Doctors Still Don't Know How to Diagnose Autism
By Anne Dachel
Doctors still don’t know how to diagnose autism---
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have a very difficult role to play when it comes to what they do about the autism epidemic. Both organizations have to appear concerned (since something affecting more than one percent of U.S. children is a little hard to ignore), yet not alarmed over autism. In addition, they have to be making some efforts to find answers at the same time they’re clearly paralyzed by the ramifications of this growing health care nightmare.
For the past couple of decades, the CDC and the AAP have looked on passively as more and more kids fell victim to autism. Doctors have received most of the credit as the exponential increase was attributed to “better diagnosing.”
On Thurs., March 29, 2012, CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden gave us the new rate of one in every 88 children/one in every 54 boys, not at a well-publicized official press conference in Atlanta covered by masses of national news people, but with a hastily announced conference call. And on Mar 29, 2012 in Discovery News Frieden claimed, “It’s possible the rise is entirely due to better detection of autism.”
The better diagnosing can most likely be traced back to the changes in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1994 when the high functioning form of autism called Asperger’s Syndrome was added to the definition. In addition, at the AAP convention in Oct 2007, the leadership recommended early screening for autism at well-baby checks.
Autism wasn't a crisis for the AAP in 2007 and it isn't today. The AAP had no answers in 2007 and they have no answers today, more than five years later. The only big difference is that in 2007, the autism rate was one in every 150 children and today it’s one in every 88 kids/one in every 54 boys. No CDC official can tell a new mother what she can do to prevent her baby from also ending up on the autism spectrum. Officially, there is no known cause or cure for autism. Incredibly, no one at the AAP or the CDC is alarmed nor has any officials ever called autism a CRISIS, no matter what the jaw-dropping rate.
All this would seem to indicate that the medical community has a handle on what autism is doing to our nation. If nothing else, doctors are able to find autism early which means kids get the help they need as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, we’re now learning even this claim simply isn’t true. It may be 18 years since the DSM added Asperger’s and five since the AAP told their doctors to look for the signs of autism in babies, but as CBS News reported on May 24, 2012, doctors still aren’t able to recognize autism in a developing boy or girl. In the story, More than half of school-aged kids with autism diagnosed at 5 or older, CBS reporter, Michelle Castillo, told us, “Although the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends pediatricians screen children for autism at 18 months, new government research shows more work has to be done. More than half of school-aged kids with autism in the U.S. were 5-years-old or older by the time they were diagnosed.”
Many of us in the autism community look on the AAP/CDC call for early diagnosis as nothing but lip service in the first place and now we learn they can’t even get that right. Autism is the disorder where no one knows anything for sure. Everything is a “maybe.” Asperger’s may have been added in 1984 as a big step forward, but experts are now preparing to remove it from the DSM.
There hasn’t been any real progress since the days when those in the know said autism was because of “refrigerator moms.” We’re still blaming mothers everywhere. Here’s a list of the latest findings on things associated with autism:
Moms who take antidepressants while pregnant
Moms who develop a fever while pregnant
Moms who have babies too close together
Moms who smoke while pregnant
Moms who are older
Moms who are obese
Moms who live too close to freeways
Everything about autism is anybody’s guess.
On May 21, 2012, Education Week published the story, Families Don't Seek Help for Autism from Pediatricians.
Readers were told that “a small new study discussed at the International Meeting for Autism Research in Toronto last week found that parents didn't expect their pediatricians to provide autism-specific treatment, and many pediatricians don't view autism treatment as within the scope of their work.”
Can anyone tell us why we shouldn’t walk away from all of these people as fast as we can?
Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism. Subscribe to her newsfeed at AnneDachel.com.
Parents with children on the spectrum not going to the pediatrician (sarcasm here) imagine that! My son went in for a physical yesterday. He is almost ten and weighs only 58 pounds - the same as his soon to be 8 year old brother. He has not gained one single, solitary pound in over a year, has dark circles under his eyes, and is having flare ups of his bowel disease again (thank you so much vaccines). Her response when I bring all this up - wait for it - "he is doing great!" WTF?! Complete.Waste.of.time.
Posted by: Rachel | June 13, 2012 at 01:17 AM
Some parallels here from the town of Allopath:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do3bhS3aSNg
"Traffic accidents are caused by skid marks. I have found and documented a near 100% correlation between traffic accidents and skid marks."
One would also find "near 100% correlation" between increased prevalence and increasing awareness, but the medical community really trumps this fiction I think, saying it's the awareness that causes the prevalence.
