Autism Increase Mystery Solved

[Doctor Cringelord]

A semi-new article:

https://www.geneticliteracyproject....ot-vaccines-gmos-glyphosate-or-organic-foods/

Summary for those who don't care to read: increased awareness about autism and similar disorders (i.e. Aspergers) paired with new diagnostic criteria has led to more diagnoses in recent generations, giving the statistical illusion that more people are being born with autism spectrum disorders.

It's not vaccines, food, etc--there has always been an approximate percentage of the general population with autism and similar syndromes, but the less severe ones generally went unnoticed, with "aspies" and high functioning individuals such as myself being written off as eccentric, socially awkward misfits.

I've been saying this for TEN YEARS and people have looked at me like I didn't know what I was talking about. Suddenly this article is making the social media rounds and people are having a collective "a-ha" moment. It's always been so obvious to me.

 

[prplchknz]

I was assessed for autism right before the dsm iv came out (I was 4) i bet if i had been assessed after the dsm iv i would have been put somewhere on the spectrum. I had other issues but i didn't fit the criteria enough in the iii to be considered to be on the spectrum, or perhaps not. i can't really say. ps i don't think i'm on the spectrum, and if i am it be high functioning, and at this point of my life probably wouldn't do much good. I still got occupational therapy, and speech and physical as a kid. which is what a lot of people with autism get, i dunno just my 2 cents.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

I was assessed for autism right before the dsm iv came out (I was 4) i bet if i had been assessed after the dsm iv i would have been put somewhere on the spectrum. I had other issues but i didn't fit the criteria enough in the iii to be considered to be on the spectrum, or perhaps not. i can't really say. ps i don't think i'm on the spectrum, and if i am it be high functioning, and at this point of my life probably wouldn't do much good. I still got occupational therapy, and speech and physical as a kid. which is what a lot of people with autism get, i dunno just my 2 cents.

I was in elementary school in the late 80s. Had there been more awareness about high functioning autism and aspergers (wasn't even acknowledged widely in the US until the DSM IV was published in '94) in those years, then I'm almost certain I would've been diagnosed with either. I tried to see a specialist as an adult, but I gave up, because (at the time) there wasn't a single professional in my area who specialized in adult autism. I remember calling multiple doctors and always talking to receptionists who immediately assumed I was calling to make an appointment for a child.

 

[prplchknz]

I was in elementary school in the late 80s. Had there been more awareness about high functioning autism and aspergers (wasn't even acknowledged widely in the US until the DSM IV was published in '94) in those years, then I'm almost certain I would've been diagnosed with either. I tried to see a specialist as an adult, but I gave up, because (at the time) there wasn't a single professional in my area who specialized in adult autism. I remember calling multiple doctors and always talking to receptionists who immediately assumed I was calling to make an appointment for a child.

yeah i got assessed late 80s early 90s.

 

[kyuuei]

It was the same for the ADD/ADHD 'epidemic' a few years back. Suddenly what we have been seeing has a name and everyone freaks. It was the same for MR, anorexia, and all sorts of cases that have less obvious physiological features. They've always been around, we just didn't bother to research, make objective points, and diagnose. We're still learning even now.

People be trippin'.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

yeah i got assessed late 80s early 90s.

My parents also happened to be very anti any sort of placing kids in psychological diagnoses boxes. I kind of wished they hadn't been like that, but I'm also glad they were, because otherwise I may have spent much of my youth on some mind numbing drug like ritalin or worse.

 

[prplchknz]

My parents also happened to be very anti any sort of placing kids in psychological diagnoses boxes. I kind of wished they hadn't been like that, but I'm also glad they were, because otherwise I may have spent much of my youth on some mind numbing drug like ritalin or worse.

my mom was fine with label's but anti-med my dad was anti both. which is funny because i've been dxed in my 20s with a mental illness that requires meds for me to function and my mom's ok with that, actually gets mad and worried when i go off them. but i guess maybe its not anti-meds but anti-meds when not needed.

 

[jcloudz]

A semi-new article:

https://www.geneticliteracyproject....ot-vaccines-gmos-glyphosate-or-organic-foods/

Summary for those who don't care to read: increased awareness about autism and similar disorders (i.e. Aspergers) paired with new diagnostic criteria has led to more diagnoses in recent generations, giving the statistical illusion that more people are being born with autism spectrum disorders.

It's not vaccines, food, etc--there has always been an approximate percentage of the general population with autism and similar syndromes, but the less severe ones generally went unnoticed, with "aspies" and high functioning individuals such as myself being written off as eccentric, socially awkward misfits.

I've been saying this for TEN YEARS and people have looked at me like I didn't know what I was talking about. Suddenly this article is making the social media rounds and people are having a collective "a-ha" moment. It's always been so obvious to me.

but it was not like this in the good ol` days! or was it?!

