Argumentative Essay Over Autism
Autism- Is There an Issue with Over Diagnosing?
One in 68 boys and one in 189 girls are diagnosed with autism in America. This means that in our school, potentially 28 boys and 10 girls have autism. As a junior in high school I was able to read many articles about Autism and over diagnosing. There could be many people at your school who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and you would not know. I will be talking about what Autism is, if there is an issue of over diagnosing ASD, and the reasons why people believe there is over diagnosing.
Autism, also known as ASD, is a mental condition that is acknowledged in early childhood to adult years. In the article called What is Autism it says that ASD is characterized in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors. People touched by autism may excel in visual skills, music, math, and art while they will have troubles with motor coordination, being able to pay attention, and physical health issues. ASD causes some drawbacks in a …show more content…
person’s life but allows them to succeed in education and creativity. Diagnosing Autism starts at an early age. The article NIMH Autism spectrum it says Most children begin treatment for ASD at age two when a parent or teacher raises concerns. There are two stages people go through when being diagnosed. The first stage is called General Development Screening during Well- Child Checkups and the second stage us called Additional Evaluation. Diagnosing begins at an early stage with a lot of signs to look for.
With the constant rise in numbers, ASD has been accused of over diagnosing. According to the article Autism, ADHD by Lisa Evans, it states that 30% of the children who were diagnosed did not fit the criteria for autism within a few years after being diagnosed. Autism is supposed to be a lifelong disability so the number of people who no longer fit the criteria are rising. Kids are also being diagnosed during the growing stages of their life when they are having troubles maturing and developing. In the article Autism, ADHD Misdiagnosis, it says “When you only use the list of criteria and put checkmarks” you will end up with over-diagnosing. Normal child behaviors like trouble concentrating, being easily distracted, hyperactivity, forgetfulness, fidgeting, and difficulty waiting their turn can easily be mistaken for autism. We are too quick to judge a child for autism.
While you can argue that we may be over diagnosing autism, there may be a reason the numbers have rose so dramatically.
With more education brought change to the criteria for diagnosing autism. According the article Diagnostic Substitution Drives Autism Spike by Jo Craven McGinty, it says that the change of criteria increased the ASD rate by 60%. Also, children who may have been diagnosed for something in the past are actually autistic. This shows that with new education on the disability we are able to accurately notice the signs of autism. Lastly, now we have a better idea of what causes autism. In the article Nature or Nurture by David Templeton, it explains how scientists have discovered that gene mutations play a large role in the development of ASD. In addition to genes, the environment the baby is in before or during birth can affect their chances of the disease. Between genes and environment, we are closer to discovering the true cause of
Autism.
As we come to an end, I hope today you were able to learn more about autism and how it is diagnosed. ASD can affect many aspects of someone’s life but may help them excel in math, English, and music. Over-diagnosing may look as though there is a problem because of the increasing rate affected by autism, but as criteria for autism changes so is the percentage of people who will be affected by it. Autism changes many students lives and you may not realize it. Autism is not a disability, it’s a different ability.
.
One in 68 boys and one in 189 girls are diagnosed with autism in America. This means that in our school, potentially 28 boys and 10 girls have autism. As a junior in high school I was able to read many articles about Autism and over diagnosing. There could be many people at your school who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and you would not know. I will be talking about what Autism is, if there is an issue of over diagnosing ASD, and the reasons why people believe there is over diagnosing.
Autism, also known as ASD, is a mental condition that is acknowledged in early childhood to adult years. In the article called What is Autism it says that ASD is characterized in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors. People touched by autism may excel in visual skills, music, math, and art while they will have troubles with motor coordination, being able to pay attention, and physical health issues. ASD causes some drawbacks in a …show more content…
person’s life but allows them to succeed in education and creativity. Diagnosing Autism starts at an early age. The article NIMH Autism spectrum it says Most children begin treatment for ASD at age two when a parent or teacher raises concerns. There are two stages people go through when being diagnosed. The first stage is called General Development Screening during Well- Child Checkups and the second stage us called Additional Evaluation. Diagnosing begins at an early stage with a lot of signs to look for.
With the constant rise in numbers, ASD has been accused of over diagnosing. According to the article Autism, ADHD by Lisa Evans, it states that 30% of the children who were diagnosed did not fit the criteria for autism within a few years after being diagnosed. Autism is supposed to be a lifelong disability so the number of people who no longer fit the criteria are rising. Kids are also being diagnosed during the growing stages of their life when they are having troubles maturing and developing. In the article Autism, ADHD Misdiagnosis, it says “When you only use the list of criteria and put checkmarks” you will end up with over-diagnosing. Normal child behaviors like trouble concentrating, being easily distracted, hyperactivity, forgetfulness, fidgeting, and difficulty waiting their turn can easily be mistaken for autism. We are too quick to judge a child for autism.
While you can argue that we may be over diagnosing autism, there may be a reason the numbers have rose so dramatically.
With more education brought change to the criteria for diagnosing autism. According the article Diagnostic Substitution Drives Autism Spike by Jo Craven McGinty, it says that the change of criteria increased the ASD rate by 60%. Also, children who may have been diagnosed for something in the past are actually autistic. This shows that with new education on the disability we are able to accurately notice the signs of autism. Lastly, now we have a better idea of what causes autism. In the article Nature or Nurture by David Templeton, it explains how scientists have discovered that gene mutations play a large role in the development of ASD. In addition to genes, the environment the baby is in before or during birth can affect their chances of the disease. Between genes and environment, we are closer to discovering the true cause of
Autism.
As we come to an end, I hope today you were able to learn more about autism and how it is diagnosed. ASD can affect many aspects of someone’s life but may help them excel in math, English, and music. Over-diagnosing may look as though there is a problem because of the increasing rate affected by autism, but as criteria for autism changes so is the percentage of people who will be affected by it. Autism changes many students lives and you may not realize it. Autism is not a disability, it’s a different ability.
.