Posted by: Jeannette Bishop | May 31, 2012 at 02:17 AM
Surely they are beginning to be embarrassed by all their "cluelessness" over their inane autism "research." I mean I am really embarrassed for them and their cluelessness is being outed more and more.
Posted by: Jen | May 31, 2012 at 12:22 AM
Terri;
I have a sister-in-law that kept saying God did not make mistakes and her twin sons were not mistakes. It took her 20 years to finally accept that it was the vaccines. I kept telling her what happened to mine and asking her - and she kept saying they were fine after thier vaccines.
Why is it that none of them wanted to know details to why I thought it was the vaccines. I only had one person in my entire life that wanted details.
I finally forced her to listen to the details of what happened to mine five years ago.
Most Americans go around with their head in the sand - not on purpose - it is just a busy, busy time when your kids are little, they are sick, while most trusted people - federal agencies, docs, medical people, univerisities are all telling you vaccines are safe and not the reason.
Posted by: Benedetta | May 30, 2012 at 09:18 PM
Twyla
My son meets them all except cause unknown.
So, that means he no longer on the spectrum.
Is there still a spectrum?
Posted by: Benedetta | May 30, 2012 at 04:59 PM
Benedetta,
You have totally nailed it on what Simpsonwood was all about.
You'd think any parent of an affected child who has been shown Simpsonwood would get it. . .you would be sadly wrong.
Denial ain't just a river in Egypt, as they say.
And mob bosses is exactly, literally what they are.
Posted by: Terri Lewis | May 30, 2012 at 01:48 PM
They've added some new criteria to the definition of autism. There used to be three criteria but now there are six:
1) impaired social interaction
2) impaired communication
3) repetitive restrictive behavior/interests
4) cause unknown
5) has not won a case in vaccine court
6) never recovers
Autism remains such a mystery, except that we know it is NOT caused by vaccines!
Posted by: Twyla | May 30, 2012 at 12:28 AM
Imagine a world where doctors were ONLY paid if they actually helped people. Imagine unemployment lines filled with doctors. Imagine a whole new world of medicine opening up, that is Humanity based.
Elizabeth Thode
Posted by: Elizabeth Thode | May 30, 2012 at 12:23 AM
I turned 53 today, my mother reminded me that I was a preemie and how she smoked while she was pregnant with me, back then no one knew better. Today she told me something I did not know,her Doctor recommended that she take diet pills(speed) because she was gaining weight to fast,during her pregnancy!!! I could not help but think that in a few years the medical community will look back and unsafe vaccines will be the equivalent of these 2 moronic ideas. The sad thing is the smoking and diet pill combo gave me a better shot at life than my vaccine damaged autistic son.
Posted by: Rich | May 29, 2012 at 11:07 PM
Hi Adam, "Shot in the Dark" mentioned mercury and aluminium. But I do understand what you meant - they finally was hammered on top of the head with this information at Simpson Wood - Simpson stuck on to the name sounds reasonable since they all remind me of Homer Simpson.
Hi Eileen: 1 out of 88 is because of "the better diagnosis" was to all of us that have been there and through it a hand slap to the forehead in frustration. You have a child not talking when they get to school- gets the schools attention.
We all knew it was the schools not the ped or docs that are catching them to begin with. Better diagnosis!!! Really? As the numbers needing special ed services have continued to inch up year after year. Let us remember the name of the man that said those words, shall we. Maybe I need to go look up his picture.
Aussie Mom; It really is not all that hard with a kid not talking. But I have to admit that in the book "Blaze" the mother in that book thought her son was gifted?????? So, I guess there is need for the mess you are talking about "Down Under", but really if a mother doesn't have a clue then there is not going to be any help sought and nothing untill school.
Posted by: Benedetta | May 29, 2012 at 10:01 PM
Neither a doctor nor a paediatrician will diagnose Autism in Australia.
Your doctor will refer you to a paediatrician, then your paediatrician will refer you to a psychologist. The psychologist will assess your child according to the DSM III or DSM IV (or very soon the DSM V).
Then the psychologist assessing your child will 'sign off' on the assessment, a psychologist who "popped" in to sight your child's assessment will 'sign off', the "Consultant Child Psychiatrist" who never sighted your child will 'sign off' and the "Neuropsychologist" who also never sighted your child will 'sign off' on the findings and all the labels now attached to your child.
You then have to return to your paediatrician with all the labels and fill out forms to receive some services from the government (this will only cover your child for about 3 years).
If you are financially struggling you can return to your doctor (with all the labels) to fill out their forms to receive more services (less than the paediatricians).
After that you are on your own: Out-Of-Pocket-Expenses!
The Australian government couldn't make this any more convoluted if they tried.
And to "top it all off" you are left wondering/stressed out, what the future holds for your "non-verbal" child.
