Increase In Autism Case Study

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Pages: 5

Although many dispute the cause of the increase in autism cases, all facts do point to the increase in autism cases stemming from a broader definition of autism and earlier detection of autistic children. Early diagnosis is key in most autism cases. This is due to the fact that much more aware that autism is an issue today. Another fact is that there are so many more diagnostic tools that are being used today, with newer and more effective tools coming out at a frequent pace. Detection frequency is also becoming more extensive with each coming year. While some may believe that vaccinations may be the cause of autism, science has yet to prove this fact to be true. Furthermore, research over time has developed much more extensive and knowledgeable …show more content…
Ann Griswold graduated from the University of Florida with a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences. Since then she has worked as a researcher for molecular microbiology and genetics, as a medical writer. She helps prove that autism cases are increasing due to earlier diagnosis, point out that the major rise in autism diagnoses began around 1990 which was when the American Psychiatric Association made autism more public and easier to detect (Ballaro and Griswold). Early diagnosis is becoming much more common. Autism used to be detected when a child was eight years old. Nancy Sprague graduated from the University of New Hampshire and obtained a BS degree and also now holds a masters degree in health policy which she obtained at Dartmouth College’s Center for the Evaluative and Clinical Sciences. She found that autism can now be detected when a child is eighteen months (Chittom and Sprague). This early detection began in 2001 when the American Academy of Pediatrics, also known as the AAP, provided clinicians with autism guidelines. Then, in 2006, the AAP made a policy statement that strongly encouraged autism screenings for all eighteen to twenty-four month year old’s. The AAP’s policy statement made more parents aware that they should bring their children to get an autism diagnosis (Ballaro and Griswold). The supporters of the viewpoint that says autism individuals are not increasing say that early diagnosis has been …show more content…
One other diagnostic tool is easy to do a test that takes one minute. This test detects specific eye gaze patterns that autistic individuals possess. One other new diagnostic test has been developed that takes five minutes to complete. This diagnostic test has a low price and short checklist that guardians of the child check to complete. The checklist includes different questions about the child’s emotions, eye gaze, communication, different gestures, and other unusual behaviors. There are many other diagnostic tests that are available to the general public today (Guttmacher