Concerned about the increase of autistic children

[pjcnet]

As I've already stated in other threads (in more detail here and also here) I believe there's roughly the same proportion of autistic people today including children as there always was, the only difference is more are now being diagnosed because there is generally a better understanding of autism than there used to be, for instance in the past many autistic children were thought to simply have behaviour problems. There is still a long way to go however. That said 1 person happening to know 4 autistic children recently when they used to know none isn't enough data to prove anything as this could easily just be coincidental.

PS: I also know about low functioning autism as both my now adult brothers are still unable to count to 5, read or write and will need care for the rest of their lives, but obviously they're not able enough to use a forum such as this one and neither would most people on the lower functioning end of the spectrum, my brothers are however intelligent in other ways. As a very young child I started off very similar to them as I was also extremely slow to develop, except unlike my brothers I suddenly started dramatically improving as I grew up, I still kept many autistic traits however even as an adult. A high proportion of members here are on the higher functioning end of the autistic spectrum and it's a fact that such aspies are usually of average to higher intelligence, while most of the remaining members know someone who is autistic which is the case with yourself, E.g. a family member, spouse, friend Etc. I know you didn't mean to imply that aspies are not intelligent and I think people looked too deeply into the way you unintentionally worded things, but sadly some people really do think that and it can be quite a sensitive subject to many aspies. This community is usually very friendly and helpful however and I would like to welcome you to ASPIESCentral myself since I see you only joined recently.

 

[OkRad]

It is an interesting question. First, lots were just told they were crazy, schizophrenic, etc. There were only a few diagnoses so many were misdiagnosed.

However, trends are changing. With genetic testing, many who are autistic are getting updated diagnoses. I have been through many diagnoses till they found a chromosomal abnormality. You may want to get your grandson tested for genetic karyotyping or exome sequencing. It can tell you what is going on.

NOw that, too, can open a can of worms. Then they want to test parents to see if they have it and add that it could be an environmental factor and not the gene.

HOWEVER, that is way better than, "Hmmm, you may be autistic, you may be not. You might have something else, or maybe not...." At least the gene issue is THERE.

 

[Ragnahawk]

I am completely amazed that almost everyone that read my post here sees it as derogatory or as an insult.

When that was NOT the intent of my post at all. Perhaps your perception that certain comments are demeaning to you personally are needing some introspection?

What I was clearly questioning and espousing was the POSSIBLE increase of this disorder (please do not try to blame this one on me also as that is the definition from several online sources) as this has been the topic of many news stories and science articles these last few years. Whether or not there is an actual increase or if the documented increase is just due to better record keeping and/or more accurate diagnoses???

What I was hoping for was a logical discussion of why this might be.....

I love my step-grandson with all my heart and I feel emotional pain when I think of how he suffers from this. Fortunately he is just now starting to respond vocally to simple questions.

I have NEVER EVER been the kind of person that picks on or makes fun of those less fortunate then me.

And obviously I am talking about the debilitating form of Autism..... I know nothing about nor did I say anything about Higher Functioning Autism or Asperger's Syndrome.

The possible cure for autism:: Google Search.

 

[OkRad]

The possible cure for autism:: Google Search.

I take Cannabis from Hemp. VERY HELPFUL!!!!

 

[Warmheart]

There are better diagnostics today. Plus, autism is on more professionals’ radar.
I’m glad you are here, sharing and learning. Welcome.

 

[Ambi]

I am completely amazed that almost everyone that read my post here sees it as derogatory or as an insult.

When that was NOT the intent of my post at all. Perhaps your perception that certain comments are demeaning to you personally are needing some introspection?

What I was clearly questioning and espousing was the POSSIBLE increase of this disorder (please do not try to blame this one on me also as that is the definition from several online sources) as this has been the topic of many news stories and science articles these last few years. Whether or not there is an actual increase or if the documented increase is just due to better record keeping and/or more accurate diagnoses???

What I was hoping for was a logical discussion of why this might be.....

I love my step-grandson with all my heart and I feel emotional pain when I think of how he suffers from this. Fortunately he is just now starting to respond vocally to simple questions.

I have NEVER EVER been the kind of person that picks on or makes fun of those less fortunate then me.

