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USA psychology, 1970s vs today

I read something the other day that said something like 1 in 44 children today is somewhere "on the spectrum". Considering most children go through childhood never talking to a psychologist, it seems the diagnosis rate must be very high. Yikes Some folks like to blame childhood vaccines. As a person who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, things seem quite different to me in the world of psychology.

1970s: "My child is shy." 2020s: Autism
1970s: "My child is a picky eater." 2020s: Autism
1970s: "My child s really into his hobbies." 2020s: Autism
1970s: "My child is brilliant." 2020s: Autism
1970s: "My child lags academically." 2020s: Autism
1970s: "My child is hyper sometimes." 2020s: Autism
1970s: "I can't get my child away from her books." 2020s: Autism

Am I right? I get the feeling that any parent who brings their child into a psychologist today with any kind of issue is likely to walk out with an ASD diagnosis. My guess is that insurance is behind this, as an ASD diagnosis requires an insurance company to pay for services and gives the parents greater access to public services. A benefit to the parents, for sure, but are we really serving children well if we are slapping a diagnosis on 1 in every 44 kids?
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Queendragonfly · 31-35, F
Shy and autistic isn't the same thing. People on the spectrum they have no sense for social norms or codes. My friend is on the spectrum. He can mention all kinds of inappropriate things because he don't understand that there's things you can't say out loud. To him it pops up and he just express it and forget the 100 times others tell him that you can say A but not B because to him, it just isn't registered due to a certain default activity in his brain.

Shyness is just a low self esteem issue. Not a neurodivergent issue.

1970 was when DSM was starting to be built. I've read plenty of books from doctors and psychiatrists who were a part of the DSM system as well as PTSD and CPTSD disorders.

Did you know people with CPTSD are likely misdiagnosed with ADHD?