Elizabeth Gillespie
Posted by: AussieMum | May 29, 2012 at 08:07 PM
Anne, thanks as always. A child not diagnosed with autism by age 5 does not have autism. My son was kicked out of kindergarten at age 5 because he could not talk; this was back in 1967 before special ed had become the law. He had been diagnosed with autism at age 4 because of his difficulties with language. We hoped going to school with normal children might help.
With excellent schooling in a residential program, we thought he had outgrown all of his developmental problems by age 7. By age 17 it was clear he had not. He does have “Asperger syndrome”, but this has become chic, and attracted too many impostors. I am glad for the DSM-5 changes.
Language is the major (and most horrific) handicap of children with autism. Language handicap cannot be overlooked past the age of 3 or 4 at the latest. Most journalists have garbled ideas about autism, but this clearly reflects the garbled thinking of the medical profession, who don’t want to admit to any possibility of iatrogenic causes.
Posted by: Eileen Nicole Simon | May 29, 2012 at 07:20 PM
RE: Benedetta
I was referring to Simpsonwood. Did you understand the toxicity of thimerosal and the tie in to autism causation back in 1988? The passage of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 was an admission back then of brain injury and death caused by vaccines. But from reading the simpsonwood transcript I don't think Tom Verstraton and many of the others in the room had realized that the mercury poisoning in the vaccine schedule was causing the so called "autism" epidemic until as he said he went back and looked at the literature and thought its plausible. This is from a transcript that he thought you and I would never see. So I suppose he was telling the truth. There were many other people in that room who may have known but were keeping there mouth shut like the representatives from Merck whose chief vaccine developer Maurice Hilleman had told them that the Hg dose from all those shots "seems rather large". Makes me wander who knew what about who's agendas in that room.
Posted by: Adam M | May 29, 2012 at 07:14 PM
Adam are you talking about Simpson Wood ---Oh please they knew way before that -- I told them - myself in 1988- and I was on the tale end of a bunch of other mothers telling them the same thing. I spoke on the phone to a high up at the National Institute of Health
The Simpson Wood thing was for three reasons. 1.) To chekc with each other on the stats - to make sure it was still around just 1 percent 2.) Dan Burton was about to do hearings and they just wanted to get together like mob bosses sometimes do to make sure the hatches were all buttoned down. 3.) To make sure no one breaths a word that it is a mitochondria deal and link it to besity and diabetes and thyroid problems --
Dr. Jon Poling is really a hero to unveil his findings on his daughter to us all.
Posted by: Benedetta | May 29, 2012 at 06:23 PM
My grandson was clearly vaccine injured, but if he was not technically diagnosed with regressive "autism", he would not be qualified for his autism disability therapies. Although most of us on AoA have become convinced by the FACTS that the majority of children diagnosed with "autism" are actually Vaccine Injured, and have thus become very physically sick in many ways, as opposed to an "inherited and incurable brain disorder", Big Pharma will never revise their diagnostic criteria to reflect vaccine injuries for obvious reasons. The new diagnostic criteria for DSM-V, proposed for 2013, has been estimated to exclude 40% of those currently diagnosed with autism:
Analysis of new diagnostic criteria for autism sparks debate
http://sfari.org/news-and-opinion/news/2012/analysis-of-new-diagnostic-criteria-for-autism-sparks-debate
"Fred Volkmar and his collaborators at Yale University reanalyzed data originally collected in the early 1990s as part of the field tests for the DSM-IV.
The data came from surveys collected during the field trials for the DSM-IV, carried out in the early 1990s. The surveys encompassed criteria from both the DSM-IV and the earlier DSM-III, which were collected from nearly 1,000 people: 657 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders and the remainder with disorders not related to autism. To estimate the specificity and sensitivity of the DSM-5 criteria, researchers matched survey questions from the original study to the items in the DSM-5 checklist that they judged to be closest in wording and meaning. (Sensitivity means correctly detecting those who have the disorder, and specificity refers to accurately excluding those who do not.)
The new version is “much more specific but less sensitive,” says James McPartland, one of the researchers involved in the study.
According to the findings, only about 60 percent of people who were given a clinical diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder in 1994 meet the new diagnostic criteria. Specific numbers vary by the type of diagnosis and by intelligence quotient (IQ). For example, about 25 percent of those with Asperger syndrome and 28 percent of those with PDD-NOS are still classified as having autism. Among people with lower IQs, 70 percent meet the new criteria, whereas only 46 percent of people with higher IQs meet the definition.
“It’s not just that the criteria of DSM-5 narrow the spectrum across the full range of IQ,” says Skuse. “According to this analysis, it disproportionately narrows for those on the higher end of the spectrum.”