And obviously I am talking about the debilitating form of Autism..... I know nothing about nor did I say anything about Higher Functioning Autism or Asperger's Syndrome.

I think rather than being amazed you should realize that your message was not worded in keeping with your intention - it definitely did convey a negative connotation, regardless of your true intention.

I'm glad you've clarified, but it isn't fair to others to assume that it's other people's perceptions that are off. We are looking very logically at what you wrote in your original post - so people did indeed respond logically to what you had conveyed.

 

[Adora]

The reason why you believe there weren’t many autistic people while you were growing up is because there wasn’t much known about autism and many people especially on the mild or higher functioning side of autism were completely missed,for 31 years I didn’t know I was on the spectrum and even my older brother who is more classical autistic was told by doctors when he was a kid that he was brain damaged,also more females are getting diagnosed due to the fact that now the experts are learning that it can look different in girls as their symptoms in the past were just brushed off as just being shy and some female interests can be consider to be normal things most women like but the only reason that you didn’t know anyone on the spectrum was back then there were many people who were undiagnosed.

 

[isthisreallife]

I don't think it's an increase in Autism, I think it's an increase in diagnosis. I didn't get diagnosed until I was 34, and quite a few on here didn't get diagnosed until later. As well, only boys were studied and diagnosed, as girls expressed different traits than them so were thought incapable of developing Autism. So, that's a lot of people being overlooked right there too.

 

[Streetwise]

I am now in my 60’s and for my whole life I had never known anyone that was autistic.... that I know of.

I now know of four people that are autistic and they are all little children six years old and younger.

What is going on? None are directly related to me.


(PS... I know this is not a “scientific” observation...I am just concerned as two of these little children belong to my step-daughter. Interestingly enough one of her other children is perfectly normal AND seems to be VERY intelligent.)

I'd personally like more autistic neurodiverse children they remind me of a time when manners were common not like the utterly selfish neurotypical majority

 

[The Midge]

I am completely amazed that almost everyone that read my post here sees it as derogatory or as an insult.

When that was NOT the intent of my post at all. Perhaps your perception that certain comments are demeaning to you personally are needing some introspection?

What I was clearly questioning and espousing was the POSSIBLE increase of this disorder (please do not try to blame this one on me also as that is the definition from several online sources) as this has been the topic of many news stories and science articles these last few years. Whether or not there is an actual increase or if the documented increase is just due to better record keeping and/or more accurate diagnoses???

What I was hoping for was a logical discussion of why this might be.....

I love my step-grandson with all my heart and I feel emotional pain when I think of how he suffers from this. Fortunately he is just now starting to respond vocally to simple questions.

I have NEVER EVER been the kind of person that picks on or makes fun of those less fortunate then me.

And obviously I am talking about the debilitating form of Autism..... I know nothing about nor did I say anything about Higher Functioning Autism or Asperger's Syndrome.

There is no autism plague/ endemic. Hans Asperger's works on the syndrome were only translated into English in the 1980's.

The condition- which is a better way to think about it- has been around for as long as humans probably. As a result there are many here being diagnosed in their 40s, 50s and 60 +. I bet that if you think about it you would remember the quiet geeky kid at school or an odd relative. They could have been on the spectrum.

Once people were considered as recluses or eccentrics. Now we have the social media and hyper connected world to deal with. Most of those who are banging on about a huge increase in cases are trying to push cures. Many of us don't want a cure for autism because it is what makes us who we are.

Just remember that 'debilitating forms' of autism are usually autism plus something else. They are known as comorbid conditions. You will probably be informed it is not our autism that is the problem the a word that lacks understanding. You will also discover that Auties and Aspies, as we may refer to ourselves from time to time, have feelings too. It is just that we do not show them. However given the right medium to express ourselves we can be very out spoken; blunt even.

PS: we are not less fortunate than you. We don't suffer from autism. We suffer from ignorance, prejudice, rejection and down right discrimination from the neurotypical (NT) world. Please be careful of what you say if you want to be a part of the solution not the problem.

 

[Bolletje]

I think the preceived increase in people diagnosed with autism is probably related to the following things:
1) increased awareness of autism in both healthcare professionals and the general public
2) parents are more likely to actively seek a diagnosis (autism or other) for a child that acts differently
3) the stigma of autism is slowly disappearing (VERY slowly) which makes being on the spectrum more open for discussion, instead of being something you don't talk about.

