As a parent, accepting your child’s autism diagnosis can bring a wave of emotions, both good and bad, from relief to confusion and concern. An accurate diagnosis is essential to ensure your child receives early intervention for customized and targeted therapies like Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA therapy). But what if your child has received an autism misdiagnosis?
While there’s no clear answer on how often this happens, there is research to indicate that a delayed diagnosis or even misdiagnosis does occur. As an example, a 2021 study indicated that over 75% of participants received an autism diagnosis about 8 years after their first mental health evaluation. At the same time, a 2019 study examined 4,498 children and found that 25% of them had symptoms of autism but had yet to receive a diagnosis.
A misdiagnosis can be harmful because it signals that a person was either late receiving or has not received the help and support they need. That’s why at Heartlinks, our certified ABA therapists are here to help your child and the rest of the family walk step-by-step through understanding their diagnosis and what that means concerning their treatment.
Why Is Autism Misdiagnosed?
Though autism misdiagnosis is a considerable concern, there is still no clear answer on how often it occurs. What is understood is that there are several reasons for an autism misdiagnosis, including the following.
1. No Definitive Test
Despite advances in the treatment of ASD, there is still no definitive brain scan or lab test to diagnose the condition. Instead, autism is determined based on a checklist of symptoms, including repetitive body movements, difficulty with emotional regulation, and sensory processing disorders. Healthcare professionals are left to observe a child’s behavior and analyze them based on whether they demonstrate the prevalent symptoms of autism.
2. Autism Presents Differently in Each Child
Autism impacts brain function by altering neural connectivity, information processing, and sensory integration. The difficulty is that autism presents differently in each child. For instance, one child might regularly finger flick, and another one might have high-functioning autism and only have difficulty developing friendships, thereby requiring social skills therapy. Since autism exists on a spectrum, each individual will exhibit a unique combination of symptoms.
3. Kids Will Mask Their Symptoms
Another reason for an autism misdiagnosis is some children on the spectrum actively try to hide their symptoms to fit in with others. This is particularly evident in girls who have autism. A 2019 study indicated that girls can better mask their symptoms than boys, especially true of girls with high IQs. They can use their intelligence to observe their surroundings and determine ways to adapt to avoid standing out. Simply put, the more children with ASD mask their symptoms, the harder it becomes to make an accurate diagnosis.
Autism Symptoms Can Overlap
Several different types of disorders are similar to autism or have overlapping symptoms with other conditions, including the following.
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): ADHD often coexists with autism, with both conditions sharing symptoms including inattention, hyperactivity, rage, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation. This can culminate in tantrums or emotional outbursts due to difficulty with emotional regulation.
- Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD): SPD tends to occur alongside autism, leading to difficulty processing sensory information. Many children display sensory-seeking behaviors such as spinning, scratching, or hand flapping as a means of regulating their sensory experiences. Additionally, children with SPD may exhibit repetitive behaviors and sensitivity to sensory input, similar to autism. They might become overwhelmed by loud noises or chaotic environments, leading to behaviors such as covering their ears to block out distressing sounds or aggressive behavior to regain a sense of control over their sensory stimulation.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): OCD and autism often co-occur, sharing overlapping traits such as repetitive behaviors and a firm adherence to routines.
- Anxiety Disorders: Children with autism often have high levels of anxiety, which can create symptoms such as stimming, social withdrawal, and communication difficulties, which can be mistaken for autism symptoms.
- Depression: Depression can affect social interaction and behavior, similar to autism. For instance, both conditions are associated with sleep struggles, including falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing restful sleep, directly impacting mood and energy levels. Symptoms like a lack of interest in social activities and changes in behavior can overlap with autism.
- Intellectual Disability: Intellectual disabilities often occur alongside autism, affecting cognitive and social development. Some children may also experience mutism or significant speech delays, further impacting their ability to communicate and interact with others. Social and language delays are frequently misinterpreted as autism, with selective mutism or limited verbal communication sometimes mistaken for autism-related speech challenges rather than an intellectual disability.
The Effects of a Misdiagnosis
A misdiagnosis of autism, whether it’s incorrectly identifying a child as being on the spectrum or failing to recognize autism, can have tremendous consequences on a person’s life, ranging from their mental health to their treatment, social interactions, and education.
Incorrect Support and Treatment
A child who has been incorrectly diagnosed with autism may be receiving ABA therapy, which is considered the best type of treatment for ASD. Unfortunately, this won’t address their actual needs. If autism is overlooked, children may not receive the essential therapies, including the treatment needed to improve their social skills, develop their communication skills, or learn safe sensory-seeking activities.
Mental Health Struggles
Children misdiagnosed with autism may experience bouts of depression, low self-esteem, and anxiety because of feeling misunderstood or unsupported. On the other hand, children who are not diagnosed with autism may struggle with burnout and social isolation or begin masking their behaviors, which can lead to tremendous emotional distress.
Academic Setbacks
Suppose a child receives a misdiagnosis of autism instead of their actual condition, such as ADHD or a learning disability like dyslexia. In that case, they may be placed in an inappropriate learning environment. This can lead to ineffective interventions, such as ABA therapy in the classrooms, which would be more beneficial for students with autism rather than those with other conditions.
In a similar situation, if autism goes undiagnosed, a child on the spectrum will miss out on individualized education plans (IEPs) or other academic accommodations to suit their actual needs, which can impact their development and success.
Missed or Incorrect Use of Medication
If autism is mistaken for another mood disorder, such as major depression or bipolar disorder, the child might be prescribed ineffective or unnecessary medication. Meanwhile, someone with autism who also has co-occurring conditions such as anxiety might not receive proper treatment because their symptoms have been dismissed as part of autism.
What to Do if Your Child Has Been Misdiagnosed
If you believe that your child has received a common misdiagnosis of autism or their medical team has overlooked their diagnosis, you must address your concerns with their doctor, such as their pediatrician. Consider getting a second opinion if your child’s healthcare provider dismisses your concerns.
When discussing your concerns, it’s essential to explain why your child has received a misdiagnosis, list the symptoms that could explain which condition you feel your child may have, and specify which symptoms you think led to a misdiagnosis.
Heartlinks: An Accurate Diagnosis and Plan of Treatment
Even though the common misdiagnosis of autism in children is not well-documented, the fact that it can happen at all is reason enough to prioritize accurate evaluations and ensure children receive the appropriate diagnosis and support.
With our range of ABA services at Heartlinks and nationwide locations in Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Indiana, we have the certified specialists and expertise to help your child and your family navigate an autism diagnosis and develop a treatment plan. For more information on how we can help, contact Heartlinks today.