'Agricultural specialisterne': rural employment revolution for those with Autism

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The recently-published journal article that the above Continuing Medical Education (CME) page comes from is called Hyperlexia III: Separating ‘Autistic-like’ Behaviors from Autistic Disorder; Assessing Children who Read Early or Speak Late.

One of the reasons, Dr. Darold A. Treffert likes to specificy diagnoses is to prevent unnecessary worry and other issues from arising for parents and others. For example, an Autism Diagnosis is considered hard to take for many parents, and it is probably best that such a diagnosis is not made prematurely…

…He also found, based on correspondence with parents, that some children who speak late have transient autistic-like symptoms that faded over time in children in whom a diagnosis of autism had been prematurely and mistakenly applied. With that error came the same worry, concern, and pessimism in those families that some of the parents of hyperlexic III children were experiencing as expressed in correspondence with me.
…Exceedingly careful history, observation, and examination is critical; it may be necessary to let the natural history of the disorder emerge before applying a definitive diagnosis or label that can have important, lasting consequences. Treatment can still be applied to target symptoms, but parents or others may be spared the unnecessary worry and fear that can accompany certain diagnoses.
…The abundance of caution works in the other direction as well. Just as there is risk in making ‘false positive’ diagnoses of [Autism Spectrum Disorders] in children who read early, speak late, or are visually impaired, there is also the risk of giving ‘false hope’ in those instances where certain symptoms are a part of autistic spectrum disorder. My answer to both those risks: careful, comprehensive evaluation by skilled clinicians knowledgeable about [Autism Spectrum Disorders] as well as hyperlexia III, Einstein syndrome, and blindisms. From such an informed consultation, equally informed intervention strategies will emerge, whatever the proper diagnosis…

(source: http://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/_SAVANT/_RES/_files/pdf/hyperlexiaforweb.pdf)