Rising Concerns: The Growing Prevalence of Autism in Today's Society

johnfuller on 31/07/2024 - 16:43
Last edited 08/08/2024 - 08:31 by 2 other users

I'd like to discuss a serious and seemingly widespread issue: autism. When I speak with individuals aged 80 and above, they recall that there was typically one person in their village with Down syndrome, known by everyone, and they were treated just like everyone else, leading a normal life. Nowadays, a child born with autism has their life significantly adjusted to accommodate their needs.

I've observed that many families have at least one child on the autism spectrum, and some even have two, despite the parents being unrelated. This appears to be becoming increasingly common, raising concerns about the future and whether our children will be able to have their own children, given the prevalence of this issue.

In my opinion, this situation is more alarming than any pandemic because it is insidious and often goes unnoticed.

Is it pollution? The environment? Stress? The food we eat? Plastics?

As a new parent, this truly terrifies me.

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Comments

    • syousef on 31/07/2024 - 23:46
      +7

      " If you want the associated drugs that pair with the diagnosis, you can book a $300 visit to a psychiatrist and they'll hook you up with the drugs themselves or get your GP to do it. "

      "and then the drugs they may end up needing are forever in limited or no supply."

      Which is it? It it trivially easy to get diagnosed and drugged up? or is it impossible to get the drugs? Because to me your rant lacks consistency.

      Grown adults that think they have the answer ("The only real cause") and have worked out a simple cause for a complex issue amaze me. Dunning Kruger writ large. Isn't it fortunate we have your incredibly clarity and wisdom to guide us.

      Sigh. You're doing people with real problems a huge disservice.

      • GrueHunter on 02/08/2024 - 19:55
        -1

        Sshh, we're trying to have a moral panic here. It can be both made up things.

    • SupeNintendoChalmers on 01/08/2024 - 01:14
      +11

      Now all it takes is an unqualified volunteer councillor to fill in a series of questions not even 1 page long and submit it to your GP, who will "affirm your/their opinion" of having Autism.

      This is incorrect. A report from a psychologist is needed to confirm an ASD diagnosis. Getting on the NDIS also requires a diagnosis by a psychologist and only ASD level 2 or 3 are approved.

      Drugs are all on the taxpayer dime as well. It's an unbelievable rort.

      I don't understand the point of this statement , most drugs used by Australians are subsidised by the PBS.

      On a side note, common ASD meds like vyvance and Brintellix are not PBS funded, nor can they be claimed via NDIS.

      • The protected victim status it affords you in the public service, rendering it almost impossible to ever get fired no matter how incompetent you are & the added gift of unlimited "mental health leave".
      • Parents who don't have any capacity or interest in disciplining their obviously normal healthy active kids, so wanna dump them on drugs so they can lead a more outgoing lifestyle again.

      Not sure what YouTube rabbit hole you're stuck in, but this is sincerely not the case. How do I know this? I volunteer for an ASD adolescent organisation. I know hundreds of families. I have yet to meet a parent or parents who have deliberately drugged up their child to "lead a more outgoing lifestyle". In almost every case, medication is the last resort, after treatments like CBT, Equine therapy and so on.

      • infinite on 01/08/2024 - 21:25
        -4

        This is incorrect. A report from a psychologist is needed to confirm an ASD diagnosis. Getting on the NDIS also requires a diagnosis by a psychologist and only ASD level 2 or 3 are approved.

        This is completely incorrect and wildly out of context.

        You don't have to be in, or have any association with the NDIS, to get ADS related drugs on the taxpayer dime. Any GP or Psychiatrist can prescribe those & all it takes for a GP to be willing to do that for the drugs they can immediately prescribe is a couple of single page self-assessment forms filled in by the patient, with the baseline scores from the survey indicating your clinically relevant for ASD related medications. Individuals from mental health advocacy groups will show you in less than 5 minutes how to complete one of those self assessment forms in a way that will result in whatever the drugs are that you are after. Those advocacy groups operate on 100% government grants and funding.

        So every part of the rort process from start to end is paid for by the taxpayer either partly, or in full.

        • GrueHunter on 02/08/2024 - 19:56
          -1

          TIL GPs can override the PBS and have your non-PBS subsidised drugs magically subsidised, with magic

    • chichi on 01/08/2024 - 13:37
      -2

      Nope.

    • CurlCurl on 01/08/2024 - 22:15
      -1

      adjective
      adjective: infinite

      1.
limitless or endless in space, extent, or size; impossible to measure or calculate.
"the infinite mercy of God"
    • iridiumstem on 05/08/2024 - 15:58
      -1

      The worst part about your paragraph is that your mindset is more toxic to those people who need help more than you realise. Someone had to say, I need help, pay up fair amount of money, accept the stigma of seeing a mental health professional, take time and energy to talk about their personal issues for a session on the off chance that it will fix their issues. Don't use the line of "people who actually need help" nonsense, clincal assessment and actual diagnosis requires multiple sessions for a reason.