Regarding stigma: I think that's where your original post struck a sour note with many of us, because it seems to suggest that it's a rarity for people on the autism spectrum to be "normal" or even of average intelligence. This is painful for many of us, because it's still a stigma we're looking to overcome. Sadly for many people, "autistic" is used as synonymous for "retarded" (which, in itself, is hurtful too). And there's still the idea that since we're different, there should be a tell.

I'm a woman, diagnosed at age 29, and very open about my diagnosis. On the one hand because I have nothing to be ashamed of, and on the other hand I want to educate people around me. Because upon finding out about my autism, the initial responses are usually along the lines of "but you look normal", "but you have a Master's degree", "but you have friends", "but you don't act spastic". A lot of other stereotypes occur as well.

A lot of us have fallen through the cracks, so to speak, being "normal" enough as a kid not to fit the criteria for classic autism. Growing up we learned to adapt to survive. Some of us learned to mask our feelings, hide our tics, make eye contact, make small talk, learned enough of the nuances of social interaction to still be perceived as "normal" as an adult. But it takes an immense amount of energy to have to think your way through every day. Because that's effectively what a lot of us do: use our intellect and rationale to keep the social mask from slipping.

It's exhausting sometimes. But it's not all bad. I excel in many areas because of my grasp of logic, my keen senses (such as perfect pitch) and my photographic memory. I don't suffer from autism, it just inconveniences me from time to time. Truth be told, I suffer more from my monthly period than from my autism.

You may know more autistic people than you are aware of, but it could simply be that these people have learned to adapt. Some may not know it themselves, some may know it but choose to keep it to themselves in order to avoid being singled out. Autism isn't something to be afraid of. and I think now is the perfect time to educate yourself on all that it entails.

 

[Crossbreed]

@Tekman101101 , I am an Aspie/gifted parent of some autistic children including two that match your proposed stereotype. I understand what you are trying to ask, but as you can gather from these responses, you probably need to reconsider your position on the matter.

Autism used to just mean the low-functioning variety identified by Leo Kanner. In our present understanding, autism includes not only Kanner's variety but geeks, nerds, engineers, etc. (usually identified with the Aspergers variety of autism) and many flavors in-between.

Historically, the Kanners type were much more rare, but you can see likely examples of Aspies all throughout history. It is hereditary. As the incidence of Kanners has increased, it has given the illusion of increased autism. What has increased is the intensity of co-morbid complications from a secondary trauma in early childhood that ours appear to be more susceptible to.

Evidence now indicates that Kanners autism is likely to be Aspergers with said complications. And that neo-natal trauma bears looking into, but (untraumatized) autism is the neurological equivalent of being left-handed. We've always been here and we are not going anywhere.

 

[Voxsh]

There is absolutely no increase in the prevalence rate of autistic people, diagnosis has improved. Leo Kanner believed he had only ever met 150 autistic people. At the time of the Camblewell study the prevalence rate was 1 in 10,000. The commonly recognised rate in the UK at present is 1 in 100. Latest research in the USA gives a rate of 1in 68, this is still well under diagnosed. Currently assessment still has a strong male bias, girls present markedly different from boys, and as result are severely under diagnosed.

For the record I completely failed at school. I was bullied for most of my school life and left school in 1979 with no qualifications believing I was stupid. I am a qualified teacher and work at an English University as a autism specialist mentor. I was just completed a post graduate qualification in autism and aspergers syndrome and half way through a master's degree in autism spectrum.

 

[Ragnahawk]

I don't know how to reply

I am now in my 60’s and for my whole life I had never known anyone that was autistic.... that I know of.

I now know of four people that are autistic and they are all little children six years old and younger.

What is going on? None are directly related to me.


(PS... I know this is not a “scientific” observation...I am just concerned as two of these little children belong to my step-daughter. Interestingly enough one of her other children is perfectly normal AND seems to be VERY intelligent.)

Don't assume that everyone here is trying to destroy you. This is what happens when 10+ people become interested in a topic. That's 10 monologues on condensed information.

 

[Ming of Mongo]

I'm sorry you are shocked. The problem is obviously my perceptions.

