Autism Increase Mystery Solved

[Doctor Cringelord]

Wtf?

How was there anything wrong with what I said?

Sorry.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

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.

That's a very good good point.

I wouldn't be in a relationship and married without the existence of the internet, and while I don't believe he's on the spectrum, our son is anything but typical.

 

[Pionart]

Sorry.

That's ok man.

Like, I was trying to say that I didn't understand why people would be so shocked at you for suggesting such a thing, when it really isn't that controversial of an idea, is it? I felt like you were accusing me of being some kind of asshole... which maybe I was, but towards the people dismissing you, not towards you?

It's just a misunderstanding I guess, but I'm sensitive to (perceived) criticism.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

That's ok man.

Like, I was trying to say that I didn't understand why people would be so shocked at you for suggesting such a thing, when it really isn't that controversial of an idea, is it? I felt like you were accusing me of being some kind of asshole... which maybe I was, but towards the people dismissing you, not towards you?

It's just a misunderstanding I guess, but I'm sensitive to (perceived) criticism.

I was being a dick. I'm not going to make excuses. I feel really bad about it and dicks make other people less likely to want to participate in good discussions. You have valuable insights to contribute--don't let I or anyone else ever make you feel like you can't participate and contribute.

 

[Pionart]

I was being a dick. I'm not going to make excuses. I feel really bad about it and dicks make other people less likely to want to participate in good discussions. You have valuable insights to contribute--don't let I or anyone else ever make you feel like you can't participate and contribute.

Yeah, well you should feel bad about it ... but not really bad

Many people do a lot worse than that... if anything, I was going to cut myself off from responding to you specifically in the future, but that's fixed now.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

Yeah, well you should feel bad about it ... but not really bad

Many people do a lot worse than that... if anything, I was going to cut myself off from responding to you specifically in the future, but that's fixed now.

It occurred to me that might happen and it made me sad to think potential discourse and interaction with any member might be cancelled due to my shitty actions on a bad day.

 

[geedoenfj]

I'm not in the United States and the GMF is more common in the US than in my region, and I have a child with ASD , however I decided to go with detoxification because the tests showed a high levels of heavy metals and fungi due to vaccinations, I hope it will work because speech therapy is not working enough for him, and I'm really concerned specially that we cannot afford special school..

 

[EcK]

I'M SO STEALING THAT.

- after watching video - I thought he'd be like over the top and more sarcastic : ( this was underwhelming.

 

[Betty Blue]

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.

Edit: In response to point 3.

Idk this just sounds like the whole 'the child is bad not the behaviour' which is walking backwards psychologically in a society which is taking leaps forwards.

I'm so bored of the whole... 'well if you give a kid loads of sweets what do you expect' conservative bigoted nonsense. Maybe you are not of this school of thought but it reminds me of that way of thinking. Apologies if I have you all wrong.

 

[Betty Blue]

In regards to the Op I think the point is that actually wider understanding and consequent testing and diagnosing does not account for the whole increase and only accounts for some 30-60% depending on source. If we measure it against some other things which gained better understanding and awareness and acceptance such as Downs Syndrome and Dyslexia etc we see that the diagnosis rate For Autism has increased at much higher than anticipated rates.


Some info...

"Prevalence of autism in U.S. children increased by 119.4 percent from 2000 (1 in 150) to 2010 (1 in 68). (CDC, 2014) Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability. (CDC, 2008)"

"Causes

Bookmark and Share

There is no known single cause for autism spectrum disorder, but it is generally accepted that it is caused by abnormalities in brain structure or function. Brain scans show differences in the shape and structure of the brain in children with autism compared to in neurotypical children. Researchers do not know the exact cause of autism but are investigating a number of theories, including the links among heredity, genetics and medical problems.

In many families, there appears to be a pattern of autism or related disabilities, further supporting the theory that the disorder has a genetic basis. While no one gene has been identified as causing autism, researchers are searching for irregular segments of genetic code that children with autism may have inherited. It also appears that some children are born with a susceptibility to autism, but researchers have not yet identified a single “trigger” that causes autism to develop.

Other researchers are investigating the possibility that under certain conditions, a cluster of unstable genes may interfere with brain development, resulting in autism. Still other researchers are investigating problems during pregnancy or delivery as well as environmental factors such as viral infections, metabolic imbalances and exposure to chemicals.

Genetic Vulnerability

Autism tends to occur more frequently than expected among individuals who have certain medical conditions, including fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, congenital rubella syndrome and untreated phenylketonuria (PKU). Some harmful substances ingested during pregnancy also have been associated with an increased risk of autism."


Facts and Statistics | Autism Society - Autism Society

 

[Luke O]

Edit: In response to point 3.

Idk this just sounds like the whole 'the child is bad not the behaviour' which is walking backwards psychologically in a society which is taking leaps forwards.

I'm so bored of the whole... 'well if you give a kid loads of sweets what do you expect' conservative bigoted nonsense. Maybe you are not of this school of thought but it reminds me of that way of thinking. Apologies if I have you all wrong.

It would certainly be if I thought all parents were at it (they're not). There are genuine cases and there are a few who want to game the system.

