Autism diagnoses are up, largely fuelled by the NDIS. What happens next isn’t entirely clear

By Andrew Whitehouse, Deputy Director, the Kids Research Institute Australia, Professor of Autism Research, The University of Western Australia

Research published earlier this year found the strongest evidence yet that the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has played a key role driving up autism diagnoses in Australia.

The study found evidence the increase may be due to clinicians lowering the threshold for an autism diagnosis, rather than a “catch up” in the diagnosis of historically under-diagnosed groups.

But major changes to the NDIS due to start…

Read complete article

~	When AI starts shopping for you, fashion may be entering a new era of pricing

~	Does your school do mental health checks? They should be regular, not just a one-off

~	The beloved emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal are now officially endangered. Here’s what can be done

~	Justin Bieber’s Coachella performance wasn’t ‘lazy’ – and actually references 50 years of music history

~	Searching for a ‘technofix’ to climate change has many dangers. Could radical humility save the planet?

~	How do ionic hair dryers work? Can they do what they promise?

~	‘Now is the moment to invest’: Syria needs global backing, says UN expert

~	Reparations ‘key to dismantling systemic racism’: UN rights chief

~	The Islamabad talks were doomed to failure – and Hormuz blockade has thrown another obstacle to any Iran-US deal

~	What is the digital euro? A guide to the future of cash in Europe