 

[Fitzo]

When you say you never knew anyone who was autistic, you are assuming they would have told you if they were, which is not necessarily the case, plus they may not even have been aware themselves. I am 67 and have only just become aware of my own condition through researching autism because of my nephew. I had always felt different to other people, but had never even considered I might be Aspie.

Even now when a lot more is known there is still a massive amount of misinformation even among mental health professionals. People are still looking for stereotypes and forgetting that it is a SPECTRUM and no two people are exactly the same. Also it is still extremely common for women to be undiagnosed or misdiagnosed because the diagnostic criteria are still very male centric.

Additionally many people of my parent's generation and even younger basically refused to recognise ANY conditions related to mental health, so would not have sought or accepted diagnosis anyway. Like a lot of conditions, public awareness is still not widespread.

Autism is thought to be caused by genetic predisposition and possible environmental conditions. As far as environmental conditions go, they could be many and varied. I would think that the exposure to toxins in the environment which we experience today would certainly not be improving the potential risk factors.

It is hard to know if there are more people on the spectrum these days or just more awareness. It used to be thought of as something which only affected males, but now experts believe it is more like two males to every female. Who knows what future statistics will show as research continues.

 

[Ragnahawk]

So much information...

 

[AGXStarseed]

I am completely amazed that almost everyone that read my post here sees it as derogatory or as an insult.

When that was NOT the intent of my post at all. Perhaps your perception that certain comments are demeaning to you personally are needing some introspection?

What I was clearly questioning and espousing was the POSSIBLE increase of this disorder (please do not try to blame this one on me also as that is the definition from several online sources) as this has been the topic of many news stories and science articles these last few years. Whether or not there is an actual increase or if the documented increase is just due to better record keeping and/or more accurate diagnoses???

What I was hoping for was a logical discussion of why this might be.....

I love my step-grandson with all my heart and I feel emotional pain when I think of how he suffers from this. Fortunately he is just now starting to respond vocally to simple questions.

I have NEVER EVER been the kind of person that picks on or makes fun of those less fortunate then me.

And obviously I am talking about the debilitating form of Autism..... I know nothing about nor did I say anything about Higher Functioning Autism or Asperger's Syndrome.

This may be of use (although remember not to discuss the discredited autism/vacine link as that is against the rules):
The forgotten history of autism

 

[SchrodingersMeerkat]

Before autism was a thing, children who didn't present "normal" were locked away in mental institutions. You rarely see "mental retardation" as a legit medical diagnosis anymore, but the type of child who would get a "mental retardation" diagnosis in the 1970's or 1980's would be given a diagnosis of autism today.
Before Asperger's became a thing, people were just seen as the "weird kid".

So basically what I'm trying to say is there is no "epidemic", it's always been here.
People today are just more aware of it.

 

[InPrincipio]

What is normal? Would anyone, after hearing [a given] person's life story, really think that person is normal? [insert anyone's name here, whether NT or Autistic, or whatever]
And, everyone has "problems."

Before I knew I was/am autistic, all I knew was that I am gifted... Perhaps I am gifted BECAUSE of the ASD, or maybe it is a separate issue. I might never know. But there is consensus that a great many inventors (in almost every field of expertise) from the ancient past up to the present day were/are autistic, likely with Asperger's. Google them and find out more about that - it would have been preferable before posting your first post here with words that sparked resentment (avoid those words next time) - because many here have heard only those kinds of things from others all their lives, even from their own families.

For what it's worth, no matter how "separate" we Aspies can feel from society, it is still ingrained in us from our experience of society that others think WE are abnormal, the ones with the problem (the line we often hear: "What's your problem?!"), and the ones who need to be "fixed." We ourselves can even get caught up in using the same language, until we realize that we are included in the group that isn't "normal." I've never felt normal, but I've never wanted to limit myself that way. I like that I'm unique and that's what matters - that means that I won't be less, not for anyone. If someone wants to think I am less than they are, then they are just ignorant (in every definition of the word), and I have no time to waste on that mentality anymore.

Like many people here, I do feel like I was made for another world. Perhaps I am contributing or will contribute to something that has lasting significance, much like many others who have gone before me. BUT, many of those inventors, etc. weren't accepted by society in their time (or their ideas, art, etc.), and geniuses are rare, indeed. Meanwhile, a society that accepts the genius and/or their ideas is even more rare!