to earlier intervention, which can often have a significant therapeutic benefit for a child with autism spectrum disorders,"

Although studies show about 30 to 50 percent of parents of children with autism do notice a problem in the child's first year of life, and 80 to 90 percent of parents notice problems by age 2, it is not uncommon for children to not be diagnosed until their preschool years, and mildly affected, higher-functioning kids with autism spectrum disorders may not be identified until their school-age years."

I think this concept is obvious - there isn't enough time to develop context in a typical visit. That is why parental instinct is so extremely important.

Our pediatrician was caught off guard when we told him our son was now diagnosed ASD. And I was OK with that, because it was me who had never brought up the concerns - they were happening at school, and school handled it. Although I did realize I had missed an opportunity by never bringing any of it up. But, really, how far could I have ever gotten?

Today, pretty far. If a parent requests something in writing to a pediatrician recommended by the AAP, and the ped refuses the parent can report them to the AAP, and the ped can lose their affiliation. If merely pointed out most peds will just comply.

I posted this so parents would know to ask. Unfortunately, most cases you need to ask. You were fortunate to have a decent school.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends integrated teams for ASD and ADHD led by a neuro-ped, because of all the associated medical issues that contribute to neuro challenges. It is important to recognize these are 1st medical not mental issues. This rarely happens. Commonly it is a fragmented group lead by a psychologist who never had a course in neuroscience. If parents knew and asked, it would happen, at least more often.