      There are terrible people out there who do not want to change and use mental health as an excuse, and I have seen them first hand. Don't use that to bring down countless others who are trying their hardest at life though.

      Medications are not there to fix issues, they are there to help manage them. At least many of the common mental health disorders, the recommendations from places like APA is a combination of talk therapy + medications. There are terrible psychiatrists who drug their clients up and not try to support their clients manage their mental health issues in meaningful ways, but that's not what's deemed to be ethical. Besides, unless we are talking about stimulants or depressants like benzos (which are regulated), I am not 100% sure why you'd want to be on medications. Anything that does something to the brain has bunch of side effects attached to them. Those ones that people might be tempted to get prescriptions for, those are controlled and I don't think it is easy to be on them indefinitely.

      Not to mention, NDIS funding do not fund treatment (this is something that NDIA bluntly mention few times), they are there to help with capacity building and providing choices to their participants. I do think government funding could be utilised better, but that's a different topic altogether (I don't necessarily think NDIS is a bad idea, it's just burdened by the fact that other form of mental health supports are awfully underfunded).

  • SupeNintendoChalmers on 01/08/2024 - 01:00
    +3

    Downs Syndrome is a genetic condition and all the research shows there is a higher probability of having a child with DS the older the mother is, and of course having one or both parents with a family history of DS.

    As for ASD, well, we don't really know the exact causes, though once again, the age of the mother in particular seems to increase the likelihood of having a child with ASD. The older the parent, the more likely it seems to occur. Women are choosing to having children later in their lives, so this, coupled with increased testing and awareness of the early signs of ASD naturally increases the number of diagnosies in the population.

    Of course ASD has anyways existed, it's just that when we were kids, these kids were called 'weird, freak' or some other cruel label. The more severe kids were put into sanitariums by their families, never to be seen again.

  • SpicyStew on 01/08/2024 - 02:25
    +1

    medical never misdiagnoses, ever.

    • GrueHunter on 02/08/2024 - 19:58

      Nobody ever said otherwise. "Medical" (whatever you mean by that) is also much, much more likely to give a correct diagnosis than whatever you use. Runes? Entrails? Crystals? Bird sign?

      • SpicyStew on 05/08/2024 - 09:42

        speak no engrish?

      • SpicyStew on 05/08/2024 - 09:43
        +1

        you're autistic aren't you

  • ddilrat on 01/08/2024 - 04:34
    +2

    Is it possible it is just becoming more often diagnosed and rates are the same (for autism anyway)

  • DingoBilly on 01/08/2024 - 07:04
    +5

    It's just improved awareness, better diagnosis and people more willing to accept it.

    My dad's generation would just say to ignore it/don't get it diagnosed. And in some cases you'd just put the people away/lobotomise them/kill them.

    Not really a crisis - if anything it's great more people are getting the support they need.

    • johnfuller on 01/08/2024 - 10:41
      -1

      maybe back in his days there were kids that had low spectrum autism but no one with servere like you see today.. cant go outside if its too noisy etc attacking parents

      • buckster on 01/08/2024 - 14:52
        +1

        That's because people with severe autism were very frequently hidden away up in institutions in those days

        • johnfuller on 01/08/2024 - 14:55

          80 years ago, which institutions were there?

          • banana365 on 01/08/2024 - 15:17
            +3

            @johnfuller: Do you live in a decent sized city? Look for an old, large, stone building, typically a few kilometres out of the CBD, often set in large grounds, typically attached to local myths of madmen escaping and doing something terrible. Those places. It didn't matter if it was a psychiatric illness, autism, cerebral palsy etc. That's where they got put "for their own good" a.k.a. "we don't want to see them". They were essentially prisons, but with a slightly more domestic vibe.

          • Grunntt on 01/08/2024 - 23:02

            @johnfuller:

            80 years ago, which institutions were there?

            Your profile shows you are in Sydney - maybe have a read about Callan Park.

          • GrueHunter on 02/08/2024 - 19:59

            @johnfuller: Are we playing a game? I'll start:

            The Bloomfield Hospital in Orange NSW opened in…well would you look at that, 1924.

            You know, 100 years ago.

          • iridiumstem on 06/08/2024 - 08:21
            +1

            @johnfuller: Lobotomy received 1949 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
            Forcible sterilisation took place in the United States until at least 1981 for "mentally retarded".
            Homosexuality were defined as mental disorder until 1990s if you go by WHO's definition (APA took that out in 1970s from DSM).

            I remember hearing horror stories and investigative journalism piece done in Korea in early 2000s which led to changes in the law (before they needed two immediate family member and a doctor to sign off on involuntary admission which resulted in rich families abusing this to resolve family matters like inheritance). That law was changed in 2016, but not to the extent that Australia has taken.

