Is there really an over diagnosis of ADHD/ Autism?
Caitlyn Woodbury
Is there really an over diagnosis of ADHD/ Autism?
Over the news in recent months, many people have been asking the question of whether there may be an over diagnosis of neurodivergent conditions such as ADHD and autism. Now, I’d like to preface this with the disclaimer that I am not an expert or a researcher in this field. I am just a second year university student that understands the diagnostic process.
So why do people believe there is an over diagnosis? I believe that one reason is the fact that autism is a spectrum, which can confuse a lot of people. Seeing someone who is nonverbal and more intellectually challenged get the same diagnosis as someone with a PhD can seem contradictory. To some people it can seem as if a general label is being pushed that does not apply to everyone who is diagnosed with it.
Additionally, cases have risen significantly in recent years. In the last 15 years, cases seem to have risen from 1% of children to around 4%, which is of course a big jump. However, it is now being understood that the original surveys did have weaknesses, and there was an under diagnosis is previous years. But this jump is due to many reasons. For example, assessments are becoming more accessible, with private companies now letting NHS patients use them which helps to decrease a large waiting list. As well as this, autism education has increased massively. People are now more aware of traits to look out for. More significantly, people are now more aware of what autism in women and girls looks like, as it is not the same as men.
This large increase in cases is making experts believe that the percentage will continue growing above the believed baseline of the population’s proportion. However, this is only an estimate due to the possibility that the baseline might not be true.
Another idea to take into consideration is the rise in cases of left-handed people. Once this was accepted and people were no longer forced to write with their right hand, there was a large jump in the percentage. Eventually, the rates plateaued and stayed around the now established baseline. We have to think this is possible for autism and ADHD cases.
We also have to take into consideration the actual diagnoses process. Especially in children, there are a multitude of people interviewed, such as parents and teachers, in order to give as much context as possible. In adults and young people, a parent is still interviewed so that the childhood can still be understood. And it is not just anyone conducting these assessments. They are experienced professionals with PhDs who definitely know what they are doing. They know how to look out for masking, for pretending and anything else that could affect the process. Once the interviews are done it can take 6 weeks or longer to even find out the decision, due to the time and care taken into the assessment.
Overall, I personally believe that it is too soon to say if there is an over diagnosis crisis. Also, it might be worth listening to the experts rather than myself. I think over the next 5-10 years we could see a plateau, as long as the assessment process is amended to ensure that people no longer have to wait years just to be heard.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further please don’t be afraid to email me, I love a yap :)
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