Epidemic of False Diagnoses of Autism

In 2018, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported that 1 in 44 children were diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, for a prevalence rate of 2.27% of the population. In 2012, a review of global prevalence of autism found 62 cases per 1,000 people, for a prevalence rate of 0.62% of the population. This apparent 266% increase in autism prevalence is in stark contrast to all other disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), for which there has been no increase in prevalence over this same 6-year period.

In 2015, a 10-year Swedish study concluded that although the prevalence of the autism phenotype has remained stable, clinically diagnosed autism spectrum disorder has increased substantially. Phenotyping is based on observing gene expressions in individuals and relating their conditions to hereditary factors. Nowadays, professionals diagnose by ticking off symptoms on a checklist without questioning the possible causes of said symptoms. This is a major step backward from clinical phenotyping.

In 2016, a study reported that many children originally diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder were later found not to be autistic.

In 2019, a comprehensive study in JAMA Psychiatry indicates that autism is being significantly over-diagnosed. Dr. Laurent Mottron, co-author of this study, expressed these concerns: “The autism category has considerably overextended … most neurogenetic and child psychiatry disorders that have only a loose resemblance with autism can now be labelled autistic … you could not have ADHD and autism before 2013, now you can.” Doctors now tend to label as autistic anyone who simply has ADHD (or OCD) and poor socialization.

The False Spectrum: In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association merged the following four disorders under the umbrella of autism spectrum disorder: autism disorder, Asperger syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive development disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). Included in this alleged spectrum are conditions unrelated to autism.

The American Psychological Association defines autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as any one of a group of disorders typically occurring during the preschool years and characterized by varying but marked difficulties in communication and social interaction. DSM-5, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, describes autism as being characterized by (1) persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction, and by (2) restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviors, interests, or activities. These criteria are so vague as to be meaningless. If you do not know what causes certain symptoms, then you know nothing about any presumed disorder in question.

The increase in autism prevalence from 0.62% to 2.27% in six years is entirely due to the DSM-5 creation of a false and overly broad category that has become a basket catch-all that includes conditions unrelated to autism. If 0.62% represents true autism, the difference of 1.65% represents misdiagnoses. These figures indicate that 70% of those who have been given an autism spectrum diagnosis are probably not autistic.

Reference: Rowland D. Autism Breakthrough: Neurophysiology is its Cause. Seattle, 2024: Amazon.com Inc., pp 15-17.