Has Your Child Been Diagnosed With Fake Autistism Spectrum Disorder?

20 Jul 2011: Claims have been made today on The Daily Telegraph website, that some parents and doctors are conspiring together, so that their children are ‘labelled’ as autistic, in order to receive further assistance in the classroom.

The amount of children who have been diagnosed with autism has risen by 165% in the last eight years. And the number of children who have been diagnosed with mental health disorders has also risen by 75% since 2003.

Reports state that some children aren’t able to be placed into any particular category to receive adequate assistance at school, and are subsequently falling further behind. Allegations have been made that children with behavioural problems, are more likely to be ignored when it comes to receiving government assistance, than someone who has been formally diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In desperate efforts to see their children succeed in their education, parents are willing to except the label of a more severe diagnosis, than what their child would normally receive, such as Autism, as government funding has recently become more available in that area.

Ms Vicki Gibbs, clinical psychologist and manager of diagnostic assessment services at Autism Spectrum Australia, said that there was a small group of people happy to have their children diagnosed with autism, because giving them a label was the only way they could get help.

This just goes to show how backward our education system and Australian government is. Once upon a time, there wasn’t enough help for children with Autism, now there is a little more, (probably still not enough to help everyone) and people are trying to steal the available assistance. It’s ludicrous! There needs to be more assistance available for all children who need it. They are the future, and if they aren’t being nurtured from a young age, to become the best that they can be, then our country is going to suffer in the long run. The government needs to wake up and see what’s really important, they need to start prioritising issues, and stop wasting money on other issues that aren’t as urgent.

Early intervention for children with Autism is so important for their development, and if every Tom, Dick and Harry starts being diagnosed with it, then it’s going to take the necessary funding away from those who truly need it. I’m not saying that children with behavioural disorders don’t deserve attention as well, in fact, I think it’s just as important, but there needs to be more funding available for all types of disabilities, so that every child has the best opportunity for a great future.

To view the Daily Telegraph’s original article, click here: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/faking-autism-to-get-help-for-kids-according-to-claims-made-by-autism-spectrum-australia/story-e6freuy9-1226097806649