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The Watson family has firsthand experience with the challenges of obtaining a timely autism diagnosis. Ryan and his wife noticed early signs that something was different with their son Atlas between the ages of 12 and 18 months, as he was missing key developmental milestones. However, it wasn’t until three years later that Atlas finally received an autism assessment. Now almost seven years old, Atlas remains non-verbal, still relies on nappies, and depends entirely on others for daily care.
Ryan explained that there was no accelerated process for children with severe needs like Atlas. “You basically go on the list and wait however long until you get to the top,” he said. The long waiting period created a sense of urgency for the family, as they feared Atlas would be placed in a mainstream school without the adequate support required. “We were terrified,” Ryan shared. “Anyone who has a child like Atlas will have the same panic that they’ll start in a mainstream school where it’s not safe.” The stress of managing these challenges while working was overwhelming for Ryan, who described it as “like I had two jobs.” Eventually, Atlas’s diagnosis was confirmed only a few months before he was due to begin school.
A recent review highlighted that not all difficulties require medical intervention, warning against conflating diagnosable conditions such as ADHD and autism with normal variations in brain function and behavior. The report raised concerns about a shift from under-diagnosis in the past to potential over-diagnosis or misdiagnosis today, noting that over 4% of children aged six to 17 are diagnosed with autism—significantly higher than earlier studies suggesting the prevalence is closer to 1-2%. However, the review also pointed out that because much of the data is nearly ten years old, it’s difficult to definitively confirm whether large-scale over-diagnosis is currently occurring.
Representatives from organizations that support autistic individuals expressed strong reactions to the report’s findings. Mel Merritt of the National Autistic Society stated, “The harm and distress autistic people are facing is real and widespread and there is a desperate need to build a system that supports the needs of autistic people.” Similarly, Abigail Ampofo from YoungMinds highlighted how young people often feel blamed for their mental health struggles. “We hope this review goes some way to show them their distress is not their fault and the systems around them are failing,” she said, while cautioning that meaningful change will require substantial reform. The government, for its part, welcomed the report and plans to unveil a new approach to support in its upcoming mental health strategy, along with stricter regulations for ADHD and autism assessments. Health Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasized the critical role of early intervention, noting, “Professor Fonagy’s review has shown the importance of early intervention to address mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions and the huge distress these can cause.”
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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