Verified Document

Medical Diagnosis Vs. Educational Diagnosis Of Autism Research Paper

Autism The differences between a medical diagnosis of Autism and an educational diagnosis of Autism often have implications for the individualized educational prospects of an autistic student in public schools. Often even when a child has a medical diagnosis of autism parents still go through the diagnostic process of the school to determine what, if any, educational adjustments can or should be made. Diagnosis is made more difficult by the fact Autistic symptoms vary widely in individuals and often tend to manifest themselves in many different combinations (Lenne, 2001, P. 71). Autistic impairment includes social, communicative, and behavioral development challenges. An autistic child may have trouble with nonverbal language, poor eye contact, and difficult making and retaining friends (Lenne, 2001, P. 71). In terms of communication, there may be delays in speaking difficulty using or imitating language and incorrect use of words (Lenne, 2001, P. 71). Repeated body movements...

71). Added to the multidimensional nature of the disorder is that the symptoms can manifest themselves in so many combinations and often mimic other disorders which make autism very difficult to diagnose. This is why diagnosis must occur in several stages and in different locations. Including parental observations, educator observations, and medical provider examinations.
In 2000, a set of guidelines were formulated by the American Academy of Neurology. (Blackwell, 2001). The panel's guidelines are widely recommended and urge providers to carryout diagnosis in several stages. In the very first stage of investigation clinical practioners are urged to screen for any children who may display behavior or characteristics which may place the child at risk for any developmental delays (Blackwell, 2001). The second investigative step is…

Sources used in this document:
In 2000, a set of guidelines were formulated by the American Academy of Neurology. (Blackwell, 2001). The panel's guidelines are widely recommended and urge providers to carryout diagnosis in several stages. In the very first stage of investigation clinical practioners are urged to screen for any children who may display behavior or characteristics which may place the child at risk for any developmental delays (Blackwell, 2001). The second investigative step is to screen for those children who are specifically at risk for autism so that they can be differentiated from those children who have other developmental disorders (Blackwell, 2001). Blackwell, et. al argue that before the diagnosis of autism is attempted all primary care physicians should routinely, when necessary, use developmental screening tests on their patients. Unfortunately, less than 1/3 of "primary care providers have been shown to conduct a standardized developmental screening test in child office visits" (Blackwell, 2001, p. 534).

The AAN guidelines urge that when a child has delayed language development or motor skills, the primary care provider should immediately engage in audio logical assessment to rule out any ear or auditory issues, followed by using the CHAT, Autism Screening Questionnaire (Blackwell, 2001, p. 535). At this stage, one of two things must happen, either the child passes or fails the test; if the child passes, then the child still must undergo a formal diagnostic procedure including a neurological evaluation, if the child fails the doctors must communicate the need for early child-hood intervention with the school district in addition to the formal diagnostic evaluation (Blackwell, 2001, p. 535). Although Blackwell, et. al do not detail the specific diagnostic indicators of autism their overview of the AAN guidelines are important in order to demonstrate the relationship between the school and the medical provider.

Whereas the medical diagnosis focuses on the symptoms the educational diagnoses often focus on the relationship between the symptom and its impact on the child in the class room. An individualized education plan is dependent on significant impairment in the classroom which is more than just behavioral in nature. Often behavioral problems in school are seen as acting out rather than a symptom
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Autistic Children and the Effect
Words: 2503 Length: 8 Document Type: Thesis

1) Connor (2002) states that studies report findings that mothers of children with Autism "who showed greater satisfaction" in life were those "who made the clearest redefinitions and who were most willing to follow alternative ways of gaining self-fulfillment." (p. 1) II. EFFECTS on LIFE of FAMILY in NORMAL ACTIVITIES In the work entitled: 'Autism and the Family" reported is a study conducted in a 12th grade classroom at 'Our Lady of

Autistic Spectrum Disorders and the Family Unit
Words: 4350 Length: 15 Document Type: Term Paper

Autistic Spectrum Disorders and the Family Unit Autistic Spectrum Disorders are a group of related disorders or developmental disabilities that have been caused by some sort of problem within the brain. The necessity to understand the reasons for autism and the basic underlying pathophysiology has become more severe because the amount of diagnosed cases has increased dramatically in recent years. (White, 2003) Researchers and scientists have not been able to discover,

Educational Psychology: An Overview the Topic of
Words: 3935 Length: 15 Document Type: Essay

Educational Psychology: An Overview The topic of educational psychology, or psychology as it is practiced within a school system, has become increasingly important in recent years as the number of special education demands on school systems and especially public school systems has increased. While educational psychologists tend to work in universities and other research settings rather than in the school system per se, they are continually affected by what is happening

Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Keys
Words: 2870 Length: 10 Document Type: Thesis

As noted in the located research, "individuals with autism may have an IQ at any level. By convention, if an individual with autism has an IQ in the normal range (or above), they are said to have 'high-functioning autism' (HFA)." (Baron-Cohen, 1) For a parent with a young child who exhibits signs of true intelligence or even of prominent and unique talents, the understanding of autism as a disorder

Autism in Depth Autism Is
Words: 1450 Length: 5 Document Type: Research Paper

Dr. David Miller, in his article examined the methods of testing for autism. He concluded that a discovery of genetic variables contributing to autism (ASD) is the first step in developing effective clinical diagnostic genetic tests. He concluded that most cases are still unexplained by current genetic testing and will require ongoing discovery to improve the yield from clinical testing. Miller (2010). In other words, Miller suggests that the

Autism Spectrum Disorder Is a
Words: 1594 Length: 6 Document Type: Term Paper

According to Bock & Goode (2003), the plasticity of the brain during early childhood allows for the best outcomes when treating the disorder. Because autism is a spectrum disorder some children benefit more from the aforementioned interventions than others. However regardless of the severity of the disorder all children seem to benefit from early diagnosis and early treatment (pg, 254). Conclusion The purpose of this discussion was to compare and contrast

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now