Autism/Aspergers syndrome, study says 1 in 59 children are diagnosed

[CyberCubed]

https://autismsciencefoundation.org/...mon-is-autism/

the Centers for Disease Control’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) reported that approximately 1 in 59 children in the United States has been identified with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This estimate is a 14% increase from the 1 in 68 rate in 2016 and a 47% increase from the 1 in 88 rate in 2012. In the 1980s autism prevalence was reported as 4 in 10,000. In the nineties, prevalence was 1 in 2500 and later 1 in 1000.

Autism/Aspergers syndrome pretty much affects millions of people worldwide. How do you guys feel how common this is now? Anyone with kids now has to worry if their kids growing up has autism/aspergers (even if the parents don't have it), and it's basically a huge issue these days.

It's weird how millions of people are affected by this yet you barely see anyone talk about it.

[newfan]

There may be varying factors to the rise in diagnosis but I would assume some of that is down to there being more awareness now, where we are talking about milder diagnosis that could have just been missed many years ago.

[IndigoErth]

Yeah, I agree a lot of it is probably down to just more research and understanding of these things, not necessarily a substantial increase in cases. And as for barely seeing anyone talking about it, well there are probably many who don't even realize that they could fit a diagnosis.

On the other hand, human beings are imperfect creatures and we've become way too eager to label every little quirk or less desirable personality trait or habit as a disorder... Some behaviors clearly are, and Autism itself is obviously real, and I'm sure lower grads of it labeled as Aspergers probably are too, but at the rate that people are so eager to decide that everything and anything is a possible disorder, it won't be long until every person is labeled with it.

[Leo656]

Don't know too many people who have it, or have kids who have any type of it. Can't help but notice that the ones whose kids did turn out to have something, the parents (or at least the Mom) used to drink a lot and do a lot of drugs.

I kinda feel like it's like cancer, in that it's probably a "natural" thing that happens on its own sometimes but the way we choose to live makes it skyrocket. Like when I was studying fitness and nutrition, we learned that there's pretty much a 1:1 rise in ALL types of cancers alongside the rise of processed foods loaded with chemicals and preservatives. Cancer was pretty much always "a thing", but once people started eating TV dinners and fast food all the time, every single type of cancer has shot through the roof in the decades since. "Science hasn't conclusively proven a link" but it's incredibly hard to ignore.

So I kinda feel like stuff like Autism is probably related. People's attitudes towards alcohol and drugs have relaxed considerably over the years, some people swear it's "okay" to drink or even do "just a little bit" of drugs while pregnant, plus all the chemicals we put into ourselves by way of food and drink... it HAS to be affecting us in some pretty substantial ways. And I think that the people in charge of the research and study just don't really push harder about it because by now it's impossible to go back to our old ways of living anyway. I mean, we all know for a fact that "they" put crap in the water but we all drink it anyway because "Well, what else are we gonna do?" Same with everything we put in our bodies. We know it's "poison" but we just sort of passively go along with it even though it CAN'T be healthy. And then suddenly everybody's way more sick than they were 50 years ago. Can't be any sort of coincidence.

So yeah, it's probably just like cancer, in that it would happen to some people anyway and most likely always has, but I'm almost 100% certain that lifestyle is a strong determining factor. I'm no scientist, but I'm not too shabby with noticing patterns. Makes sense to me.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

I found something not long ago that intrigued me. It was a post someone had put on Pinterest about Autism, speculating that it might be behind some of the old tales of children being replaced by changelings, ie, where faefolk abducted human children and replaced them with their own. It described how the kids acted very strangely, and how some of those "fae" children behaved remarkably similarly to our understanding of the symptoms of Autism/Asperger's now. So maybe it has ALWAYS been around, and we just described it differently, like saying that some kids were "touched in the head", or a little "odd", and people just didn't understand WHY. They just assumed the kids were either "off" mentally, or in earlier times that they had been replaced by changeling children.

[Sumac]

I believe, there is no such thing as 100% mentally healthy person. 100% mentally healthy person would be an emotionless boring robot. Our fears and complexes make us what we are - complex creatures.

Originally Posted by MsMarvelDuckie

I found something not long ago that intrigued me. It was a post someone had put on Pinterest about Autism, speculating that it might be behind some of the old tales of children being replaced by changelings, ie, where faefolk abducted human children and replaced them with their own. It described how the kids acted very strangely, and how some of those "fae" children behaved remarkably similarly to our understanding of the symptoms of Autism/Asperger's now. So maybe it has ALWAYS been around, and we just described it differently, like saying that some kids were "touched in the head", or a little "odd", and people just didn't understand WHY. They just assumed the kids were either "off" mentally, or in earlier times that they had been replaced by changeling children.

At least you didn't say it were literally fairies.

[Mayhem]

Everyone is on the spectrum, as the missus likes to say, it's just depends where you are in relation to everyone else.

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by Sumac

100% mentally healthy person would be an emotionless boring robot.

But... even then that wouldn't be mentally healthy because being totally emotionless would itself be a disorder. An empty robot couldn't interact with the rest of humanity in a normal way.

