AANE Group Discussion

Today was the first session in this series of the asbergers support group through AANE. Today’s main topic was dealing with medical professionals.  Sticking up for oneself in order to get the treatment that suits a person on the spectrum.  Some of the group members spoke about the lack of customer service in the medical field. Some of the folks spoke about the fact it took 6 months to get any appointment with a rheumatologist. The mental heath care system is hard to navigate and it is almost impossible if you are already struggling with autism and / or depression pain. It is supposed t help us not work against us.  For people who are able to pay for mental health out of pocket, they are able to get help. If you rely on just insurance, your ability to find find providers to help you is very hard.  Community organizations do offer sliding scale that helps people, but can be limited. It is often the first thing cut from a budget or not understood by insurance companies.  – Greg

Green light for diagnostic autism app raises questions, concerns

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the okay to an app designed to help clinicians diagnose autism in children, labeling it safe for use.

But it’s still unclear whether the technology is effective, researchers say, raising concerns that it could actually disrupt the standard diagnosis process and, in some cases, lead to delays in starting therapy. read more