beatrixpotter
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Yes, and no, it seems:
Most Children With Autism Diagnosed at 5 or Older
You can, but they're not usually, and in my experience, it wouldn't be unusual for someone with "exceptional" children to Munchausen them into it for attention. I'd be interested to know if she ever gave the source of her son's diagnosis.
Yikes! My now 18 yo son was diagnosed at 2 yo and it was not my doing. I knew something was wrong with him and had known since he was a few weeks old. But at that time I would never have considered him autistic. I only saw a neurologist for assessment because his speech therapist strongly encouraged it. He'd been in therapy of various things since under a year old. I was absolutely gobsmacked at the diagnosis. When I'd read descriptions of autism at the time it didn't sound like him to me.
But I really hate to have it impugned there is something bad about parents whose children get early diagnoses. That's not really fair. I see loads of parents with kids where something is clearly wrong. But because the parents are in denial they are deprived of good therapy and help early on in life. I think that's why most kids aren't diagnosed till later. It's not till they get into a school setting.
But every state has programs to get kids help early because it's shown to be the most helpful. Babies Can't Wait is a name for the programs offered. Because getting babies help and therapy for developmental disorders is shown to be so much better than waiting till your child is in school and they are standing out more and more as different and needing help.