Is it Worth Getting An Autism Diagnosis?

Is it Worth Getting An Autism Diagnosis?

Yes, it can definitely be worth getting an autism diagnosis, especially for children.

However, there do exist numerous variables. Aside from young people, no one can say whether or not it's worthwhile to an adult. It probably could be, for most people.

Autism is a serious developmental disorder that's best handled with good support systems provided to the person diagnosed. These support systems could get significantly harder to find and acquire without a diagnosis.

On its own, a diagnosis opens up greater avenues for people to treat illness and other disorders. When someone has heart problems, they would likely be encouraged to visit a doctor to see if there's an underlying condition, such as heart disease.

After getting a diagnosis treatment could begin with a doctor prescribing physical therapy to the patient and encouraging them to make some major lifestyle changes, like giving up smoking and high-cholesterol foods.

There's no easy way of dealing with a diagnosis yet it's much better than waiting for things to get worse. This can apply to autism too.

When an adult goes in to check for autism, it's best done in the same fashion as children. That means lots of familial support and encouragement from friends. The diagnosis typically begins with the doctors running a series of tests that may go on for a couple of days.

The entire time it takes for an official diagnosis to be made could be months, or even longer. That's because psychiatrists have become more careful about how they diagnose.

In the past, there were more misdiagnoses and ignored signs of autism in patients than now. Interviews might be done with family members or anyone close.

If the subject is a child, problems in their behavior might be easier to spot. By behavior, this means a general lack of sociability, poor eye contact, and sensory problems, loud noise in particular.

Psychiatrists would suggest to parents that their child get a brain scan, usually an MRI. The brain scan checks for abnormalities in neuro connectors and enlargements where they typically shouldn't be.

To someone that hasn't undergone a diagnosis, these might not be in their favor since many dislike hospitals. But the benefits outweigh the setbacks.

The faster autism is detected in a patient, the easier their life would be. Studies reveal that people on the spectrum have a higher life expectancy than someone getting a lifetime without being diagnosed.

Diagnosis can open up an easier way for families to get financial help for dealing with their autistic loved ones. The US government stipulates that therapy for autism be covered by a majority of insurance companies up until one's 18th birthday. In a few states, this cap is higher.

Why You Should Get An Autism Diagnosis

An autism diagnosis should be done as it helps patients get the help they need for combatting symptoms of the disorder, while also changing their lives for the better.

Autism, when left undiagnosed, could render someone unable to make friends, bond with family, meet people, and find better meaning through social interactions.

The autistic aren't intentionally trying to avoid people, rather, they simply interpret the world around them differently than others do.

It's not a mental handicap but a developmental condition that produces mild to moderate problems in one's ability to interact. For someone on the spectrum to avoid their conditions becoming worse for them, they must find a better way to manage them.

There's no cure for ASD, so treatment lies in management and reduction. But for this to happen first mandates a diagnosis.

The more people show up for a diagnosis, the better autism awareness becomes. It could reduce the chances of bullying in school even since the autistic could be placed in classes more suitable for their conditions.

At the same time, this could enable them to make friends easier since other people like them could find common ground.

But even when class changes aren't necessary, a diagnosis could let other children in their presence understand that the autistic are just like them, capable of experiencing feelings, emotions, happiness, and amusement.

What Happens If You Don’t Diagnose Autism?

When autism isn't diagnosed, someone will either go on without ever getting proper treatment for it or have more difficulty understanding their condition.

As previously shown, autism treatment costs money, whereby the only way for one to get the treatment they need without paying for it in full is by getting diagnosed in the initial stages.

Most health insurance companies won't convert a client that hasn't been diagnosed.

This includes children, teenagers, and adults. Furthermore, most nonprofits and other institutions capable of giving grants to cover out-of-pocket medical expenses likely won't do it if there's no concrete proof of someone having the disorder.

Autism's symptoms sometimes closely overlap with other conditions, like ADHD. Companies will evidence that autism is evidence in a patient seen by a psychologist, and the only way such can be given is through diagnosis by medical professionals.

Is An Autism Diagnosis Permanent?

An autism diagnosis isn't permanent if a misdiagnosis is given.

But given that ASD is more thoroughly diagnosed than in years past, the chances of someone having autism are quite high. Still, there's the slight possibility that someone could be misdiagnosed for something else, or not have autism at all.

Some develop social skills at a later age. Even some adults without autism struggle with eye contact and repetitive actions. On their own, these aren't the criteria for autism. Yet when enough symptoms are bundled together for an extended period autism tends to be the correct disorder.

For anyone already diagnosed but is cornered about having an improper one, contact should be made with their psychologists as soon as possible. They have the knowledge and tools to correct a misdiagnosis when it occurs.

In short, no diagnosis is inherently permanent and is subject to change, or even an additional diagnosis being made. One can have autism and another similar disorder.