 

[Betty Blue]

It would certainly be if I thought all parents were at it (they're not). There are genuine cases and there are a few who want to game the system.

Well there are always people who want to game the system. I doubt any of them are children (depending on what age we are classifying children). Munchausen's by proxy will affect some too.

My point was that it's very rare to find a child who is just 'ill behaved'. There will be reasons for the ill behaviour not just 'ill behaved children'. Sometimes they are just naturally pushing their boundaries, sometimes the parents have their own ill health to contend with, socio economic conditions, trauma, abuse and all sorts of things can be possibilities as well as ASD.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

In regards to the Op I think the point is that actually wider understanding and consequent testing and diagnosing does not account for the whole increase and only accounts for some 30-60% depending on source. If we measure it against some other things which gained better understanding and awareness and acceptance such as Downs Syndrome and Dyslexia etc we see that the diagnosis rate For Autism has increased at much higher than anticipated rates.


Some info...

"Prevalence of autism in U.S. children increased by 119.4 percent from 2000 (1 in 150) to 2010 (1 in 68). (CDC, 2014) Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability. (CDC, 2008)"

"Causes

Bookmark and Share

There is no known single cause for autism spectrum disorder, but it is generally accepted that it is caused by abnormalities in brain structure or function. Brain scans show differences in the shape and structure of the brain in children with autism compared to in neurotypical children. Researchers do not know the exact cause of autism but are investigating a number of theories, including the links among heredity, genetics and medical problems.

In many families, there appears to be a pattern of autism or related disabilities, further supporting the theory that the disorder has a genetic basis. While no one gene has been identified as causing autism, researchers are searching for irregular segments of genetic code that children with autism may have inherited. It also appears that some children are born with a susceptibility to autism, but researchers have not yet identified a single “trigger” that causes autism to develop.

Other researchers are investigating the possibility that under certain conditions, a cluster of unstable genes may interfere with brain development, resulting in autism. Still other researchers are investigating problems during pregnancy or delivery as well as environmental factors such as viral infections, metabolic imbalances and exposure to chemicals.

Genetic Vulnerability

Autism tends to occur more frequently than expected among individuals who have certain medical conditions, including fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, congenital rubella syndrome and untreated phenylketonuria (PKU). Some harmful substances ingested during pregnancy also have been associated with an increased risk of autism."


Facts and Statistics | Autism Society - Autism Society

Well there are always people who want to game the system. I doubt any of them are children (depending on what age we are classifying children). Munchausen's by proxy will affect some too.

My point was that it's very rare to find a child who is just 'ill behaved'. There will be reasons for the ill behaviour not just 'ill behaved children'. Sometimes they are just naturally pushing their boundaries, sometimes the parents have their own ill health to contend with, socio economic conditions, trauma, abuse and all sorts of things can be possibilities as well as ASD.

Why call it a disorder anyway? I call it evolution

 

[Luke O]

Well there are always people who want to game the system. I doubt any of them are children (depending on what age we are classifying children). Munchausen's by proxy will affect some too.

My point was that it's very rare to find a child who is just 'ill behaved'. There will be reasons for the ill behaviour not just 'ill behaved children'. Sometimes they are just naturally pushing their boundaries, sometimes the parents have their own ill health to contend with, socio economic conditions, trauma, abuse and all sorts of things can be possibilities as well as ASD.

There are going to be some children who are naturally bad, today's future sociopaths are already around. But I know many adults who regret the bad things they got up to when they were young. Peer pressure is a big factor.

The thing about parents pushing doctors to diagnose their kids with something is the risk of them being misdiagnosed and being treated for the wrong thing.

 

[Betty Blue]

There are going to be some children who are naturally bad, today's future sociopaths are already around. But I know many adults who regret the bad things they got up to when they were young. Peer pressure is a big factor.

The thing about parents pushing doctors to diagnose their kids with something is the risk of them being misdiagnosed and being treated for the wrong thing.

Well idk if you have been through the process of having a child assessed but from a parents perspective I can tell you it is not a decision to be taken lightly and being through the process and working with people with ASD I did not see a single parent pushing for a diagnosis, most parents were desperately hoping the doctors and health professionals would say it was a phase or something easily curable.

I just don't have experience of these badly behaved kids and pushy parents. Sure they will exist but not in the kind of numbers some people seem to think they do. The only times I come across it are when people make wild bigoted judgement calls. The reality just doesn't match up. In saying that I have heard that in the states they are a lot more free with medicating things and making diagnosis... but it's not something I see a lot of here in the U.K. The only experience I have of that is from watching documentaries and knowing a few people who have gone stateside to get medication they couldn't get here.

- - - Updated - - -

Why call it a disorder anyway? I call it evolution

If this is not a troll post I would be interested in your evidence for this.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

If this is not a troll post I would be interested in your evidence for this.

Speculation, not trolling. I don't have evidence but I'll share my train of thought that led me there:


-First, I assumed autism and related syndromes (I've always preferred "syndrome" over "disorder") were either mutations or variations from the norm. Mutations are sometimes beneficial, sometimes harmful to a species' overall survival.


-Next I thought about the conditions that might be favoring those with autistic genes..