[Powder]

Easiest way to diagnose: Do you have an account here?

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Powder

Easiest way to diagnose: Do you have an account here?

lol, say what now?

[IndigoErth]

Level of preoccupation is more like it...

I mean I love me my Turtles and will gladly debate and over analyze the finer, and not so fine, details...but I save it for those who are interested in these guys. I'm well aware that my interests would bore those who don't share them.

[Andrew NDB]

My ex-wife's son (I guess you could call him my former stepson) had autism. The "punch your teacher in the face, often" or "throw toys at my daughter's face" kind.

I had to kind of step back from the whole situation when, in the interest of getting my daughter in the bath one night when she was like 6 and it was time for bed, I asked him to take his bath first so we could get that out of the way and get her in. Later on that somehow became, "Your husband wanted to take a bath with me and I don't think that was appropriate." Which wasn't remotely what I said. He'd do the same things with things my daughter would say to him. Anyway, I saw how that could go wayyy wrong and we had to go about things way differently after that. As in I stepped way back. Probably hurt things in that marriage, but I could see from a mile away how stuff like that could go wildly bad.

Definitely don't envy the parents of kids with autism.

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

My ex-wife's son (I guess you could call him my former stepson) had autism. The "punch your teacher in the face, often" or "throw toys at my daughter's face" kind.

That's a shame. I feel for those who live with that kind of havoc in their brains and probably can't articulate their frustrations, etc well enough, and the parents/caregivers who have to try to manage them and inappropriate and/or unpredictable behavior.

There was one kid, probably a teen, who just totally unprovoked attacked one of the greeters at the BJ's (like Costco) store I do for my job. Didn't see it happen, but heard that she ended up going to the hospital over that. Kids are enough, but when they get to teens and adulthood, it's a shame that there just aren't any easy answers.

Not to say they are all like that, I know plenty are generally just fine.

[CyberCubed]

Yeah, I think it's now rather obvious when we were all back in school and we always noticed these kids who were more violent than the rest, got angry at teachers in front of the whole class, threw things, or on the other side the kids who seemed "a little slow" and stupid compared to the rest of the class....all these kids had autism/aspergers on some level.

Back in the 80's and 90's, autism/aspergers wasn't as well known as it is now, so looking back I think a LOT of kids in my middle school and High School had it, but were still in normal public school. These days things would be handled differently.

It's funny, whenever I was younger I always noticed the kids that seemed a little "different" than the rest, and back then people just thought nothing of it. A lot of them were considered loners or whatever, but being withdrawn/introvert is also highly on the autism spectrum.

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

A lot of them were considered loners or whatever, but being withdrawn/introvert is also highly on the autism spectrum.

A think for many of them it's more the barrier in their ability to interact and understand normal social cues, etc like most people that keeps them isolated, unfortunately, rather than than necessarily being an introvert, etc...

People can be reserved, a loner, have anger or other issues for a whole lot of reasons, so I wouldn't assume someone who has stuff going on or is imperfect on the social front is automatically on some part of the autism spectrum.

Speaking as a reserved introvert who was a shy, withdrawn kid for other reasons.

[Voltron]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

A think for many of them it's more the barrier in their ability to interact and understand normal social cues, etc like most people that keeps them isolated, unfortunately, rather than than necessarily being an introvert, etc...

People can be reserved, a loner, have anger or other issues for a whole lot of reasons, so I wouldn't assume someone who has stuff going on or is imperfect on the social front is automatically on some part of the autism spectrum.

Speaking as a reserved introvert who was a shy, withdrawn kid for other reasons.

Seconded. Came from abuse. Don't like social situations at all.

[ZariusTwo]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Definitely don't envy the parents of kids with autism.

I have aspergers and my parents never gave up on me, although my dad had a tougher time coming to grips with understanding it than my mother did. He either often misunderstood my unwillingness to involve myself in social family functions, or snapped at me for doing other odd things (example: whenever we wanted to go out on a day trip on a Sunday, I would lock myself in the bathroom and refuse to leave unless they changed their minds and stayed)

As a kid, I was smacked one time by him for disturbing my mum, and it's a mental scar that didn't quite heal for me for some considerable time, I held it against him for close to eighteen years and he regretted ever doing it, even if it was out of discipline. It took my breakdown in 2010 before we finally made peace with each other and I've done my best since then to try and get to know him better. He's still not very interested in some of my interests the way my mother is, but we still have a good laugh and find common ground.

[Leo656]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

People can be reserved, a loner, have anger or other issues for a whole lot of reasons, so I wouldn't assume someone who has stuff going on or is imperfect on the social front is automatically on some part of the autism spectrum.

Speaking as a reserved introvert who was a shy, withdrawn kid for other reasons.

Originally Posted by Voltron

Seconded. Came from abuse. Don't like social situations at all.

I'm oddly in-between.

Total horror-show background, so I'm inclined to believe human nature is inherently evil. Generally have more fun by myself than I do when I'm around people.