            I am currently watching the medicalisation of gaming addiction in Korea very closely because it's an ethical minefield (in that you can make unethical/controversial comments regardless of which steps you take). I am also planning to train in applied behaviour analysis (ABA) noting that ABA is also under a bit of controversy as an intervention for ASD (I need some training before I can rule that off completely, and my current workplace would like me to have a good understanding of it at the very least so putting that as a PD).

            History of medicalisation of mental health issues is filled with horror stories. Anything you go, have we gone too far to the other side of the issue, normally has a horror story attached to them that led to those safeguards being put in place.

            I unfortunately am in the position that I can see the appeal/reasoning behind arguments on whether we have gone too far with the safeguards (with a family member with BPD who is refusing treatment), though I don't agree with them from ethics point of view.

  • JakeyJooJoo on 01/08/2024 - 07:41
    +9

    Up until the 70s in Australian schools, if you tried to use your left hand as your dominant hand for writing etc, you would be chastised and forced to use your right hand. At this point in time, the belief was that only 2% of the population were left handed.

    In the later 70s left handedness was embraced, and it "All of a sudden seemed like everyone was becoming left handed"… But people were just being people, accepting the traits that they have now that they were allowed to. Eventually this exponential increase stopped at around 11%. Which is naturally how many people are lefties.

    Autism is just going through the same thing. Being diagnosed is good for the individual, they learn a lot about themselves and how to cope in a neurotypical society. Long term it is very much unhealthy for them to conform to neurotypical ways. Their brain works differently. There are both positives and negative to neuro diversity.

    It's offensive to second guess people's conditions, you don't know how their brain works, and you're not a trained psychiatrist. If they've been diagnosed then it's highly likely correct. Best to just let people be people, and give them the supports that they need when they need them, whatever their affliction. Makes for happier healthier people.

    • johnfuller on 01/08/2024 - 10:40
      -4

      autism, i think is on a different spectrum to using left/right hand tho ?

      • banana365 on 01/08/2024 - 15:05
        +4

        I'm beginning to think you're being deliberately obtuse or you are just genuinely, irreparably thick. JakeyJooJoo was making no claim of handedness being linked to ASD, rather they were illustrating how hidden some characteristic/behaviour is when it it not tolerated. Remove or minimise that intolerance and the apparent occurence of it increases, but in reality it was always there, just hidden by the individual.

        This, and many other points, have been made many times throughout this thread and at no point have you apparently taken any of it on board. You just posted an uninformed load of bollocks and seem to be seeking reinforcement rather than information from others with different experience and knowledge.

        • johnfuller on 06/08/2024 - 09:12
          -2

          autism is very different to someone using their left and right hand and learning how to adjust with using the other hand, you dont seem to understand the difference that autism is on a completely different level. you should really watch something like "louis theroux autism"

          • banana365 on 06/08/2024 - 09:46

            @johnfuller: So your fears and "research" beat my decades of experience of living with family members with ASD, negotiating the medical system to get appropriate support, doing everything possible to improve their situation and being part of a huge community of other ASD families and sharing their varied experiences.

            OK bud, you know best. Twat.

            Edit: and I'll add that if your "research" is at the same level of understanding as that of the use of analogies to help people understand more complex topics they're struggling with (like the use of change of attitudes to handedness to explain the changes in ASD occurences) then I'm going to go with my previous option - you're irreperably thick.

            • johnfuller on 06/08/2024 - 10:49
              -1

              @banana365: have you ever wondered why your family members have ASD ?

              • JakeyJooJoo on 07/08/2024 - 11:41

                @johnfuller: OP, you're suffering from the Dunning–Kruger effect. There is no conspiracy to be had. Autism has a strong genetic link… You could swap out the word 'autism' for 'red hair' in your question:
                "@banana365: have you ever wondered why your family members have red hair?"

                • johnfuller on 07/08/2024 - 12:18
                  -1

                  @JakeyJooJoo: @jakeyjoojoo its no conspiracy at all, I'm just worried that there are other factors at play causing autism at birth that needs to be addressed to stop it from happening, i understand we have medication and therapy to deal with it better

                  having a family member with red hair, or them being left handed, are nothing in comparison to someone having autism not sure how it can be compared ?

                  • JakeyJooJoo on 07/08/2024 - 14:28
                    -2

                    @johnfuller: Your language is totally off mate. They aren't experiencing "factors at play causing autism at birth". While you were in your mum's womb I could have drop kicked her in the stomach and force fed her asbestos, you're not 'getting autism'. It is genetic variance. Autism is not a defect. It is variance for genetic diversity which as a species is good, EG Einstein as a flagship example of a positive of having people with Autism.
                    You can eat plastic and every chemical under the sun while pregnant and you will not increase the probabilities of autism. Cancers etc, sure, but not autism. The same as doing so would not increase the chances of having your newborn have red hair.

