Diagnosed autism linked to maternal grandmother's smoking in pregnancy

[Sportster]

As I've mentioned in other threads, my mother was a five pack a day smoker. I can still remember the various brands, as she kept changing. Carlton's was one. Her mother smoked Doral.

However, I never thought about my maternal grandmother possibly being the cause of my Asperger's. She was a smoker up until about a year before she passed. The aforementioned article was published just a few months ago and focuses on children of the 90's, so I can't help but wonder about those of us considered "baby boomers." Back then smoking was practically encouraged. All celebrities smoked; it was considered glamorous and a sign of maturity.

It's interesting how they're looking at the possibility of ASD being caused by smoking.

 

[ksheehan88]

I can see what they are saying, but...

Like with the vaccine thing, what about before people were able to smoke? What about those who's families were never smokers? There has always been Autism, it just wasn't always called Autism. As said above, part of the increase in diagnoses is that they are more aware of diagnosis criteria now. I'm not convinced it is affected by environment, vaccines or smoking. That is just my opinion, of course.

 

[dragoncat16]

Didn't they conclude a while ago that it was due to the paternal grandfather's age?

In my grandmother's time, pretty much everyone smoked. I don't think she smoked very much herself, but other people in the household smoked heavily.

If genetic damage within the wombs of smokers were really an issue, I think there would be much worse conditions than autism to worry about. It seems to me they are just grasping at straws. If it really were due to genetic damage, they would be able to identify exactly which gene or genes are the culprits.

It is my conviction that the autistic brain is nothing other than a step in the evolution of mankind. As with all types of evolution, it will take several generations before the process has progressed and refined itself enough for a human lifeform that is fitter than all others to emerge.

I think NTs are deeply afraid of the emergence of this new type of human being that is potentially superior to themselves. Perhaps they don't even understand it consciously, but their fear comes out as a need to try to destroy the competitors before they take over, which they know we eventually will do. But shhhh, don't tell the NTs; they are paranoid enough.

 

[Mathalamus]

maternal grandmother?

yeah, no, not a factor.

 

[Mia]

Neither of my Grandmother's smoked, either during pregnancy, or during my parents childhoods. Both Grandfather's did though, as did my Father, but never on the female side. They were exposed to second-hand smoke throughout their lives.

 

[Bolletje]

Not applicable to my situation.

 

[Judge]

It's always something I've wondered about. Though there's no conclusive evidence one way or another as to how much smoking may or may not play a part in autism.

Pretty much everyone on my mother's side of the family were lifelong smokers.

 

[Mary Terry]

Didn't they conclude a while ago that it was due to the paternal grandfather's age?

I think NTs are deeply afraid of the emergence of this new type of human being that is potentially superior to themselves. Perhaps they don't even understand it consciously, but their fear comes out as a need to try to destroy the competitors before they take over, which they know we eventually will do. But shhhh, don't tell the NTs; they are paranoid enough.

 

[Mary Terry]

LOL! Let me assure you that NTs are not concerned about the emergence of a new type of human being potentially superior to themselves. That sounds like a bad Star Wars script or a video game premise. It also sounds paranoid but I think you're joking and you don't really believe what you stated.

If NTs in general are "paranoid" about anything related to those with ASD, it most likely the daunting prospect and cost of educating, housing and caring for a growing population of people of whom only about 15% are even employed, the rest of whom either live on disability welfare or have someone taking care of them for the remainder of their lives. Autism is only one of many disabilities that require and deserve public tax dollars to provide for them.

However, in the US, the tax paying middle class is just about tapped out with paying taxes and are struggling to provide for their own families, let alone a burgeoning disabled population that requires so much funding and care. Disabilities of ALL types weigh heavily on our strained financial resources.

I see no way to stop the huge future tax dollar expenditures other than to help those with disabilities find jobs to sustain themselves. It's not really funny when you think about it.

 

[dragoncat16]

No, I'm not joking. I simply cannot believe that there is anything wrong with my brain when the average IQ in pretty much any room increases when I walk into it. The only disability I have is the way NTs treat me just because I'm a bit different.

If NTs didn't treat us like dirt, a lot more of us would be employed. Then we would be part of the tapped out middle class paying the taxes along with everyone else. How about passing some real laws against workplace bullying and discrimination?

 

[Mathalamus]

If NTs didn't treat us like dirt, a lot more of us would be employed. Then we would be part of the tapped out middle class paying the taxes along with everyone else. How about passing some real laws against workplace bullying and discrimination?

laws don't work against human nature. it will just be bypassed into irrelevance. also, the US taxes are quite low compared to just about every other well developed country, including Canada.

 

[dragoncat16]

I have lived in both the US and Canada, among other countries, and I have no idea how Americans have the idea that they pay lower taxes than in Canada. In Europe, the taxes are indeed usually higher, but there are places in the world that have lower tax rates. I have to say it is not clear to me what point you are trying to make by talking about relative tax rates anyway.

It used to be that "human nature" included racism and even slavery and genocide, and there are now laws against those, and they are mostly effective. It's not too much of a stretch to expect that neurodiverse people could be accorded a similar right to live their lives without being harassed.