A handful of other recent studies have come to a similar conclusion4."
Since the current "official" statistic of 1 in 88 is not actually current and is not factually accurate, the real statistic is worse than this. Even with manipulating statistics the autism rate is continuing to climb so the only hope for the medical hierarchy is to simply re-define the diagnostic criteria and presto, by next year there will be 40% less children with autism....and 40% less children who qualify for therapies and assistance. This will not only serve to make the unsuspecting public less concerned about the rising rate of autism, but will also save the state and federal government ALOT of MONEY.
Posted by: AutismGrandma | May 29, 2012 at 06:16 PM
Its all cutting edge science doncha know .. blunt knife, fresh baked bread, and smash the loaf.
They know that it is the vaccines .. never forget the Phlogiston Theory, and then you have the mindset .. hard nuts .. ripe for cracking.
Posted by: Ivor | May 29, 2012 at 05:28 PM
Obviously sometime in the month's prior to 6/7-8/2000 at least some at the CDC, FDA & AAP knew what was causing all this. And after that weekend they all became the most vile criminals in recent history. I don't know how they came to the place to have their consciences seared beyond compassion but every case of vaccine caused brain injury since that weekend is on their heads. They know it and that is why short of a finding the Lord they will never come clean. Their sins have trapped them.
Posted by: Adam M | May 29, 2012 at 04:29 PM
I would not want the world to be completely pediatrician-free.
Some DAN doctors are pediatricians - and DAN doctors have helped many children with autism to improve their health and functioning.
But any pediatrician (or other doctor - don't limit it to any one specialty) who will not listen to parents, labels mothers or fathers as "hysterical", or will not answer parents' questions and concerns fully and completely needs to leave the profession.
Posted by: Carolyn M | May 29, 2012 at 04:25 PM
@julia- I agree with you. The only reason a lot of parents see pediatricians is to get the Early Childhood Assessment Record filled out so their children can go to school ( at least the people I have met in NJ and CT). Otherwise, these clowns wouldn't have a hold over us- but at the moment they do. And many moms can't homeschool their kids. Suggestions?
Posted by: Michelle | May 29, 2012 at 12:53 PM
It needs to not be called autism anymore unless the child proves to be an incurable case. These kids are not given medical workups prior to diagnosis. I've said it a million times. Any doctor or clinician who labels a child with autism (an incurable neurological disorder)or any neurological disorder without first giving them a medical workup (including GI, immune, metabolic, nutients, allergies, etc)should be sued for negilgence. This would stop the negligence. Doctors were made to be afraid of looking for medical reasons for these children's symptoms and doctors need to be made afraid not to look. Give them some ABA. Provide an aversive to decrease the rate of labeling behavior and at the same time provide a reinforcer to increase the proper assessment behavior. What is the reinforcer here????? They would begin to see that so many of these kids are sick, and they would feel the like a hero by helping them. You know how much they love to feel the hero.
Posted by: maggie | May 29, 2012 at 10:25 AM
I really think it is fat pregnant women causing autism. It all makes so much sense!
Kidding...This idiotic causation research has to stop.
Posted by: Katie Wright | May 29, 2012 at 09:50 AM
We need to call it what it is: mitochondrial dysfunction due to poisoning. When it comes to diagnosing, Autism is to vague a term to describe our children b/c autism only describes the behaviors not the root cause. As a starting point to diagnosing, Doctors could test our kids for mitochondrial dysfunction likely due to mitochondrial toxicity triggered by too many vaccines and/or exposure to other toxins in the environment.
Symptoms of a mito problem are as follows:
"The following are features and symptoms that physicians should consider:
1. abnormal fatigue / exercise intolerance
2. developmental stagnation or regression after a viral illness, fever, or vaccine
3. regression following surgery, sedation, or anesthesia
4. poor muscle tone, muscle weakness, or motor incoordination
5. an episode of sudden ataxia (a sudden motor regression at a later age)
6. difficulty handling temperature changes (heat or cold), suggesting autonomic temperature control issues
7. unexplained GI issues (not related to allergies)"
Source: Has Your Child with Autistic Symptoms Been Properly Screened for a Subset of Mitochondrial Disease Known as OXPHOS?
http://www.autismfile.com/science-research/has-your-child-with-autistic-symptoms-been-properly-screened-for-a-subset-of-mitochondrial-disease-known-as-oxphos
The article above should be distributed to every doctor who works with our kids.
Posted by: Sarah | May 29, 2012 at 09:25 AM
You are the main staple that holds the AOA community together. We all missed you at A1 and even if Paul Offit doesn't love you, we do.
