How to not miss the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in adults

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Published 2021-04-01

Simple and Practical Medical Education (simpleandpractical.com/) interviewed Edward Brodkin, MD, about autism spectrum disorders in adults (on April 1, 2021). Dr. Brodkin is Director of the Adult Autism Spectrum Program at Penn Medicine and Co-Director of the Autism Spectrum Program of Excellence at the University of Pennsylvania. Here are the questions that we posed to Dr. Brodkin during this interview:
1. In adults, how commonis autism spectrum disorder?
2. How does autism spectrum disorder typically present clinically in adults?
3. Are there differences in how it presents in men versus in women?
4. Mental health clinicians have limited time and need to focus on pressing issues like depression, anxiety, insomnia, and suicidality. Why is it important to identify autism spectrum disorder if it is present in our patients?
5. Why does it often go undiagnosed, even by mental health professionals?
6. What exactly should we do to actively screen for autism spectrum disorder in our patients?
7. What kinds of treatments are available for adults with autism spectrum disorder?
8. What resources does Dr. Brodkin recommend for patients with autism spectrum disorder and their families to learn more?