Identification and diagnosis – Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre

Australia’s rates of autism should be celebrated -but real-life…

Full title: Australia’s rates of autism should be celebrated -but real-life impact, not diagnosis, should determine NDIS support

Nancy Sadka, La Trobe University and Josephine Barbaro, La Trobe University

Ahead of the release of the government’s review into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the topic taking centre stage is the diagnosis of autism. Over one third of people accessing the scheme list it as a primary disability.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten has flagged changes to NDIS access, shifting the emphasis from diagnosis to the real-world impact of autism on learning or participation in society. He’s called for education and health systems to step up and be part of a broader ecosystem of supports.

“We just want to move away from diagnosis writing you into the scheme,” the minister said this week. “Because what [then] happens is everyone gets the diagnosis.”

Is autism “over diagnosed” in Australia due to the NDIS, or is it being better identified?

Autism prevalence in Australia: What we know so far

There have been no systematic studies on the prevalence of Autism in Australia. Accurate prevalence data allows for planning necessary services and supports, and also helps to build community understanding for Autistic Australians. We know that Autistic individuals make up approximately 30% of people accessing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), however without accurate prevalence data, it is difficult to know what proportion of Autistic individuals are receiving funding.

In this blog post, we’ll delve into some of our research that aims to understand the prevalence of Autism in Australia. OTARC researchers have conducted four studies that have created a clearer picture of the situation and highlighted areas where more attention and support may be needed.

How to talk to your child about their autism…

With better awareness and acceptance, approximately one out of every 50 children is receiving an autism diagnosis. More and more families are deciding when to share this information with their child. Some parents worry that doing so will “label” their child, or make others treat them differently.

Early identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Why it’s important…

Since beginning research on the early identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders back in 2005 as part of my PhD program, the Social Attention and Communication Study (SACS), I was often asked “What’s the point of identifying children at 2 years of age or younger if there are very few or no services for them?” You see, back in 2005, there wasn’t the Helping Children with Autism Package for families of children on the spectrum (aged 0 – 7), or intervention programs like the Early Start Denver Model – the first intervention model with strong empirical evidence for its effectiveness in Autistic infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. So, at this time, many families had to wait on long waiting lists for early intervention services, as long as 18 months in some cases, to receive a few hours a week of services! It was therefore difficult to convince some people, both in the public and private sectors, of the importance of early detection and subsequent intervention.

Australia’s rates of autism should be celebrated -but real-life…

Autism prevalence in Australia: What we know so far

How to talk to your child about their autism…

Early identification of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Why it’s important…

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