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(UK) "Increased public awareness" responsible for 787% increase in autism




May 17, 2024, National World: Education system under pressure due to 787% rise in number of autistic children 

Increased public awareness of autism has prompted a surge in demand for a diagnosis which health and education systems are struggling to match, it has been claimed. Reporter Sophie Warburton investigates.


The huge increase in diagnosed neurodivergent people with more subtle traits is making it difficult for staff and schools to accommodate their needs. In addition, increased waiting times for a diagnosis could prevent individuals who need more support from receiving it faster. They say that teacher training could assist in faster identification but for those displaying mild traits, guidance from mental health professionals, such as counsellors and speech and language therapists, could be an essential first step.


In 2021, The Guardian published an article about a study that showed a 787% rise in the number of diagnoses between 1998 and 2018 in the UK. It stated: “80 years ago, autism was thought to affect one in 2,500 children. That has gradually increased and now one in 36 children are believed to have autism spectrum disorder (ASD).”


The article also raised various expert opinions saying the increase could be from overdiagnosis, “ever-wider assessment boundaries” and more people with mild traits seeking a diagnosis. Victoria Devonshire is a Developmental Psychologist, specialising in Educational Psychology. She spoke of the demands teachers face in spotting particular behaviours in children and said during her teacher training, the focus was on dyscalculia, dyslexia and ADHD. She said this makes it difficult for people and teachers to confidently know specific indicators.


 “The demands on teachers are so many and so varied that if a child is performing well enough and reaching academic targets and is not too disruptive in a class then it is never going to be a priority which is a shame. There is a stigma around labelling and diagnosis so that’s another issue which is important to bear in mind. If the trigger for getting a diagnosis is because of a mental health issue, such as depression, they could be having very difficult outbursts of behaviour and autism might not be thought to be the root of it. So they might get put onto a waiting list which will take even longer and then they might be seen and offered some support but the diagnosis is going to take even longer than it would have if it had just been considered possible autism and been tested straight away. That’s the really hard thing about diagnosis because it is not immediately obvious and autism could be one of the reasons why the child is suffering from depression or severe anxiety which needs treating.”


Victoria said if schools were given more training, and there were more teacher training colleges, there would be a better understanding of the variety of possible indicators of autism. She added that a key component of autism is social communication and language difficulties, which can be identified by a speech and language therapist. Although speech and language therapists cannot officially diagnose autism, Victoria believes the identification of a social communication disorder could be a quicker first step towards diagnosis.  . . . 


In Sarah’s local area, autism diagnosis through the NHS can take around four years. Suppose someone is displaying mild traits, Sarah hopes people can learn and discover more about autism on her TikTok page and feel a sense of community and contentment with or without being diagnosed. Since COVID-19, Sarah has noticed a significant rise in female students seeking her support. In the past, a lot of girls would “mask” their behaviour to appear neurotypical, this could be the reason why eir identification might have gone unknown to teachers and learning support staff. . . . 



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