New study finds online self-reports may not accurately reflect clinical autism diagnoses. Adults who report high levels of autistic traits through online surveys may not reflect the same social behaviors or clinical profiles as those who have been formally diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

[u/mvea]

https://www.psypost.org/new-study-finds-online-self-reports-may-not-accurately-reflect-clinical-autism-diagnoses/

[u/Due_Bottle_1328]

Family doctors are not trained in autism at least here in Canada. I asked mine and she said no way you can't have autism, you wouldn't be able to sit here and talk to me, but I'll refer you to a specialist. The psychiatrist saw me once and said yes it's very obvious.

[u/PsychologicalLuck343 → u/Due_Bottle_1328]

I had a friend who worked with learning disabled kids, and swore that she knew autism inside and out and that I did not have autism. That's because her students were only diagnosed under the narrow understanding of autism that they used to have.

Oh, edit:, I just talked to a physician in r/AspieGirls who said there is zero training for autism for family doctors.

So who *are* supposed to refer autistic kids?

[u/newsnewsnews111 → u/PsychologicalLuck343]

My son’s pediatrician did screen for autism in 2007 when he was 18 months old so this lack of training is not universal. Failing the M-CHAT questionnaire put us on a pathway to diagnosis and early intervention. This was, however, under the previous restrictive criteria, and my son is completely disabled by his autism.