Autism diagnoses have increased in the last several years. Why is that?
Join us as we explore the nuanced world of neurodevelopmental disorders and how several conditions can present with symptoms that mimic autism spectrum disorder.
Episode overview
Our CHC expert licensed psychologists, Whitney Geller, PhD and Neilson Chan, PhD, discuss the core features of autism—social communication challenges, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors—while examining why diagnosis rates have risen dramatically in recent years.
Listen in as we talk about how other conditions like ADHD, anxiety disorders and more can sometimes be mistaken for autism due to overlapping behavioral presentations.
How to Listen and Subscribe
All Voices of Compassion podcast episodes are available on-demand to stream or download. Listen to Is it Really Autism or Something Else? at podcasts.chconline.org. You can also subscribe to Voices of Compassion on Apple podcasts, Spotify and other podcast apps.
About Voices of Compassion
Voices of Compassion is a weekly podcast produced by Children’s Health Council (CHC) with insights, inspiration and creative conversations about mental health, education and family.
Meet The CHC Expert
Whitney Geller, PhD , Whitney Geller, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with specialization in pediatric neuropsychology. Dr. Geller has an extensive background in both adult and pediatric neuropsychological assessment but ultimately decided to pursue a career in pediatrics as she is truly passionate about helping children and their families. Her pediatric specialties include neuropsychological assessment for complex medical conditions (e.g., cancer, epilepsy, brain injury, genetic disorders, etc.), neurodevelopmental evaluations (e.g., ADHD, learning disorders, autism, language/motor delay, intellectual disability), and psychiatric evaluations (i.e., mood and personality disorders).
Meet The CHC Expert
Neilson Chan, PhD , Neilson Chan, PhD is a licensed psychologist who is passionate about supporting the mental health of youth and their families. Dr. Chan has gained experience working in inpatient and outpatient settings providing evidence-based mental health treatments and psychological assessments for youth and families, with specialization in those with neurodevelopment conditions (autism, ADHD, intellectual disability, learning differences), anxiety and mood concerns.