                    • johnfuller on 08/08/2024 - 08:43
                      -1

                      @JakeyJooJoo: No one claimed that any specific experiences in the womb are causing these issues. What I'm suggesting is that diet and environmental factors from the last 60 years, such as the widespread use of plastics, could be affecting future generations genetically. While our children might not show signs of autism, it’s possible that our grandchildren or great-grandchildren might. Statistics show that the number of autism cases is increasing. You attribute this to better awareness, but I believe there is a larger underlying problem.

                      Autism is a condition that indicates something has changed and is not "normal", whether genetically or through environmental influences. Your tone comes across as overly confident, as if you know exactly what is causing autism.

                      The number of people with autism or Asperger’s is increasing rapidly, which cannot be denied. I think this trend will continue, and eventually, a link will be found.

                    • banana365 on 08/08/2024 - 12:24
                      +1

                      @JakeyJooJoo: I keep needing to remind myself “Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level then beat you with experience” We're never going to change this guy's mind, no matter how reasoned the discussion. His mind was made up before he even posted the original question.

                      • johnfuller on 08/08/2024 - 12:55
                        +1

                        @banana365: news today just reported

                        A long-term peer-reviewed study by the Florey Institute in Melbourne found boys with lower levels of a key brain enzyme aromatase and who were born to mothers with high levels of the plastic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in their wombs are three-and-a-half times more likely to have autism symptoms by the age of two.

                        https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/pregnancy/bpa-pl…

                        now you look stupid ? what happened to it being a genetic variance?

                        • banana365 on 08/08/2024 - 13:03

                          @johnfuller:

                          now you look stupid ?

                          No, not yet at least - https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/florey-research-finds-associ…

                          Have a read about "confirmation bias", then read the above link again, particularly this bit.

                          Oliver Jones is Professor of Chemistry at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia

                          "I can see this research being reported as "Bisphenol-A causes autism", but this isn’t what the work claims to have found. 

This study looks at possible links between Bisphenol-A (BPA) and autism. BPA is a chemical used to manufacture plastics and epoxy resins as well as various other industrial uses. It is one of several chemicals in the Bisphenol family - other members include Bisphenol-S (BPS) and Bisphenol-F (BPF).

The authors first found a possible association between autism and BPA exposure in data from a previous study. However, that study, was initially based on self-reporting (later assessed by a clinician) and the BPA was tested by a single measurement in the mother’s urine. If BPA is in the urine, it has been excreted and it can’t be assumed that what is in the urine is directly related to the exposure of the unborn child. Neither is a single measurement representative of the entire pregnancy.

The authors then undertook mouse and cell to explore the possible link. This work was detailed and showed a plausible biological mechanism by which the effect could occur. However, just because something can occur, does not mean that it does so. The levels of BPA in this study were higher than we are generally exposed to. Results from mice and cells only give an indication of what might happen in humans and in this case, there were large overlaps between the behaviours seen in the treated and untreated mice, which means the results are not conclusive.

While this is interesting work no single study, no matter how well conducted can be counted as proof. Further work would need to show similar results. BPA is one of the most well-studied chemicals on earth with thousands of papers published on it and while still the topic of a lot of debate nobody has shown any effects of this compound at the levels to which we are exposed."
                      • JakeyJooJoo on 08/08/2024 - 16:48
                        +1

                        @banana365: @banana365 Yep, spot on summary and re getting dragged down. I think I'm done here… The fact that OP from the outset is convinced that autism is some sort of defect (WTF?) and still approaching that angle is just whack.

                        Last comment for OP @johnfuller … There are many strengths to ASD. It is not a defect caused by environmental factors. Why is it so hard for you to appreciate that people without internet, data connectivity, or even computers were not able document and understand the prevelance of ASD in the way that we can now? In addition to that being a cause for 'growth', I've also given you my example re left handedness. Reread.

                        Re your plastic comment. I am very aware of the plastic and chemical issues we face as a society, and am concerned about it much more than the average person. The 'BPA' thing is no doubt the tip of the iceberg, I avoid plastics for my family as much as possible. I fully expect these things to be linked to stacks of cancers in the future, likely some left of field things too. Autism is not one of them. Raise your questions around ASD with your GP and see what they say. They'll rightfully dismiss your concerns and explain why it isn't possible to be related for the reasons we have all listed, hopefully in words that you will finally listen to.

                        Ok, NOW I'm out

                        • johnfuller on 10/08/2024 - 15:22

                          @JakeyJooJoo: autism is a spectrum disorder, "a disorder" , a disorder that is varied where someone could be level 1, level 2, or level 3, different support is required, your saying to me that this is part of normal human life people will get it, all im saying to you that the numbers are increasing because of other factors that are unknown

                          • JakeyJooJoo on 12/08/2024 - 09:13
                            -1

                            @johnfuller: Yeah the name of it is actually stupid, same with ADHD. It'll be rightfully renamed to something more appropriate in due course, as the term 'disorder' is outdated from less was known, and is no longer appropriate.