In our current society, people have become more "plugged in" or "wired" with the rise of the internet. Those people who preferred and were favored by more traditional courting rituals may not be doing as well in the world of online dating and courtship, as sweaty singles bars are slowly being superseded by an abundance of online means of meeting mates. Conversely, people who were adverse to traditional forms of socialization (and therefore more likely to have remained single in the pre-internet age) now have a viable means to meet mates who either share their condition or are okay with the idea of dating someone on the spectrum--all without the traditional singles bar or social gatherings that would normally make autistics like myself cringe and stim in a corner.

Also, the mental health world and professionals are becoming more knowledgeable and better equipped to handle autistic patients who, 70 years ago would've been considered hopeless, lost causes. More and more there are reports surfacing of autistic children and teens who were nonverbal and often tested at ridiculously low IQs being pulled out of their shells and becoming more "functional" people. I realize that's purely anecdotal, but these types of news stories are becoming more frequent and I think this could be a symptom of both society and the mental health establishment becoming more adept at nurturing and helping those on the spectrum become better adjusted individuals.



It's unsubstantiated speculation on my part, but in summary, I think the combination of increased awareness, improved health services, and a plugged in world have paved the way for those with autistic traits to reproduce on a far greater scale. If we assume autism is hereditary, then even the autistics having children with neurotypicals may be passing on autistic genes, and if not the full condition, then at least various traits of spectrum "disorders." These traits will become more and more common over a number of generations, to a point that they may not be considered outside the norm, but rather typical. That's why I believe it's evolution and I'm not particularly bothered or alarmed at any supposed increase in autism disorders.




Also, I don't mean to downplay the struggles faced by those with the disorders and their loved ones, but I'm pretty optimistic and think that, in the bigger picture, their kind will eventually be better understood and better adapted to live in this world as more of their own kind begin to inhabit the roles of nurturers, educators, etc.


We will rule the planet!

 

[Poki]

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.

When it becomes majority does that make what's normal now a disorder?

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

When it becomes majority does that make what's normal now a disorder?

No. It just makes it no longer the norm.

 

[Betty Blue]

Speculation, not trolling. I don't have evidence but I'll share my train of thought that led me there:


-First, I assumed autism and related syndromes (I've always preferred "syndrome" over "disorder") were either mutations or variations from the norm. Mutations are sometimes beneficial, sometimes harmful to a species' overall survival.


-Next I thought about the conditions that might be favoring those with autistic genes..

In our current society, people have become more "plugged in" or "wired" with the rise of the internet. Those people who preferred and were favored by more traditional courting rituals may not be doing as well in the world of online dating and courtship, as sweaty singles bars are slowly being superseded by an abundance of online means of meeting mates. Conversely, people who were adverse to traditional forms of socialization (and therefore more likely to have remained single in the pre-internet age) now have a viable means to meet mates who either share their condition or are okay with the idea of dating someone on the spectrum--all without the traditional singles bar or social gatherings that would normally make autistics like myself cringe and stim in a corner.

Also, the mental health world and professionals are becoming more knowledgeable and better equipped to handle autistic patients who, 70 years ago would've been considered hopeless, lost causes. More and more there are reports surfacing of autistic children and teens who were nonverbal and often tested at ridiculously low IQs being pulled out of their shells and becoming more "functional" people. I realize that's purely anecdotal, but these types of news stories are becoming more frequent and I think this could be a symptom of both society and the mental health establishment becoming more adept at nurturing and helping those on the spectrum become better adjusted individuals.



It's unsubstantiated speculation on my part, but in summary, I think the combination of increased awareness, improved health services, and a plugged in world have paved the way for those with autistic traits to reproduce on a far greater scale. If we assume autism is hereditary, then even the autistics having children with neurotypicals may be passing on autistic genes, and if not the full condition, then at least various traits of spectrum "disorders." These traits will become more and more common over a number of generations, to a point that they may not be considered outside the norm, but rather typical. That's why I believe it's evolution and I'm not particularly bothered or alarmed at any supposed increase in autism disorders.




Also, I don't mean to downplay the struggles faced by those with the disorders and their loved ones, but I'm pretty optimistic and think that, in the bigger picture, their kind will eventually be better understood and better adapted to live in this world as more of their own kind begin to inhabit the roles of nurturers, educators, etc.


We will rule the planet!

It's ok I have much to say on the topic but have been heckled for saying similar things and received an incredibly hard time for my old thread 'Dyslexia is a gift not a disability' I was just checking you out for soundness.

 

[uumlau]

A recent article that anecdotally supports the position of the OP: Dad Finds Out He Has Autism After His Daughter's Diagnosis

What I find very interesting here is that it was OBVIOUS that the dad was autistic once a clinical description was provided, but up until that point, he was just an endearingly quirky person. I think another factor might be that now that we define it as more of a spectrum, including things like Asperger's, a lot of people on the spectrum aren't brain damaged in a way that makes them stupider, and some on the spectrum appear to be very extremely intelligent. Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory is a good fictional example, where he's clearly a genius, so there is clearly "nothing wrong" with his brain, he's just "quirky" in the way all geniuses seem to be.