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May 24th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda THURSDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) — Even though autism symptoms
typically emerge before age 3, most children with autism are diagnosed
when they’re 5 or older, a new snapshot of autism in America shows.
More than half of U.S. children with an autism spectrum disorder are
taking at least one psychotropic medicine — including stimulants,
anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants, sleep aids, seizure medications
or antipsychotics — even though there are no drugs that have clearly been
shown to impact the core symptoms of the disorder.
The findings are from a nationally representative survey of more than
4,000 parents or guardians of children with special needs aged 6 to 17,
including about 1,400 who had an autism spectrum disorder. The report was
compiled by researchers from the U.S National Institute of Mental Health
in conjunction with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
“This is a snapshot of what the nation looks like. American families
can compare their experience to what others have found,” said study
co-author Lisa Colpe, chief of the office of clinical and population
epidemiology research at the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health.
Among the other key findings:
- About 19 percent of kids were diagnosed with an autism spectrum
disorder at age 2 or younger; 17 percent were diagnosed at age 3; 13
percent were age 4; 11.5 percent were age 5; and nearly 40 percent were 6
or older when they were diagnosed. - Children were identified by a range of health care professionals,
including pediatricians, family physicians, nurse practitioners,
psychologists, developmental psychologists, neurologists and
multidisciplinary teams. - Nine of 10 school-aged children with an autism spectrum disorder use
at least one service to meet their developmental needs, while just over
half of the kids use three or more services. - The most common service is social skills training, followed by speech
or language therapy. Others include behavioral interventions and
occupational therapy.
Geraldine Dawson, chief science officer for Autism Speaks, said
findings show the continued need to work toward identifying children
earlier.
“Research tells us that children who start intervention earlier do
better in the long run. This report found that the majority of children
were 5 years or older when they were first identified. We can reliably
diagnose autism by 24 months, so professionals need to do a better job,
including screening all children at 18 and 24 months,” Dawson said.
Only about 40 percent of school-aged children with an autism spectrum
disorder receive behavioral intervention, even though research has shown
such strategies can “significantly improve outcomes,” she added.
Lack of insurance coverage and too few trained providers with expertise
in behavioral interventions are reasons why some children aren’t getting
the services, Dawson noted. “It is critical that we address the barriers
that are preventing children from receiving early intervention. Early
intervention will result in better outcomes for children and provide
substantial cost savings in the long run,” Dawson said.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by problems with
social interaction, communication and restricted interests and behaviors.
That includes repetitive behaviors, such as arm-flapping or head-banging;
having an obsessive interest in one topic; having a need to stick to a
specific ritual or routine; and experiencing distress or agitation when
that routine gets disrupted.
About one in 88 U.S. children has the disorder, according to the
CDC.
Children with autism can also have co-existing conditions, such as
anxiety, seizures, depression or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD). Experts say it’s not always easy for parents and doctors to know
whether symptoms are autism-related or a co-existing condition, but many
will try various drugs to alleviate the symptoms.
“The findings with respect to psychotropic medication use is in line
with previous findings,” Dawson said. “Children with autism often have
co-occurring conditions, such as ADHD and anxiety, which are often helped
with medication.”
Because some of the drugs to treat those conditions can be powerful,
Colpe said it was a good sign that so many children (upwards of 90
percent) were also receiving some other sort of treatment, indicating that
they are being monitored by a physician.
“They are getting a multi-mode treatment,” Colpe said.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more on autism.
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