The Rise in Autism

[Lost World]

Claims around increases in autism are difficult to validate.

From an anecdotal perspective, most of us over a certain age will remember by name the "wierd kid" at school. There will have been a few in your school. Not many of course, and so few that you can remeber them pretty much individually. They were charcterised by certain behavioural traits ranging from wanting to be alone, to 'stimming' in some way to actually being violent and dispruptive, but they were a signficiant minority of children. Now, it seems every other family has at least one kid affected in some way. I don't understand the science behind the vaccination claims to really comment, and I suspect very few on this forum do. It's fair to say that the way the anti vaccine brigade went about compiling their evidence and presenting their case in the UK was far from 'above board' and acceptable, and many supposadly respectable bodies have discredited their research quite thoroughly since those early articles in the lancet.

There may be an environmental factor, maybe a dietry factor. Genetics play a part too; that's been established, but one thing is certain the way autism is diagnosed and measured these days will have inevitably led to far more diagnoses. It's a broad spectrum disporder which manifests in many ways in different people. I suspect that what may be classified as ASD these days is radically different to what passed in the 1970's, when perhaps only the more severe cases were counted. Just a thought, and I don't know if this alone accounts for such an apparent dramatic increase, but it must be a factor.

 

[Grieves]

but one thing is certain the way autism is diagnosed and measured these days will have inevitably led to far more diagnoses.

This is very true, and mentioned in the presentation on the previous page. Asperger syndrome is a 'borderline' diagnosis, in that in many cases it's a very real form of autism, but in nearly just as many cases it can be a misdiagnosis of simple antisocial tendencies. Misdiagnosis plays a very heavy hand in the increase in autism figures, but not heavy enough to explain them away.

 

[Lost World]

This is very true, and mentioned in the presentation on the previous page. Asperger syndrome is a 'borderline' diagnosis, in that in many cases it's a very real form of autism, but in nearly just as many cases it can be a misdiagnosis of simple antisocial tendencies. Misdiagnosis plays a very heavy hand in the increase in autism figures, but not heavy enough to explain them away.

Even in the last 15 - 20 years or so, attitudes in the medical profession to diagnosing kids on the spectrum have changed, here in the UK. Not sure if it's the same where you are. My ex girlfriends eldest son was eventuyally diagnosed with Aspergers at 5. At first her GP (family doctor) basically accused her of being a bad mother, and emotionally distant with the child. This made her so angry and very upset, as you can imagine. This was only 12 years ago.
It was until she got in touch with a charity at the tie, that an acurate diagnosis was made.

Things have moved on. It seems now every nursery have at least one person on the staff who can spot traits of autism aross the spectrum, which can only be a good thing.

I am cautious though, like you say improved diagnosis may not account for such an apparent huge increase in this condition. i don't have childreb of my own, but my close friends are currently raising a child with autis, and it;s heartbreaking to see what they go through sometimes..

 

[MikeC]

This is very true, and mentioned in the presentation on the previous page. Asperger syndrome is a 'borderline' diagnosis, in that in many cases it's a very real form of autism, but in nearly just as many cases it can be a misdiagnosis of simple antisocial tendencies.

the first is true, the 2nd is not.

Asperger's is a behavioral pattern that has many similarities to autism, but also many differences - it is not a case of being only one of a mistaken diagnosis of autism or "he's just a naughty boy".

For example one pop-science difference that I put to a psychologist a decade ago was that both autistic and Asperger people do not relate well social - but the Asperger's person would like to whereas the autistic person doesn't care. The psychiatrist said that was a reasonable approximation, within the limits of only talking about 1 aspect of eth 2 patterns. This was in relation to my son - originally diagnosed with Asperger's, and then with autism.

It is easy to see the general behavior. Autism requires more in-depth investigation - which is why the diagnosis often proceeds from Aspergers to autism.

 

[Cairenn]

I have some aspects of Aspergers. I am very poor at reading facial clues and body language.

I am considered a more polite person, on line, than I am in person, because of it. I think that children are now put into more social situations now, than they used to and with a wide variety of kids. When I grew up, most of the kids I played with lived on my street or very close, most within half a block or so. Today with day cares and more organized sports and activities, a child's social group is much larger.

 

[MikeC]

It CAN be larger - it does not have to be. My children have never been much for sport - between them they tried all sorts from hockey and soccer to horse riding and archery - their circle of friends has never been moer than 3 or 4 and neither of them have any great desire to participate in anything that is greatly social.

The younger one has no trace of any autistic spectrum behavior....but he is still "conditioned" by living with his older brother of course.

 

[Cairenn]

I am fairly social. I always have been, but I tend to 'rub folks the wrong way' and my friends can't figure out why.