News About Pediatricians Diagnosing Autism from About.com Guide to Pediatrics

Thursday October 11, 2007

Each morning, I check the news and blogs to see what's up in the world of autism. Today, I found that Vince Ianelli, the About.com Guide to Pediatrics, was the one breaking the news. According to Vince's blog:

Some extra help is on the way for pediatricians from the American Academy of Pediatrics though, which is publishing a new autism toolkit later this year. Their Caring for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Resource Toolkit for Clinicians should help pediatricians feel more comfortable recognizing and managing children with autism.
Until then, some tips to help you when discussing autism with your pediatrician include that:

you schedule a separate appointment to discuss your concerns about autism, instead of simply bringing it up at another appointment when your child is sick with a cold or even at a well child visit when you won't have as much time to talk about your concerns

you do some research to see which autism specialists are on your insurance plan or consult with your local autism society or nearest Children's Hospital to see which doctors specialize in treating autism in your area

if your pediatrician suggests a wait and see approach for any minor delays, ask for a specific time frame for when you should be more concerned and should come back for a recheck

ask for a second opinion if you are not convinced that your child's delays are "nothing to worry about" when you are sure that they are. Keep in mind that in addition to discussing things with your pediatrician, parents who are concerned about their child's development can seek an evaluation from their local Early Childhood Intervention or ECI Program without a referral from their doctor.

If you're concerned about your child, and not getting the diagnostic help you need, you may also want to check out these articles on my Autism site: