Diagnosis Autism

Summary

The transcript discusses autism, its early detection, and treatment approaches. Autism is now diagnosed in 1 out of every 150 children in the U.S. Researchers at the UC Davis Mind Institute are exploring early intervention in toddlers to alter the brain’s development. Sally Rogers, a pioneer in autism treatment, works with toddlers to improve their communication. The discussion also touches on parents' struggles, delayed diagnoses, and evolving symptoms in children. Controversies over autism's causes and the rise in diagnoses are examined, as well as advancements in identifying autism by the age of one.

Takeaways

• 📈 Autism prevalence is now estimated to be about 1 in every 150 American children.
• 🤔 There is ongoing debate among parent groups, scientists, and politicians regarding the causes of autism and funding for research.
• 🔍 Behavioral scientists are working to identify early symptoms of autism to diagnose children by the age of one, rather than the typical age of five.
• 👶 Research at the University of California, Davis, is exploring intensive therapy for toddlers to influence brain development and alter the course of autistic behaviors.
• 👩‍⚕️ Sally Rogers, a pioneer in autism treatment, has been providing therapy to young children, demonstrating potential for significant behavioral change.
• 🧠 The belief is that early treatment can create new neural connections in the brain, potentially reducing the severity of autism symptoms.
• 👦 Christian, a child in the study, has shown improvement in language and interaction after early intervention therapy.
• 👨‍👩‍👦 Valerie Arias reflects on her son Teddy's life, wondering how different it might have been with earlier treatment for his autism.
• 👶 The Mind Institute is conducting a study on early detection of autism, focusing on infants who have an older sibling with autism.
• 👀 High-tech methods like eye tracking are being used to detect early signs of autism in infants.
• 📉 Epidemiologist Dr. Stephen Goodman suggests that the increase in autism diagnoses may be due to a broader definition of autism rather than an actual increase in prevalence.

Q & A

What is the current statistic for autism occurrence in American children?

Autism now occurs in about one out of every 150 American children, according to recent government announcements.

Why is early detection of autism important according to the researchers at the University of California at Davis?

Researchers believe that early detection can help alter the way a child's brain develops, and early treatment could significantly reduce autism-related behaviors.

What progress did Christian Haven make after receiving early intervention therapy?

Christian, who initially had no words and poor play skills, started communicating in multiple-word sentences and was able to interact more normally with others after intensive therapy.

How did Christian's mother describe his behavior before starting therapy?

Before therapy, Christian would throw temper tantrums lasting 20 minutes due to his inability to communicate. His behavior was out of control, requiring the family to bolt furniture to the walls for safety.

What is the theory behind the impact of early intervention on brain development in autistic children?

The theory is that early intervention can help 'rewire' the brain by creating new connections, which may reduce autism symptoms, although the biology of autism itself cannot be fully cured.

What does Sally Rogers believe about the possibility of curing autism?

Sally Rogers does not believe autism can be fully cured, but she suggests that early intervention can reduce the behaviors associated with autism to the point where they may not be obvious anymore.

How did Valerie Arias react when her mother suggested her son Teddy had autism?

Valerie was in denial and became very angry with her mother, not speaking to her for about a year. She initially refused to believe that there was anything wrong with her child.

What early signs of autism did researchers observe in children like Jacob during the eye-tracking tests?

Children with autism, like Jacob, tend to avoid eye contact and do not respond to social cues such as being called by their name. They also may show repetitive behaviors, such as fixating on an object.

Why does Dr. Stephen Goodman believe the reported increase in autism cases is misleading?

Dr. Goodman argues that the increase in autism cases is due to changes in the definition of autism in 1994, which included disorders like Asperger's syndrome. He believes there is no reliable evidence to support a claim of an exponential rise in autism.

What are the challenges in diagnosing autism in young children, according to Sally Ozonoff?

Sally Ozonoff notes that diagnosing autism in young children is difficult, as behaviors like repetitive actions may not always indicate autism. Additionally, only half of the children who fail early detection tests, like not responding to their name, are later diagnosed with autism.