 

[Pionart]

I swear I read this on wikipedia years ago. :S

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

I swear I read this on wikipedia years ago. :S

 

[Pionart]

Wtf?

How was there anything wrong with what I said?

 

[Lark]

The whole there's not more of it its just that its more well known idea is an old chestnut and can be applied to whatever you choose, terrorism, crime, anything really.

What I cant figure is that people dont think that increased use of prescription and non-prescription drugs has anything to do with things such as increased instances of autism.

It all filters through the same water supply so its not even that some of the people most liable to use a range of prescription and non-prescription meds are having large families which in turn engage in similar behaviour and a kind of selection and inheritance process takes place, everyone is being exposed to the same thing at least trace elements.

Consider that traces from the contraceptive pill are a staple of tap water in most of the parts of the first world in which its available to the female population and you get an idea of what's going on, before you even consider how widespread illegal narcotics use is or if psychoactive prescription medicines are in widespread use (before anyone thinks I'm being sexist about women's use of the pill there's easy ways that men could exercise better contraception without drugs, what's usually lacking from that discussion is responsible expectations about responsibility).

 

[PeaceBaby]

Summary for those who don't care to read: increased awareness about autism and similar disorders (i.e. Aspergers) paired with new diagnostic criteria has led to more diagnoses in recent generations, giving the statistical illusion that more people are being born with autism spectrum disorders.

The study accounts for ~60% of the increase, so there's ~40% left to ponder on.

I wonder if anyone has done a correlation study between average age of parents and prevalence of autism in their offspring (as parents are having children at older ages).

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

We'll be extinct in 2000 years.

 

[Riva]

It's the rise of the Neanderthal gene.

Is it not?

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

It's the rise of the Neanderthal gene.

Is it not?

Yeah and we can blame that for soulless gingers as well.

 

[Kerik_S]

Isn't that how all observation works? Objective processes have more positives in their results when the methods become more refined.

Anyone who can't grasp a simple nugget of logic in that vein aren't worth arguing with and likely have huge conspiracy biases underlining (and interrupting) their grasp of such basic information

 

[Ivy]

I suspect whatever part of the increase that cannot be accounted for by widening diagnostic criteria and increased public awareness, is probably attributable to changes in mating patterns due to things like the rise of computing and the internet, and the associated increase in societal value of the splinter skills that often come from being on the spectrum. There's a phenomenon I think called Silicon Valley syndrome, where quirky folks who might have had a hard time finding a mate before are now finding their place in the market, gaining success, and starting families. Quirky + quirky = autistic kid, in some cases.

Also, some of those "quirky" folks could be diagnosed with autism now but were not as children since the criteria were so different. They don't pursue it now because there's no benefit to it. My husband is one of those cases, and I'm also somewhat neurologically quirky though not on the spectrum. We have a child with autism.

 

[Frosty]

Greater awareness of what to look for, wider criteria, and a greater chance of a parent accepting and or pushing for the diagnosis due to a decrease of stigma. Back in the days of yore, a diagnosis of autism was probably absolutely devastating, I mean until the 80s or so I believe it was common for these people- or any people who were deemed less than naturally capable of handling mainstream society, to be just sort of handed over to spend their days in the care of institutions. So really, I think probably less parents would actively search out a diagnosis for a child that... could potentially function to some sort of extent... as really it was just so poorly understood and options were so limited... a diagnosis was probably closer to a death sentence than a functional difference to just be worked with and accommodated. Really yeah just that negative stigma of--- there just isnt much to be done, probably held off parents wanting to treat their sort of borderline seeming autistic children... because really I just don't think anyone wants to give up on their kid.

This needs better organization but yeah... just I mean there is more understanding that these people might have struggles- but that a diagnosis doesnt mean that their existence just HAS to one. It is viewed as less terminal I guess, so more people who before would have ignored signs, or not known them because of lack of information, might be open and more aware and more inclined to seek out that help for their child.

This needs much better organization. Sigh. Well, oh well.

I don't think I HAVE autism, but my mother has suggested it as a possibility before... there is STILL pretty significant misunderstanding there I think.

 

[Luke O]

1) The problems with big data: There are so many trends around that you could pick anything with a similar curve, overlay it and say this causes so and so and loads of dumb people will believe you.

2) Yes, increased awareness has led to more and more people going to get examined and diagnosed.

3) Parents wanting some peace of mind by getting some kind of label slapped on their ill-behaved children. No they're not bad children, they have ADD/Aspergers/etc stop being so judgemental of me blah blah blah. I've seen it.

4) I'd imagine the US is more prone to this, but giving patients a label means they have to buy treatment all the time to feel better, so if you went around slapping labels on people, you've got a source of income from them.