There are claims that the diagnostic criteria for autism have become too broad.
Updates to the diagnostic threshold have widened the definition of autism over time, allowing for individuals with milder symptoms or lower support needs to receive a diagnosis.
A number of experts believe this has resulted in resources and support services being spread thin.
Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan, author of The Age of Diagnosis, says it’s also having an impact on research:
Angela Ward is a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator at a post-primary school in Donegal and is also the parent of a child with autism.
She disagrees with those claims, saying that families often face long waits for assessments and eventual diagnoses.
Angela says the process can take years:
