Explain the Rise in Autism

[Eli]

My mother is a doctor who works with autistic kids(among others). She says that when she started with this job, 6-7 years ago, there was one kindergarten for autistic kids and it had only 9 kids in it.

Today there are four full kindergartens and lots of people are waiting in line to get in. The city population grew substantially during this time but nothing close to more than a eight fold increase.

She also told me about some American professor around fifty years ago who got his hands on an autistic kid. He called all his students and/or colleagues to show them the rarity, saying to them that they will probably never see someone like this ever again.

Today I think that most people who lived 20 or 30 years on this planet have seen, at least cursorily, an autistic person.

And to make this thread more popular, I'll connect it with some controversial issues:
Does the rise in Autism causes Global Worming?
Is this God's way to punish the heathen westerners?
Is Bush to blame?

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

The numbers are rising because we now call them "autistic" rather than "Village idiots".

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

There are all types of theories for the alleged rise in autism. Form heavymetal contamination (no not listening to Metallica etc.) to increased brain overstimulation via increased use of TV's etc.

I have a numberof friends with autistic children. It would be interesting to know what are the leading contributors. If I recall correctly it seems more prevalent in male children than female children so one would think a genetic link of some sort.

In any event Kudos to Dan Marino for helping out and being a voice to promote autism research.

[Elok]

I'd put it more politely, but Laz is essentially correct, I think: the condition is diagnosed more frequently. Not always accurately, mind you; probably there are a few people who have some other problem who get misdiagnosed, just like with ADD/ADHD. I don't know of any such cases firsthand, but it seems like a reasonable assumption.

[Eli]

Originally posted by Lazarus and the Gimp
The numbers are rising because we now call them "autistic" rather than "Village idiots".

I've thought about this possibility. Maybe in the past parents just got rid of these kids when their disabilities were noticed. Leaving them somewhere to fend for themselves(ie: die within a week).

But that could explain a rise that started two hundred years ago, not one that started only in recent decades.

[Dis]

I don't believe it's the mercury in immunization shots, but it's something chemical in our society that may be causing it. Something the mothers might be eating. Who knows.

[DanS]

Isn't one supposed cause the average age of childbearing becoming later?

[VetLegion]

I think Laz is (basically) right. Very likely nothing has changed about the population, but doctors today probably diagnose more children with autism than before. Why? Beats me. If autism (I know nothing about it) is not a 0 / 1 state, bat has a scale going from mildly autistic to very autistic, then perhaps the doctors now stamp more mildly autistic kids as autistic.

[Elok]

I thought the heavy metals theory had been debunked--or was it just the bad-vaccinations theory?

The "too much TV" idea sounds pretty moronic to me. I know there are a lot of differences between my Asperger's and full-blown autism, but my social problems seem to be an outward manifestation of different thought patterns. Plus autism often first appears around two to three years of age, which is a bit early to be blaming on excessive TV exposure. Well, outside of dysfunctional-family babies, that is.

[Addled Platypus]

doctors need the money, dont take your kids...they could be next ...lol

[Elok]

Originally posted by Eli
I've thought about this possibility. Maybe in the past parents just got rid of these kids when their disabilities were noticed. Leaving them somewhere to fend for themselves(ie: die within a week).

But that could explain a rise that started two hundred years ago, not one that started only in recent decades.

That's not the only possibility. It's entirely possible that autistic kids were previously mistaken for retarded, schizophrenic, etc.

[Ramo]

Back in the day, nerds (with mild autism) were locked into monastaries, celibate. Nowadays, they're being concentrated in areas like Silicon Valley and are breeding kids with full-blown autism.

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by VetLegion
I think Laz is (basically) right. Very likely nothing has changed about the population, but doctors today probably diagnose more children with autism than before. Why? Beats me. If autism (I know nothing about it) is not a 0 / 1 state, bat has a scale going from mildly autistic to very autistic, then perhaps the doctors now stamp more mildly autistic kids as autistic.

Ding ding ding. We have a winner.


In recent years, the diagnostic criteria for autism have been expanded greatly, allowing far more children to be diagnosed with autism.

Also, community resources for children with autism have greatly expanded; giving children the diagnosis of autism allows their parents to receive assistance and resources that would otherwise be unavailable.


It is not--repeat, NOT--vaccines. I nearly blow my top on a weekly basis when I encounter parents who insist otherwise.

[General Ludd]

Pollution, irraditition of the planet, processed foods, ect...

[Odin]

Laz got it, the actual numbers of Autism havn't gone up, just the number of people DIAGNOSED with Autism. Unfortunately the technophobes who try to blame it on vaccines lack the common sense to figure that out.

Every time this topic comes up on DU the sane posters remind everybody that they stopped using mercury in vaccines, then the usual technophobles scream hysterically "LIES!!!!11!!!! They only say they did!!!11!!!11!! Big Evil Pharma's gonna poison us all!!!!1!1111!"