Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

JudyLyonz t1_j668gxi wrote

I'd be interested in reading the whole study. There are a few things I can think of that could contribute to it.

First, kids who have other types of issues are more likely to be screened for autism because they are already on the radar. Next, have the numbers of children on the spectrum grown or is this a reflection of the broadening of the spectrum and more children being identified?

5 fold seems like a lot but I think, I graduated from school in the 80s and I didn't know anyone in "regular" school who was autistic. Fast forward 25 years and I had a nephew who was identified when he was 3 and began receiving services. He struggled in school but just graduated from college and is now a teacher. If they had not caught it early, he might never have gotten where he is today.

When he was growing up, there were always a few kids, girls and boys, who were identified as being somewhere on the spectrum.

17

MohnJaddenPowers t1_j66ee4t wrote

It makes you wonder how many kids on the spectrum were simply not mainstreamed and received help and services, or just shipped off to institutions.

13

theonetruefishboy t1_j66sza0 wrote

Or, more often, were just labeled as problem children.

14

JudyLyonz t1_j6eeycu wrote

This. As I understand, most kids who are picked up are on the higher end of the spectrum. These are the kids who, when I was a kid in the 70s and 80s, were labeled as being problem kids in one was or another: tantrum throwers, behavioral problems, underperformers, overly sensitive, or just plain weird.

2