      • JakeyJooJoo on 01/08/2024 - 16:09
        +5

        Not in the context I've used. Very similar societal denial/suppression for years, followed by later acceptance and understanding.

        Ultimately they're both traits from the way peoples brains function.

        Variance in individuals is a good thing. Having everyone be neurotypical and right handed would be bad.

        Statically as percentages:
        -Left handed people are have a higher likelihood of succeeding in sports at elite levels
        -ADHD people are better suited to crisis management situations than neurotypical people
        -Autistic people excel as subject matter experts, knowing and figuring out everything about a topic

        Just to name a few. Lots of good and bad for each trait. Embrace, support, and celebrate inclusivity baby!

    • Clear on 01/08/2024 - 11:51

      Up until the 70s in Australian schools,

      It was still the case when I was at school in 2000.

  • greatlamp on 01/08/2024 - 07:54
    +1

    Autism has always been present in a significant part of the population, it just wasn't an issue. Humans haven't changed, the way we live has changed.

    Be a good parent, don't leave child raising to the TV, YouTube or the ipad. Of all species living on earth, human children require the greatest investment. There is no subsitute. Autistic children can grow up to be adults with significant advantages over their peers, or with significant social issues. Our economic system rewards autism while our social system punishes it

    • SupeNintendoChalmers on 01/08/2024 - 13:41
      +1

      Our economic system rewards autism while our social system punishes it

      What do you mean by this?

      Statistically speaking, over 30% of Autistic people are unemployed.

      • greatlamp on 01/08/2024 - 16:06
        -1

        What is their definition of autistic? There is no way under the current definition where approximately 10% of the population have some level of autism that 30% are unemployed.

        High function autistic people have a high aptitude for quantitative work, they end up working roles such as in engineering, computer science/IT, the back office of investment banking, accounting and finance. These are the highest paid jobs in our society.

        The autistic people you are thinking of that end up unemployed used to be called Asperger's syndrome.

        Autistic people have an over-active emotional centre, they react too strongly and inappropriately. This can be mediated with training.

        People with Aspergers have an underactive emotional centre. Being unable to understand others emotions is much more of a detriment.

        • Blargman2001 on 02/08/2024 - 23:05

          I feel you're over generalising a bit here. Plenty of research shows that autistic people struggle in employment. Even research on high functioning individuals show they face challenges in the workplace others don't.

          • greatlamp on 03/08/2024 - 09:09

            @Blargman2001: Of course I'm generalising. I'm explaining the point above, it doesn't apply to 100% of people.

            If you think the points I used to form my generalisation are incorrect I would be interested to learn more, but it's not a cricisism to say it doesn't apply to everyone, you could cricise any fact in the same way.

            • Blargman2001 on 03/08/2024 - 14:48
              +1

              @greatlamp:

              High function autistic people have a high aptitude for quantitative work, they end up working roles such as in engineering, computer science/IT, the back office of investment banking, accounting and finance. These are the highest paid jobs in our society.

              Without a clarifying statement, this statement implies that as a rule, you believe high functioning autistic people are all (or mostly) employed in high paying STEM/finance roles. The school of thought where high functioning autistic people have 'superpowers' is a bit of a reverse ablist trend at the moment, when a simple search of whatever academic database you have available to you will show that they have significant challenges in the workplace. I'm not here to cite articles but if you insist here's one to get you started. Shows out of a group of 127 about 22% are in professional and 5% are in managerial roles (which kind of matches the general population) of which I doubt all of them are 'high paying'.

              • greatlamp on 03/08/2024 - 16:17

                @Blargman2001: Thanks.

                There is a qualifying statement that sets the context immediately before

                There is no way under the current definition where approximately 10% of the population have some level of autism that 30% are unemployed.

                I set out to disprove the claim I was responding to. I do believe that the majority of autistic people are productive members of society when you include the entire group, and not have an idea of autism based only the people that qualify for NDIS funding because they do so poorly.

  • OBEY YOUR MASTERS on 01/08/2024 - 07:56
    -6

    Stop having children with OLD women??

    • johnfuller on 01/08/2024 - 10:39
      -1

      is 22 considered old?

      • OBEY YOUR MASTERS on 01/08/2024 - 11:24
        -1

        22 should be farirly optimal. Ofcourse healthy babies are not guaranteed but I'd put my money on the 22 for sure.

  • menocheapsk8 on 01/08/2024 - 07:59
    +2

    Genetic diversity in society leads to different body shapes and sizes, the same applies to internal organs like the brain.

    I think doctors, and people in general, are more conscious and educated about mental health and neurodiversity. This tends to increase the diagnosis rate of mental health conditions like ASD. There are many historical figures that would likely satisfy a diagnosis of ASD like Newton, but we're just considered 'eccentric' or 'idiot savants' in their time.

