“It is easy to know that something is not quite right. It is harder to know what is wrong.” This is a quote from Dr. Bennett Leventhal, a psychiatrist and professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I heard him speak on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in the late 1990’s. He made this statement then and it has stayed with me since that time. Over the past 20 years, we have learned a great deal about individuals with Autism and Asperger’s Disorder. There has been a great deal of research in the area and much energy has gone into training educators and caregivers about how to assist those with ASD. A downside to all of the information disseminated to the public regarding ASD is that it is often the “go to” diagnosis when people who appear to have significant mental health issues are in the news. If something is not quite right – it must be Autism or Asperger’s. There are other psychiatric conditions, however, which have symptoms in common with Autism and Asperger’s. In addition, individuals with ASD are at high risk for having co-morbid or co-existing conditions, which complicate their difficulties and care. Individuals with ASD are likely to have increased anxiety and social withdrawal when stressed, poorly modulated response to pain, inappropriate social interactions, anger outbursts, and a restricted range of interests. However, the diagnosis of ASD alone does not increase the risk that people on the spectrum will intentionally cause harm to others. This belief is shared by other professionals and discussed more fully in an article from www.nbcnews.com:
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