Comments on: New AAP Reports Call for Universal Screening for Autism

By: Myth, Science, and Autism: A Message from the AAP

Myth, Science, and Autism: A Message from the AAP — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 06:23:03 +0000

[...] The AAP is quite aware about parental concerns about autism and, last October, called for universal screening of young children for autism, as well as a report on treatments for children with autism spectrum disorders. Well aware of the [...]

By: The Tide is High: Jenny McCarthy Riding on a Wave of Autism Awareness

The Tide is High: Jenny McCarthy Riding on a Wave of Autism Awareness — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:01:51 +0000

[...] became autistic after receiving a vaccine. The American Academy of Pediatrics has called for universal screening of all young children for autism. McCarthy, it seems, has chosen the right time to tell her story about autism. It [...]

By: A Week of Autism on TV

A Week of Autism on TV — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 02:11:33 +0000

[...] of autistic persons; the American Academy of Pediatrics‘ recently issued guidelines for universal autism screening in young children; theories linking autism to vaccines or something in vaccines; the latest developments in research [...]

By: Thomas Sowell on False Diagnosis and “Genuine” Autism

Thomas Sowell on False Diagnosis and “Genuine” Autism — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 21:04:11 +0000

[...] Thomas Sowell in Crusades Versus Caution, Part II, in which he suggests that the recent call for universal autism screening of children aged 18 to 24 months will lead to unnecessary alarm among the parents of young [...]

By: A Lot Can Change in 10 Years

A Lot Can Change in 10 Years — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 03:11:22 +0000

[...] the ages that young children are now to be screened for autism, per the American Academy of Pediatrics‘ call for universal autism screening, as announced one week ago. I guess it will be noted (I [...]

By: This Week’s Top Posts

This Week’s Top Posts — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 05:50:36 +0000

[...] New AAP Reports Call for Universal Screening for AutismAll children aged 18-24 months will be screened for autism. [...]

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 01:57:38 +0000

New Jersey Assembly Speaker Roberts is asking the state’s Department of Health and Senior Services to use the AAP’s guidelines in screening for autism.

By: amy

amy — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 01:09:38 +0000

Well, you know what I think about the labels. But I think that in a sense you parents are lucky; you have a pretty good idea, early on, that this is permanent. It’s a much better to be in that position than it is to be dealing with a family member’s mental illness that may or may not go away, and it’s unlikely most people will assure you that these things usually resolve themselves.

It’s helpful to know about permanence in practical terms, too. It never occurred to me to move my ex toward applying for disability, because it never occurred to me that he’d be permanently disabled. I was surprised when his psychiatrist gave him the papers to file, and figured he’d be on disability for a few months, then go back to work. He’s coming up on three years now, and there’s no expectation he’ll be “fine”. If I’d known, we’d have filed at least a year earlier, and a lot of the misery of “trying to solve the problem” would’ve been avoided.

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:46:57 +0000

Thanks, Regan—the 2nd report will get its own post – lots of good reading sitting on my desk right now!

hi longhaul, I really hope the diagnosis makes things smoother for your son. My husband had ADHD, severe at times, and grew up in the 60s in Catholics schools for some of it—-not easy. He did think that knowing he has ADHD helped in terms of his own self-understanding, which does not mean dealing with what people used to call “minimal brain damage” was easy.

@athina, talk about frustrating—–that “he’ll just grow out of it” phrase and also the “wait and see” when Charlie just seemed to be struggling and not doing things in ways that other children were not—–that was a hard period. Charlie had no obvious medical issues; he did walk late (and roll over, sit up, stand, never crawled) but these were not thought to be signs of anything but “a minor gross motor delay.”

By: Regan

Regan — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:33:12 +0000

Just an FYI:
The news about the screening recommendation is making a splash, but a concurrent piece of news is that the AAP also released recommendations on management of ASD, and an updated comparison of treatment models.

Johnson, C.P, Myers, S.M. & the Council on Children with Disabilities (2007). Identification and evaluation of children with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatrics. http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/doi/10.1542/peds.2007-2361
doi:10.1542/peds.2007-2361
Full public copy available at the above link with November issue.
http://www.aap.org/pressroom/AutismID.pdf

Myers,S.M. (2007).Management of children with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatrics.
http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/doi/10.1542/peds.2007-2362
doi:10.1542/peds.2007-2362
Full public copy available at the above link with November issue
http://www.aap.org/pressroom/AutismMgmt.pdf

AAP press release
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/oct07autism.htm