    Also Downs syndrome and autism are very different. DS is a genetic disorder due to issues with chromosome 21. ASD appears to have a strong genetic link, but current research has shown a potential connection to the microbiome, etc.

    All else fails, try some of this:

    https://www.coles.com.au/product/coles-simply-aluminium-foil…

  • jhaley3180 on 01/08/2024 - 08:03
    +6

    I'll Trump your anecdotal evidence with my anecdotal evidence. As a member of a family we have zero children with either disorder. Our family network has none with either disorder and as I consider our friend and school network I can think of only one child who has mild autism. That's hardly every family has 'at least' one!

    • SupeNintendoChalmers on 01/08/2024 - 13:45
      +1

      It's a bit of confirmation bias. For example your child gets diagnosed with ASD, so you seek help and other resources. You meet parents with ASD kids at your kids school or allied health providers, you befriend these people. Suddenly 'every family has at least one'

      • JakeyJooJoo on 01/08/2024 - 16:34
        +4

        I'd like to expand on what you've said with 2 bits of extra information:

        ASD/ADHD are genetically passed on, so one family will typically have a bunch neuro diversity whether it's diagnosed or not. I know 3 neuro diverse (ND) people that have parents that are 100% undiagnosed ND lol

        ND people naturally gravitate towards one another, as they mentally click as friends. If you're ND, whether you're diagnosed or not, a portion of your friends will also be ND, likely your closest friends.
        This translates to partnering up too. If you do some googling, you'll be able to find a large scale review in the UK NHS system around neuro diversity patterns. Some interesting patterns there, such as a male with ADHD is 8x more likely to have a female partner than a neurotypical male.

        Something I've first hand observed is 4 2 year olds forming a really tight knit group at a large day care, and as time has passed, they've remained super close compared to other kids, and now that they're older, it's really obvious to the parents that 2 of kids have ASD, and one has ADHD. Not sure about the other one.
        I think it's that they become overwhelmed with the goings on in that environment, and seek out the same experiences, and just understand one another at some level.

        Anyway, bit of a ramble, but figured you / others might be interested in that info.

    • TEER3X on 02/08/2024 - 20:46

      Pretty sad that the word trump gets automatically capitalised to Trump when typing…. What a joke.

  • subydooby on 01/08/2024 - 08:05
    +3

    Are we better at diagnosing disorders?

  • kobeduck on 01/08/2024 - 08:07
    -5

    As a new parent, go and help your wife with your newborn. How dare you call autism and down syndrome an issue?
    "Is it pollution? The environment? Stress? The food we eat? Plastics?"
    Please stay at home not even to take your bin out. Stop eating too. The world would be a better place without people like you.

    • johnfuller on 01/08/2024 - 10:39
      +2

      "The world would be a better place without people like you."

      thanks so much !

  • cleo2 on 01/08/2024 - 08:09

    I do wonder if my severely autistic, nonverbal granddaughter was exposed to technology too early. Her mum used to lie her on the floor to watch cartoons before she was one. Now she finds noises and busy places overwhelming. When my sons were born I used to put them in a pram and go for walks while I talked to them about trees, dogs, houses etc. They must have wanted me to shut up sometimes but we couldn’t afford a television at that time. Is exposure to too much technology too young a factor ?

    • mrdean on 01/08/2024 - 08:39

      Is exposure to too much technology too young a factor ?

      In my opinion, it is a factor, but not the main one.

      There have been various treatment approaches that have had success in improving autistic symptoms & behaviours. This recent articles gives a couple of examples, although there are more not mentioned.

      https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/diet/nutrition/di…

      • banana365 on 02/08/2024 - 13:09

        It's a factor in the same way that eating gluten is a factor in gluten intolerance. The condition existed without the external factor, but with the introduction of the external factor it becomes significant. Those without the condition can introduce the external factor with no consequences. So no, it's not a causative factor, but it is involved.

  • BLDM on 01/08/2024 - 08:28
    +6

    The reason the rate of autism is “growing” is because of improved diagnosis and more acceptance from society. My son is ASD level 2, along with a few other diagnosis, and my father often tells me he is so glad my son wasn’t born when he was a kid. Back then, he would have been labeled as weird, naughty and dumb. Teachers would have ignored him and labeled him a lost cause. But today, knowing his diagnosis he has been able to get the help he needs and is doing amazingly at school. Not to mention that the more I learn about him and his condition, the more I realise that his life is so similar to mine and that it is extremely probable that I am also on the spectrum (I’m his mother by the way). I often wonder how my life so far would have been, probably much much easier, had I gotten the help that is available to my son right now when I was his age.

    • johnfuller on 01/08/2024 - 14:56

      wow this is actually the best comment so far !

  • Bob Svargis on 01/08/2024 - 09:00
    +6

    You're terrified? WHY?

