There Are Some Things You Just Can’t Fake
It seems that one should only be subjected to one spurious explanation for autism per day. Alas, here is yet one more:
- Mom taught her 2 kids to fake retardation: Mother admits coaching children to collect more than $280,000 in benefits (February 27, MSNBC)
Not good, right?
Then I read this: According to Kevin MD, something like this “anectode” (sic)—in which a parent has a child “fake” a developmental disability—may account for the rise in the incidence of autism.
I hope that Kevin MD is joking about this.
Parents of autistic children have been known to feel desperate but I do not think we are so desperate as to “fake” our child having autism.
11 opinions for There Are Some Things You Just Can’t Fake
Kassiane
Feb 27, 2007 at 10:07 pm
…you CAN’T convincingly fake autism.
Ever try to fake perseverations? NT people can’t do it. I’ve challenged several to try. Can’t fake sensory issues either, or a number of other things that you have to have the wiring for.
Sheesh. The people they let through med school…
Leila
Feb 27, 2007 at 10:26 pm
This guy sounds like one of those right wingers who think the government should not provide any social services.
And then again, what financial advantage would parents of non-autistic kids looking for while “faking that their child has autism”? In my case, I LOST income after we started receiving services. Because the therapy is given in-home full time, they wanted me to quit my job! We settled for the therapy being given part time at home and part time in preschool, and I’m still losing a lot of paid hours with all the appointments and meetings.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Feb 27, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Social services only cover so much…….
mcewen
Feb 28, 2007 at 12:07 am
When I read that I assumed in was tongue in cheek. Also I imagine that financial benefits cannot be closely tied in with a formal diagnoses. If it is ‘merely’ a bureaucrat assessing finances it would be an easy to bring about such a deception.
Cheers
David N. Andrews M. Ed. (Distinction)
Feb 28, 2007 at 6:21 am
Even a somewhat Aspie-ish type of actor like Dustin Hoffman couldn’t do it.
mumkeepingsane
Feb 28, 2007 at 10:22 am
I don’t think it would be easy to fake autism. But, I remember when Patrick was being asessed by the phsychologists. The qestions they asked ME about Patrick’s behaviour at home were very leading. Sometimes I almost answered “yes” but then when I took a minute to think about it carefully the answer was really “no”.
It’s almost like they were looking for it even before the assessment….
Cary Byrd
May 21, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Hi. I’m Cary Byrd and I write the eDrugSearch Blog. I know that you’re a reader of Kevin, M.D. as I am, so I thought you might be interested in an interview I just posted with Kevin.
If you find the post of interest, any link love would be appreciated!
Thank you!
Didi Z.
Jan 17, 2008 at 12:35 pm
I know you can fake autism. I personally know of someone who has done it to two of her children. After comming in contact with an Autistic child she became facinated with the diagnosis. She spent time studying the DSM IV and dostor shopped until she got the diagnosis of Autism. It helps to come off as needing the diagnosis to “get services”. Each child was diagnosed at a young age where she could answer questions as to the childs behavior. One boy has a scar on his forehead from being pushed when he was about five or six. The Mother has trained him to say it was from “head banging as an infant” when asked.
The mother’s first marriage broke up and the children’s father took them to a well renouned Pediatric Neurologist at a leading medical unioversity who specialized in Autism with out the mother’s knowledge to get a second opinion. This doctor was provided the children and all medical and school record whith an invitation to contact anyone he needed to make his determination. The older boy heard the doctor say that he could find no sign of autism in either child. The older boy and did eventually report this to his mother. The mother was angry to the point of becomming violent that this had been done and the there is no way for the boys to be diagnosed with out the doctor getting their behavioral information from her. She was upset as it could jepraodize the boy’s services, which consisted solely of SSI monies and Medicaid.
The doctor who diagnosed autism on the boys probably didn’t do it out of incompetance. He probably went on the information from the mother, as he had to, given the child’s age and the limited time he has with the child. And if the mother knows what behaviors need to be presented to fit the DSM IV criteria, it is easy to see how they can be played for the fool. Why would a doctor suspect that a mother would WANT their children to be Autistic?
One can get into the argument, especially whith this mother, if it was purely for financial reasons. Perhaps it was for the attention/sympathy she gets from having an Autistic child and then multiply that by two and the money is just icing on the cake.
David L.
Feb 15, 2008 at 6:07 pm
That sounds like Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy to me. Most people apparently think high functioning autistic adults are just faking it, as well.
Dr Michael Williams
Feb 23, 2008 at 9:54 pm
I have met many people over the years in Biblical Counseling who all but told me they have faked “mental illnesses” to get disability benefits. They won’t openly admit it, but revel in how they were easily able to get the benefits. Having done most of my undergraduate work in pre-med and received training in psychatric nursing, I know they are able to do it because most “mental illnesses” rely on subjective symptoms and there are no objective diagnostic tests that fit a differential diagnostic medical model. For example, there are no lab tests or biologic based tests for Bi-polar or depression, but if you know the right symptoms and make a strong case for wanting to kill yourself, you’ll get admitted somewhere. After a few times of doing this and telling the counselors you can not work because of depression or anxiety, you’ll get disability with persistence. The sad part is, if you really get to know them, you will find they are perfectly able to work, they just chose not or work under the table to support their party lifestyle. As a Pastoral Counselor, I try to convince them to get a job so that they can come off disability and be productive, but when they see how it involves work, they always find a reason not to do it.
Lisa Rudy
Jul 21, 2008 at 8:11 am
wow.
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