J
john
Guest
http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news.asp?storyvar=8469
Article from the Inverness Courier Website
Headline: Shock as incidence of autism soars in city
AUTISM levels among Inverness children are almost double the national
average, an audit into city schools has revealed.
The study by Highland Council education department has found as many as one
primary age child in 49 has been diagnosed with, or awaiting diagnosis of,
Autistic Spectrum Disorder in the Inverness area.
Local campaigner Sheila Kyle of Action Against Autism described the figure
as astronomical and called for investigations into why the number was so high.
"You do not get epidemics of genetic disorders," she declared. "There must
be an environmental trigger or triggers to this condition. I would urge NHS
Highland to look at the changes in child health management that have taken
place and see how they link to the rise in autism."
Council principle educational psychologist Stephen Iliffe acknowledged the
figure, amounting to more than 100 children, was much higher than
expected.
"We would normally be expecting about half that in line with national and
international figures," he said.
"We don't know if it is the highest level in Scotland, but we do know it
is high compared with most other areas. Incidence around the Highlands
generally is not so high."
Nor could the high figures for Inverness be explained away by children
from outwith the area coming to the city for specialist education, Mr
Iliffe said. Though the figures did include some children resident in
Speyside or Ross-shire, most lived in the Inverness area and attended
mainstream schools.
Mr Iliffe revealed he did not place too much emphasis on the high figures
the study revealed.
"We're looking at levels of needs rather than diminishing them. We are
being very honest about this," he said. "It could just be a bump in the
figures. They do vary from time to time and, in future, you might expect
them to fall again."
The study was geared towards finding what facilities might be required
when the children reach secondary school, Mr Iliffe explained.
"In general terms, it's easier for primary schools to manage better
because they are smaller and pupils stay in one classroom," he added.
"Some children find secondary schools much more difficult.
The high figures present major cost implications for the authority. An
Institute of Psychiatry report put the cost of a lifetime's care for an
individual affected by autistic spectrum disorders at £500,000 for minor
conditions and almost £3 million in severe cases.
Inverness Education, Culture and Sport committee chairman Roddy Balfour
(Ardersier, Croy and Petty) described the figure as frighteningly high and
described the £200,000 required to address special educational needs as one
of the biggest strains on the education budget. "We are doing everything we
can to encourage inclusion in schools, but it
is costing us money," he commented.
NHS Highland Health Board child health commissioner Sally Amor could not
comment on or explain the council's one in 49 figure without being certain
of the criteria used, but agreed she would have expected the proportion to
be closer to the national figure of 60 per 10,000 children under eight.
The health board was now working with the council to get a better sense of
the figures involved, she explained.
"Because we are talking about spectrums, we are dealing with disorders
across the whole scale," she said.
Link: http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news.asp?storyvar=8469
Article from the Inverness Courier Website
Headline: Shock as incidence of autism soars in city
AUTISM levels among Inverness children are almost double the national
average, an audit into city schools has revealed.
The study by Highland Council education department has found as many as one
primary age child in 49 has been diagnosed with, or awaiting diagnosis of,
Autistic Spectrum Disorder in the Inverness area.
Local campaigner Sheila Kyle of Action Against Autism described the figure
as astronomical and called for investigations into why the number was so high.
"You do not get epidemics of genetic disorders," she declared. "There must
be an environmental trigger or triggers to this condition. I would urge NHS
Highland to look at the changes in child health management that have taken
place and see how they link to the rise in autism."
Council principle educational psychologist Stephen Iliffe acknowledged the
figure, amounting to more than 100 children, was much higher than
expected.
"We would normally be expecting about half that in line with national and
international figures," he said.
"We don't know if it is the highest level in Scotland, but we do know it
is high compared with most other areas. Incidence around the Highlands
generally is not so high."
Nor could the high figures for Inverness be explained away by children
from outwith the area coming to the city for specialist education, Mr
Iliffe said. Though the figures did include some children resident in
Speyside or Ross-shire, most lived in the Inverness area and attended
mainstream schools.
Mr Iliffe revealed he did not place too much emphasis on the high figures
the study revealed.
"We're looking at levels of needs rather than diminishing them. We are
being very honest about this," he said. "It could just be a bump in the
figures. They do vary from time to time and, in future, you might expect
them to fall again."
The study was geared towards finding what facilities might be required
when the children reach secondary school, Mr Iliffe explained.
"In general terms, it's easier for primary schools to manage better
because they are smaller and pupils stay in one classroom," he added.
"Some children find secondary schools much more difficult.
The high figures present major cost implications for the authority. An
Institute of Psychiatry report put the cost of a lifetime's care for an
individual affected by autistic spectrum disorders at £500,000 for minor
conditions and almost £3 million in severe cases.
Inverness Education, Culture and Sport committee chairman Roddy Balfour
(Ardersier, Croy and Petty) described the figure as frighteningly high and
described the £200,000 required to address special educational needs as one
of the biggest strains on the education budget. "We are doing everything we
can to encourage inclusion in schools, but it
is costing us money," he commented.
NHS Highland Health Board child health commissioner Sally Amor could not
comment on or explain the council's one in 49 figure without being certain
of the criteria used, but agreed she would have expected the proportion to
be closer to the national figure of 60 per 10,000 children under eight.
The health board was now working with the council to get a better sense of
the figures involved, she explained.
"Because we are talking about spectrums, we are dealing with disorders
across the whole scale," she said.
Link: http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news.asp?storyvar=8469