    I have autism and ADHD through my family and we just deal with it (diagnosed for the kids/young adults, undiagnosed for the most part for the elders). You said: "Nowadays, a child born with Autism or Down Syndrome has their life significantly adjusted to accommodate their needs."

    For Autism, that is a rubbish statement for the most part. For Down Syndrome, sure - it's serious. However a nuchal translucency test can help determine whether your foetus is likely to have that. Yes, there's significant accommodations required for Down Syndrome. And that's always been the case (perhaps not 50+ years ago, but they know more about it now, so they diagnose it more often).

    For Autism, it depends on how far along the spectrum one is. Don't over-dramatise things - being terrified about this is just silly. It's life, and things happen.

    I suspect at least 35% of the people I work with are on the ASD spectrum. But it's pretty rude to make that assumption - apologies to all who feel like I've stereotyped them!

    • SupeNintendoChalmers on 01/08/2024 - 13:53
      +3

      being terrified about this is just silly. It's life, and things happen.

      100%. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

      • banana365 on 02/08/2024 - 13:10
        +1

        And ghosts.

  • mattyman on 01/08/2024 - 09:09
    +5

    I feel like this post is bait so that OP can say "VACCINES CAUSE AUTISM AND DOWNS SYNDROME".

    • johnfuller on 01/08/2024 - 10:38
      -2

      actually i dont think that at all, i think its caused by other factors

      • GrueHunter on 02/08/2024 - 20:02
        +1

        Chemtrails? Jewish orbital mind control lasers? MSG? Flouride? Pop music? Not enough cowbell? Do share.

  • CommuterPolluter on 01/08/2024 - 09:09

    Autism rates are up because having a child in your 20s is now considered “early” by many. A third to half of the parents of infants which I meet have grey hair (WTF). Statistically, that’s going to increase the prevalence of disorders such as autism or Down’s syndrome.

    • jonathan111 on 02/08/2024 - 18:15

      Family sizes are falling and family lines living in western feminised counties will go extinct - in Australia the data in ABS shows this trend began in 1975 and is picking up pace as our country becomes more degenerate and indecent when compared to traditional family values based communities.

  • caitsith01 on 01/08/2024 - 09:13
    +3

    Ok so as far as I can see, OP believes:

    1. Incest causes autism

    2. Autistic people can't have kids

    3. Autism and downs are somehow related

    4. Autism is a disease that has to be caused by something bad happening

    Probably more, but that's the medical misinformation greatest hits.

    • johnfuller on 01/08/2024 - 10:38
      -5

      1. thats not what i believe, i just mentioned it incase you think ppl are related

      2. thats not what i said, where did you get that from?

      3. again where you getting this from?

      4. yes i do believe that is the case, the food we eat, plastics, environment, etc

      • caitsith01 on 01/08/2024 - 10:55
        +3

        Re #2, you say, in relation to autism:

        raising concerns about the future and whether our children will be able to have their own children, given the prevalence of this issue

        Re #3, you pick just these two things and then ramble on about them like they might both have the same cause.

        Re #4, you are missing the point, treating autism as a "disease" rather than a spectrum of neurodivergence is some 1980s shit. It is a developmental disorder which has a significant genetic component and (like ADHD) is arguably not a disability but simply a different way of being depending on how severe it is. I think you would find many people in your life have a degree of one or the other or both and you do not even realise it.

        • johnfuller on 01/08/2024 - 14:58
          -5

          re #2, if there is a growing problem, many people will be scared to have their own children, worried that maybe their kid will have autism, not sure if you follow at all

          • caitsith01 on 01/08/2024 - 16:07
            +5

            @johnfuller: If you knew anyone with autism you would understand that they don't regard themselves as defective freaks who shouldn't reproduce.

            • johnfuller on 01/08/2024 - 16:08
              -1

              @caitsith01: no thats not what i was saying..

              maybe you read it wrong

              with more people being born with autism, if you a normal person thinking about having a child, do you know if your child is going to have autism, thats why i think people will stop having children ..

              if having a child negatively affects your life, more than having a normal child, then people wont do it

              • banana365 on 02/08/2024 - 13:15
                +4

                @johnfuller: You seem weirdly obsessed with this topic, to the point of repeating the same things again and again, seemingly getting comfort from it.

                I think you should maybe look inward when it comes to your questions about ASD.

              • mrdean on 02/08/2024 - 14:41
                -3

                @johnfuller:

                with more people being born with autism,

                It's not something born with, it's what develops usually in the first few years of life.

                That's why, in my opinion, it is VERY important to be careful about exposures during that period.

                I'd encourage you to create a diary & write observations in it, especially what happens at doctors visits & what you observe with your infant leading up to the visits & then afterwards.

                • banana365 on 02/08/2024 - 20:16
                  +2

                  @mrdean: Really? That's contrary to what we know about autism. It develops, or at least becomes more apparent, as a child develops. That does not mean a child is not born with it. Claiming that vague "exposures" have any influence is like claiming that the development of teeth is due to "exposures".

