I bet you think there is no connection between breast cancer and babies – unfortunately, there is. If you have been following the news lately, one of the hottest topics involves a medical report which now recommends that routine breast cancer screenings for women in their forties are not necessary. The confusing explanation provided by the medical representative for this report when questioned by Dr. Sanjay Gupta on CNN was babble speak at its best. The whole purpose of routine screenings is early identification so that late-stage medical problems which are both costly in terms of lives and finances can be avoided. The mantra all of these years has been identify the healthcare problem early, intervene and the result is a better prognosis. This “clinical approach” within the medical field has affected all of our lives in untold and unrecognized ways. The change in thinking recommended by this report has dangerous implications for both education and early intervention services for children with disabilities throughout the United States.
In 1975, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was passed into law guaranteeing children ages 5 to 21 free and appropriate educational services in public school settings. By the mid-1980’s it became clear to Legislators, parents and educational advocates that a “gap” remained in the service provision system. Specifically, what about the children birth to 5 years of age? They were not being screened, services were not being provided and millions of families were faced with the challenging task of finding therapeutic services. Clinical research over the years has overwhelmingly documented the importance of early identification and the effectiveness of early intervention services.
The dangerous implication in this medical report is that if this thinking generalizes to other sectors of healthcare, early intervention programs in all social service areas will begin to contract. What is not being said in this report is that the elimination of routine screenings presents a risk to women who may have breast cancer in their forties and a benefit to medical cost saving. The real issue here is that when routine screenings are “not necessary,” then patients may not be covered and/or routinely reimbursed. The result would be a decrease in the number of women being screened increasing the risk that young women with breast cancer will go undiagnosed for longer periods of time. Simply put, if you don’t screen, you don’t identify a problem. And if a problem is not identified, then there is no need for early intervention services. So it starts with screening young women for breast cancer but then what comes next?
Be aware that this is not just about breast cancer. It is about a much larger issue, screenings lead to early identification and clinical services. If this “thinking” continues, children with disabilities who are our most vulnerable population will be treated in exactly the same way. Why screen everyone? After all, children with disabilities only represent five percent of the general population? Parents, we will never be able to find the five percent if we do not routinely screen. Have you ever read For Whom the Bell Tolls? “It tolls for our children.”