Rising autism and ADHD diagnoses not matched by symptom increase
Diagnoses of autism, ADHD rise but symptoms don't in 10K Swedish twins.
Why it matters
- Diagnoses of autism and ADHD are rising, but symptoms aren't increasing in the population.
- Suggests other factors are driving diagnosis increases.
By the numbers
- Nearly 10,000 twins studied over nine birth years (1993-2001).
- Autism symptoms stable for boys and girls.
- ADHD symptoms stable in boys, slight increase in girls.
The big picture
- Increased diagnoses may be due to better detection, reduced stigma, or societal changes.
- Findings can help allocate healthcare resources effectively.
What they're saying
- Comments suggest better detection and reduced stigma explain diagnosis rise.
- Some mention misdiagnoses and symptom overlap with other disorders.
Caveats
- Study had a 41% response rate for questionnaires.
- ADHD questionnaire mainly measured inattention, not hyperactivity.
What’s next
- Researchers plan to investigate trends in clinical diagnoses further.