I think you probably didn't mean it this way, but I'd prefer that it not be implied that I and others with ASD are a drain on society by default, and that we (and others with what "normal" people call "disabilities") can't contribute in any other way than as the reason for the necessity of "huge future tax dollar expenditures". Again, I'm not accusing you of saying that, but that's the way it might come across to some people who are reading your posts.

I have five university degrees including a PhD in astrophysics from an Ivy League university and I never had to pay a single cent for my education, because I earned merit-based (not ever based on financial need or disability) scholarships all the way through. How many hardworking tax-paying NTs can make that claim?

 

[InfinityRose]

I don't really know how much effect our grandmothers' smoking habits could've had on us being autistic, but yes, both my mother and grandmother were smokers (as were a good portion of the adults I grew up around).

Like someone mentioned before, autistic people have always been around, but I suppose it's possible that there are certain environmental factors that lead to it being more common today than it was in the past.

 

[Flinty]

I have no idea if my maternal grandmother smoked as I've only met a small number of relatives on my mother's side, but my mother certainly thought it disgusting. Paternal grandfather's age might mean something; he turned 74 on the day I was born...

 

[Warmheart]

Folks, how about we get this thread back on track to its original topic? Thank you.

 

[wight]

The only way to know if grandparent smoking is connected to an increase in autism would be to have autism diagnosis rates before and after the 90s. Of course, there is no data before the 90s, because autism as a diagnosis didn't really exist until 85. They would have to be able to demonstrate grandparent smoking rates is statistically independent from increasing awareness/screening/diagnosis effects. In other words, as smoking rates declined, autism occurrence also decline.

 

[Joel's Hear]

As I've mentioned in other threads, my mother was a five pack a day smoker. However, I never thought about my maternal grandmother possibly being the cause of my Asperger's. She was a smoker up until about a year before she passed. The aforementioned article was published just a few months ago and focuses on children of the 90's, so I can't help but wonder about those of us considered "baby boomers." Back then smoking was practically encouraged. All celebrities smoked; it was considered glamorous and a sign of maturity. It's interesting how they're looking at the possibility of ASD being caused by smoking.

Oh sh$& Sportster! You're mom smoked five packs a day? Mine was like that too, a rare brand called Carlton 100 menthol. I never knew until a teen that her mother had smoked a lot too, though never when I knew her. Southern smokers! I smoke a bit now, but much less than I used to.

 

[Nitro]

LOL! Let me assure you that NTs are not concerned about the emergence of a new type of human being potentially superior to themselves. That sounds like a bad Star Wars script or a video game premise. It also sounds paranoid but I think you're joking and you don't really believe what you stated.

If NTs in general are "paranoid" about anything related to those with ASD, it most likely the daunting prospect and cost of educating, housing and caring for a growing population of people of whom only about 15% are even employed, the rest of whom either live on disability welfare or have someone taking care of them for the remainder of their lives. Autism is only one of many disabilities that require and deserve public tax dollars to provide for them.

However, in the US, the tax paying middle class is just about tapped out with paying taxes and are struggling to provide for their own families, let alone a burgeoning disabled population that requires so much funding and care. Disabilities of ALL types weigh heavily on our strained financial resources.

I see no way to stop the huge future tax dollar expenditures other than to help those with disabilities find jobs to sustain themselves. It's not really funny when you think about it.

When I grow up,I want to be a NT just so I won't be a burden on you Mary

 

[Ylva]

My mother smoked until I was born, my father smoked until I was twelve, I am not completely sure about my grandparents.

Maybe maternal grandmothers smoked to relieve stress, especially if they had traces of neurodiverseness like sensory processing disorder.

If there is an actual increase in autistic people, that is probably because it is now illegal for parents to off their disabled children. I know they tell us our disability is "invisible", but I can promise that it is very much visible to everyone, especially parents with expectations.

 

[WereBear]

Maybe maternal grandmothers smoked to relieve stress, especially if they had traces of neurodiverseness like sensory processing disorder.

I think that is a very valid point. Nicotine has a powerful “leveling” effect on the brain. But in my case, only paternal grandfather smoked. And it seems the autism comes from my mother’s side, judging from behavior of relatives.

I think NTs are deeply afraid of the emergence of this new type of human being that is potentially superior to themselves.

They certainly act like it, don’t they?

The Western nations’ “financial crisis” is because of various levels of very rich people and corporations deciding to make it legal to not pay taxes. Or, just not pay taxes.

I think that is by far the bigger issue.

Simply put, we are approaching the “world without work” I read about as a child regarding automation. There are plenty of resources in the world. If the majority of humanity could get over behaving like a lobotomized baboon troupe, a lot of such issues would go away.

It’s a small sample, but we on the spectrum don’t seem to have the craving for status and status objects that is such an economic drain for no purpose. I don’t want a mansion, I just want a comfortable place to live. I don’t want a fancy car, just a reliable one. I spend very little on things like clothes and jewelry, and I like buying music and books instead of gold wristwatches and other baubles.

Who is right?