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Rise of autism puts strain on public school budgets

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Andrew Stevenson
October 26, 2011

THE number of children in NSW public schools with autism is nearly four times higher than it was just eight years ago, placing a significant strain on the Education Department budget.

Figures released by the department yesterday show that in 2003 slightly more than 2000 students across the state had been diagnosed with the disorder; this year some 8400 students have been diagnosed.

HEALTHSHARE is a free new website allowing you to connet to others

Submitted by blonde_louise on Mon, 25/07/2011 - 10:47am
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Healthshare is a new FREE social network that empowers people living with health challenges or helps them lead healthier lives. We make it easy to start conversations, meet others, share treatments, read and post product recommendations, and much more. We provide the platform and tools for people to discuss the topics that affect them and that they are passionate about. You can learn more about Healthshare from this YouTube Clip… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfiv88U6taw

Some parents and doctors faking autism diagnosis to get help for kids

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From The Daily Telegraph, July 20, 2011

  • Students with autism up 165 per cent over eight years
  • Rates of other mental health diagnoses up by 75
  • Autism attracts more funding, more assistance

SOME parents and doctors are colluding to deliberately misdiagnose school children as autistic so they can get help for other problems, a medical professional claims.

Parents are seeking the autism "label" because funding for the condition has increased and more assistance is available for autism than for other conditions.

Autism rates soaring in NSW public schools

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A BLOWOUT in the number of autistic students at NSW public schools may have been triggered by doctors misdiagnosing children to secure extra funding.

Department of Education figures obtained by The Sunday Telegraph show one in 74 students at state schools is autistic despite the accepted Australian prevalence being one in 160.

The state government spends more than $1.1 billion each year on students with disabilities.

Doctors say the only way to secure extra funding for children who are borderline cases or who have learning difficulties is to stretch the diagnosis.

Asperger's Newbie: Where can I get a formal assessment of Asperger's and Autism etc?

Submitted by I_need_space on Mon, 30/05/2011 - 6:25am
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I am new to this forum. I recently discovered I have the traits... Did a lot of reading on the matter and now I'm weighing up the pros and cons, and basically whether I should turn a blind eye to this altogether... I mean, I don't want to give myself any excuses for not being able to perform everyday tasks.

Awareness at University of New England

Submitted by goodvibe on Mon, 04/04/2011 - 7:06pm
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Aspergers can be cruel and brutal. There are a lot of aspergers adults out there battling silently in a world they are just not a part of. My primary school years were promising, my high school and teen years were a disaster and my 20's we simply lost. Then, as a mature age student at the age of 30, I finally settled into an Arts degree with a psychology major at the University of New England NSW. At last a fullfilling and meaningful direction in life. But everything fell apart in my final undergraduate year.

Advocacy in Secondary schools

Submitted by Marlicia Travis on Wed, 17/11/2010 - 3:37pm
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Hi everyone, I'm new here. I have a son on the spectrum. Life has been like a blend of "what's eating Gilbert grape" and "the black balloon" for my family. Having been amazed at the various responses across the whole of society regarding my sons behaviour, I have decided to create a presentation to take into secondary schools across the Sydney region to build community awareness on a broader scale, and offer the opportunity for questions to be answered with the intention of a greater level of understanding in all aspects of future Sydney community life.

Terrace man sells his skin

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BY ALISON BRANLEY

Forget bus stop seats, a Raymond Terrace man is selling advertising space on his skin in an effort to raise $1 million.

Tim Christian, 26, said every square centimetre of his body was up for grabs by businesses looking to get their brand permanently tattooed on his walking billboard.

The father-of-three is doing it to raise money to improve Hunter autism services after struggling to get help for his four-year-old son, Connor.

Mother branded mentally ill after complaint

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Louise Hall, September 30, 2010

A MOTHER who raised serious concerns about the care of her intellectually disabled daughter at a group home was taken to the Guardianship Tribunal where the state government tried to strip her parental rights.

Documents obtained under freedom of information show disability bureaucrats tried to portray the mother as mentally ill and unfit to make decisions about her daughter, then 19.

Rocketing autism numbers met with education shortfall

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HEATH GILMORE, July 26, 2010

AUTISTIC children are being forced into mainstream classes because of a lack of places in specialised learning groups in NSW schools, an inquiry has heard.

The families and teachers of autistic children have complained to the NSW parliamentary inquiry about the failure to provide an adequate number of places, despite a sharp increase in students diagnosed with learning problems.

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