Few diagnoses have broadened their diagnostic boundaries as much or as quickly as autism. This has affected those with the most profound disability.
- Deputy Director, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Professor of Autism Research, The University of Western Australia
Evidence suggests the NDIS led to Australia having some of the highest rates of diagnosed autism in the world.
Autism expert Andrew Whitehouse speaks to The Conversation Weekly podcast about how the diagnosis of autism has shifted since the 1990s and what’s that meant for autistic people.
Autistic kids need love, to learn through everyday activities and strong connections with family, culture and community. Here’s what’s best practice to support them.
An unintentional consequence of NDIS supports has been an emphasis on clinical settings. But children with autism are served better by naturalistic supports.
The release of the draft National Autism Strategy is cause for celebration – but its terms of reference mean it might not meet the most urgent challenges facing autistic Australians.
Developmental delay is viewed clinically as a temporary state where children are slower to develop than expected. It is most often used for children under five.
The increase in children with developmental concerns may flow from the erosion of protective factors that support children during early development.
Some services require a formal diagnosis of autism or ADHD – but there is much parents and carers can do to support their child and their own wellbeing.
The new national autism guideline says that we should remember to honour childhood. Sometimes that can get lost amid a weekly schedule of therapy sessions.
The new guideline was developed by a group of researchers, clinicians, and autistic people. They consulted with more than 1,000 community members.
A reignited debate centres around whether broadening the diagnosis of autism has made the diagnostic label no longer entirely fit-for-purpose.
In determining eligibility, the NDIS should focus on who an individual is – their strengths, challenges and functional capacity – rather than what diagnosis they may have.
Appointing an assistant minister for autism signals the neurodevelopmental condition is a priority – but a focus on it shouldn’t come at the expense of other conditions.
New research dispels the myth that gut bacteria causes autism. Rather, changes in the gut bacteria of some people with autism are driven by restricted diets or ‘picky eating’.
While most children still had some level of developmental difficulties, the therapy boosted their social communication skills, leaving them less likely to meet the criteria for an autism diagnosis.
Our landmark new report examined the evidence (or lack thereof) behind certain interventions, but applying it to individual children and families requires a tailored approach.
It’s been 25 years since autism was redefined and the surge in diagnoses and research began. But while we’ve come along way in our understanding of the spectrum, advances in drug therapies has lagged.
A new study has found a link between being born by caesarean section and having a greater chance of being diagnosed with autism or ADHD. But there’s no evidence caesarean sections cause them.
Children with autism don’t usually begin therapy until they’re given a diagnosis, which rarely occurs before the age of two. But new research shows there’s benefit to starting early.
Current rules about who meets the eligibility criteria for autism support services are patchy and inconsistent, meaning those with the greatest need don’t necessarily have the greatest access.
Autism and vitamin D: an in-depth look at what the new study actually found.
Don Burke: the statements you made are false, and they have an impact far beyond your own circumstance.
I first learnt about autism as an 18-year-old during my clinical training. Like most people, I’d heard about Rain Man, and also like most people, I’d never thought I’d look deeper than this thin caricature…
One of the first and most important choices parents and caregivers make after a child’s diagnosis of autism is which therapy will be most suitable for their son or daughter. Unfortunately, this choice…
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