04/20/2026
A Conversation on the "Rising Rates of Autism"
A great conversation on YouTube this week with Dr. Donna Henderson (author of Is This Autism?) and
Megan Anna Neff (https://neurodivergentinsights.com/)
"We unpack the so-called "rising rates of autism" narrative, why people keep framing it as an epidemic, and what is actually happening instead. We talk about changes to diagnostic criteria and the DSM over time, increased awareness and better screening, and the way cultural conversations have opened doors for people who would have been missed a decade or two ago."
Find the link here: https://youtu.be/XwP5UrRpoLM?si=KkuJ91fWBNgbzMe1
If you want to go deeper on this topic, they have a visual guide and transcript available alongside this video on their website: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/ep...
In this video, they explore:
→ Why the rise from 1 in 150 to 1 in 31 is not an "autism epidemic"
→ The history of autism in the DSM, from childhood schizophrenia to spectrum
→ How diagnostic criteria broadened dramatically across DSM-III, IV, and 5
→ Clinician barriers: awareness, knowledge, confidence, and comfort
→ Myths clinicians still believe about who can diagnose autism
→ Diagnostic overshadowing and why autism gets missed
→ The role of screening policies, education shifts, and insurance changes
→ Better recognition of Autistic women, BIPOC individuals, and late-diagnosed adults
→ Whether true prevalence could also be increasing
More from Neurodivergent Insights:
📚 Self-Care for Autistic People: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/shop
📚 The Autistic Burnout Workbook: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/shop
🌐 Neurodivergent Insights: https://neurodivergentinsights.com
🎓 Trainings (including The Lost Generation course): https://neurodivergentinsights.com/tr...
📒 Workbooks: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/shop
Guest: Dr. Donna Henderson is an ADHD psychologist specializing in autism assessment. She is co-author of Is This Autism? A Guide for Clinicians and Self-Advocates.
You can learn more about Dr. Donna Henderson's work here: https://www.isthisautism.com/