Maurine
PS It's ok. he doesn't love Jake either.
Posted by: Maurine Meleck | May 29, 2012 at 09:19 AM
Told ye all there is no way a ped can dignose this with a 15 minute office visit even if it is ever week or two they are seeing the patient!
But don't worry - the schools will do it and it won't take them long at all - unless the school is just horrible.
Posted by: Benedetta | May 29, 2012 at 09:12 AM
I don't consider my children's health within the scope of a pediatrician's work either. In fact, I have decided I have no use for them at all. The world could be completely pediatrician-free for all I care. We'd all be better off.
Posted by: Julia | May 29, 2012 at 08:07 AM
In a world where people REALLY cared, alarm bells would been going off after the first indication that even a single child had gotten hurt.
Instead of continuing to vaccinate until the criminals responsible could produce evidence of their crimes, vaccinating would have been stopped until these idiots could PROVE that their vaccines were safe.
Since when is OK for a "life saving" technology to kill and/or maim a percentage of those who receive it??? Especially when those recipients are DEFENCELESS CHILDREN who have no say in the matter!!!
These jackasses have been going in circles for years. First they attribute the increasing numbers to their own superior ability to diagnose (.. no hubris there), and then they turn around and study genetics as the most probable cause. Even if genetics could produce an epidemic in under 3 decades ... why would you bother studying it if you honestly believed that the epidemic was just a matter of better diagnostics?
Because no matter you call it, or try to blame it on, more and more vaccine injured children are presenting every day. I knew my child had autism a year before the experts could provide a diagnosis. My doctor was blissfully unaware that my son even had an issue, and it literally took me the better part of that year just to convince her to consider autism. And when she did finally concede, she actually suggested that my then non-verbal 3 year old most likely had Aspergers.
On top of that, my son is the first case of autism on either mine or my wife's side. There is literally no one that he could have inherited it from! And to believe he did anyway, is to believe that the new genetic flaw that caused his autism, just happened to appear in the midst of a nationwide epidemic.
Yeah doc, whatever you say.
Posted by: Barry | May 29, 2012 at 07:27 AM
"their" useless hypotheses...sorry when I am so mad I can't see straight it makes it hard to proof!!
Posted by: MelissaD | May 29, 2012 at 07:24 AM
Money wasted on studies like the ones cited above make my blood boil. I have a 9 year old son with autism, born 2002.
I have never taken antidepressants.
I may have developed a fever while pregnant, but do not recall.
He was my first and only child.
I have never smoked - EVER.
I was 30 when I had him (did not know that was old). And my husband was only 30, too.
I was 129 lbs. when I gave birth (yes a really fatty!).
I live in the country.
Gotta love the CDC and AAP and all there useless hypotheses.
What my child did have was the full AAP vaccination schedule through 18 months, including the Hep B on his 2nd day of life even though he was 2 weeks premature and only 5 lbs 13 ounces. At least 5 doses of antibiotics for ear infections and more doses of baby Tylenol than I can count because my ped thought it was the best thing since sliced bread and recommended it all the time for everything.
So thank you CDC and AAP for doing NOTHING to stop the spread of autism. By the time my child was born in 2002 you should have had a clue and certainly 10 years later in 2012 you should know what is going on and how to prevent it, yet you all stand there with your heads in the sand. I hope there is a special place in hell...
Posted by: MelissaD | May 29, 2012 at 07:22 AM
I think you start with one pediatricians office. A peaceful showing of all those affected. Include all kids with adhd, asthma, allergies, autism. They can't just close their eyes anymore. ( can we start with mine, please?? LOL) A protest is due across the country. I often think of standing in front of mine with a big sign. "My child's symptoms were ignored - Autism is treatable"
Posted by: Mom who wants better pediatricians for our children | May 29, 2012 at 07:18 AM
It is so sad that the vast majority of doctors who go into Pediatrics do not understand that the talking heads of their profession are nothing more than very well compensated Pharma whores, and that the medical research papers they read are not scientific at all, but rather adulterated bologna that is bought and paid for by the industry that controls the very practice of Pediatrics.
I wonder, sometimes, if it hurts these pediatricians or even bothers them just a tad, when one of their little, helpless patients (baby, child, or teenager) is harmed or destroyed by one or more of their scheduled vaccines. Or perhaps, pediatricians just go into denial mode, and shoot up their next patient with a smile. I would think the atrocious side effects from Gardasil, alone, would push some of these pediatricians into the light, but perhaps I am giving them too much credit. So very, very sad, this current practice of pediatrics.
Posted by: Not an MD | May 29, 2012 at 06:07 AM