At the same time, I do still enjoy being around people and thrive in social situations. It reminds me that people aren't all bad and that not everything is lousy. Which I definitely need sometimes. I might try and avoid being around people, only to inevitably have a good time. Or I'll say "I can't stand people" only to be immediately confronted by 87 random examples that are contrary to that statement. This happens constantly.

It's like that one scene from "Clerks"...
Dante: "You HATE people!"
Randall: "But I love gatherings. Isn't it ironic?"

-------------

I don't think anyone in my immediate family is on any kind of spectrum, although my Dad's kids from his first marriage, possibly. They were a little bit anti-social and at times could be very childish, so maybe they had "something" but the terms for it just didn't exist back then. My Dad never really got into it, he just said that one or two of the three "might've been a little bit slow" but nothing ever really jumped out. If they did, they were very high-functioning. I'm just thinking of things that are supposedly symptoms, like how one of them would almost always avoid eye contact and none of them were much for conversation. But again, that could be anything. If they were on any spectrum, it was like, barely.

Everyone else in my immediate family on either my mother's or father's side was as "normal" as it gets. And it's a huge family, which lends a little bit of credence to my personal theory that things are getting worse. I do think there's always been people who there just wasn't a way of diagnosing until more recent years, but I also absolutely think that the number of physical cases, especially "extreme" cases, has skyrocketed in the last 20 years or so. Like even just kids who were non-verbal or prone to fits... that simply wasn't as typical as it is now.

I always forget to mention it, because it's been many years since I've seen them and we were never close to begin with, but the first Autistic kid I ever met in my "extended family" (as well as one of the first ones I ever met, period) was my sister's boyfriend's niece. She was one of the "bad" ones; if she wasn't staring blankly into space, she was screaming at the top of her lungs and/or hitting people, pulling hair, etc. Like she could barely make words, just scream. Everybody treated her good, but when my niece and later my nephew were born, having her around them was a big problem. Again, everybody treated her fine, but when you're like, 4 years old and this other kid starts screaming and hitting you in the face, you don't really know or care what's going on with them, you know? You don't have the capacity to understand it. The adults would explain to them as best they could that "She doesn't understand, she has a condition", and the younger ones mostly understood it and tried not to take it personally, but it definitely made things difficult. Especially since very often the girl's Mom would have to watch all three of them sometimes if my sister and her boyfriend were at work. Led to quite a bit of tension. After my sister's boyfriend died, they all got disconnected and now none of them really speak to each other or me (I keep in touch with my niece, but that's it), so I have no idea what ever happened to the girl.

As far as how it could've happened... well, the mom was kind of a biker chick who used to drink a ton and do a lot of hard drugs like coke and meth, and very possibly while pregnant. So while I don't think anyone ever said so to her face, we all pretty much assumed that's what happened. 2+2, y'know? Could've been something else, but I personally believe it was an acute case. I mean they tell you flat out that that's the kinda thing that can happen. I always felt bad for the lady, though, because it was very obvious that trying to raise that kid was a whole level of difficult that she never signed up for.

A lot of my clients had autistic kids. They all did the very best they could and it was obvious that they loved them, but to a man they'd sometimes admit how difficult it was. Very rarely, they'd admit that they wouldn't have had kids at all if they knew how it was going to be. Although TO BE FAIR, I get a lot of people admitting that to me even when their kids are perfectly "fine" and "normal". But I can only assume that it's a lot tougher the other way.

There's a million reasons why my wife and I never wanted kids, but once all this stuff started happening and more and more people we knew started having kids who were on the spectrum, we decided that it just wasn't worth the risk. Neither of us has anywhere near the patience, temper, or even the financial security it would require to handle that situation. And since it seems to happen so often nowadays, we really just never wanted to take any chances whatsoever. I mean even beyond that, both our families are full of drunks and drug addicts; it skipped us, somehow, but it almost certainly would not skip two generations in a row. So no matter what, if we had kids they'd be kids we couldn't deal with. And I think it's just best to err on the side of caution in cases like that.

Too many people we know were all adamant about "We'll figure it out no matter what happens, because our kids are our kids and you have to love your kids." And they do... but it's a LOT harder than they ever thought it would be. And their own lives, resultantly, are pretty much miserable, even though they try not to say so out loud very often. But you can tell.

Nothing but sympathy and empathy. But definitely, definitely not for me.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

https://autismsciencefoundation.org/...mon-is-autism/It's weird how millions of people are affected by this yet you barely see anyone talk about it.

It was almost nonstop in the media last year when Greta Thunberg travelled around the world. Also, since her sister has been diagnosed with ADHD, to many it was more about Asperger's Syndrome and ADHD than climate change.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Originally Posted by Sumac

I believe, there is no such thing as 100% mentally healthy person. 100% mentally healthy person would be an emotionless boring robot. Our fears and complexes make us what we are - complex creatures.


At least you didn't say it were literally fairies.

Why would I say that? No, the POINT was that the condition might have been the BASIS for such stories and rumors. See things that were once thought to be otherworldly often have a funny way of being proved true- in a weird science-y way. Porphyria for vampirism, the "lycanthrope" disease I can't recall the name of atm, and so on....