                  • mrdean on 02/08/2024 - 20:33
                    -5

                    @banana365:

                    Really?

                    Yes.

                    It is most clearly apparent in families that have many children.

                    Typically, the first born is subject to many medical interventions, deemed necessary, in the first 2 or so years of life because the parents believe it is the right thing to do.

                    If the parents are smart enough to observe sublte behavioral changes, or if the changes are so obvious, like in the case of what has been termed "regressive autism", & the parents associate them with said medical interventions, then they may start to question the necessity of those medical interventions when raising their later children.

                    These later children, without (or at least with less) medical interventions during their first few years are practically always healthier than the first born.

                    There are far too many incidences of this happening for it to be coincidence.

    • DingoBilly on 01/08/2024 - 10:40
      +6

      Missing something about vaccines to really round it out as the greatest hits.

  • ColtNoir on 01/08/2024 - 09:28
    +4

    There’s plenty of skits on TikTok answering your question. Just because the old people weren’t diagnosed, doesn’t mean they didn’t have it.

    Remember all the plate collections, rigid and only ways of doing things otherwise they’d lose their shit. There were plenty of autistic people.

  • Caped Baldy on 01/08/2024 - 09:36

    Australia's population in 1960 was 10 million so that would account for a 2-3x increase. There is also better diagnosis, more social awareness, and less stigma.

  • taradavey on 01/08/2024 - 09:42
    +4

    I consider a few things re: autism.

    • Many people are on the autism "spectrum" - many are 'higher functioning' and can mask and pass by throughout their early life
    • As our world gets 'faster' and there are more pressures on each individual it is harder for everybody to cope with day-to-day
    • Those who are on the spectrum notice the disparity between their coping and how others cope and can see that there may be something 'different'

    This is entirely anecdotal obviously, but with my ADHD I only noticed the negativity of my symptoms when my life got more full on, when I started studying and working full time as well. The symptoms have always been there, but I could cope with them until s*** hit the fan.

    • SupeNintendoChalmers on 01/08/2024 - 13:55
      +5

      Lots of people in my workplace who are 100% ASD, just never diagnosed and have lived their lives with the resultant struggles and successes.

  • Hhhhjjjjhhj on 01/08/2024 - 10:00
    +1

    Two things to keep in mind

    1. It wasn't uncommon in your grandparents generation for severely disabled children to be put into full time care places. It was a case of hiding them away sort of. So probably contributed to seeing less of them.

    2. For autism, I suspect it's not so much that it is on the rise and more that the diagnosis is. All 3 of my children have autism. It wasn't until we went through their diagnosises and I learnt more about their struggles that I realised I have it as well. The difference was I was just seen as a troublesome child and was dealt with using traditional disapline. As a result, I didn't learn any strategies for managing the symptoms and so when I was an independent adult I struggled with a lot of mental health stuff. I was fortunate that I had the means to seek help to learn how to deal with it. Others are less lucky and medicate using alcohol, drugs, etc.

    So yeah, I'm sure the rates of diagnosis are going up and you are hearing about it more as the community is more willing to talk about it. But I don't know that it hasn't been there for a long time and we just mislabelled it as other things such as being off with the fairies, or hyperactive, a bad kid, etc. Even just comparing to a decade a go, people were less willing to even speak up if their child had a Autism diagnosis as they were worried about the stigma, so again even though people were getting diagnosed they were keeping it as a dark family secret.

  • WastedWombat on 01/08/2024 - 10:23
    +2

    The 80 year old from their "village" didn't have social media, positive outlook or the awareness of such issues. They treated people who were different like garbage. There have always been neurodivergent people in our communities, it's just now they're more comfortable to speak about their issues and social media/traditional media has given them a platform for us to listen and learn.

    • johnfuller on 01/08/2024 - 11:08
      -5

      i mean if someone in the village had severe autism, they'd know about it

      im not talking about ADHD , low spectrum autism..

  • ozboygsl on 01/08/2024 - 11:07

    Hmmm, the cause would have to be related to something else that is increasing or decreasing in direct proportion to the increased rates. Now, what could it possibly be….

  • Cluster on 01/08/2024 - 11:50

    I think it's because of two main factors:

    1. We're diagnosing more children now as the definition of autism has grown. Now many people are on the 'spectrum'.

    2. People are having children at increasingly higher ages. The risk of genetic abnormalities grows exponentially with age. There is nothing we can do about that, but people will try and deny it.

  • LFO on 01/08/2024 - 11:51
    +2

    Autism or Down Syndrome

    Using this two together seems rather misleading.

    AFAIK one is a condition the other is a genetic anomaly.

    IMHO, the elephants in the room are:

    • Autism = over-diagnosis,
    • Down syndrome = oldernot_younger mothers

    Realities:

    • Like with the old "peanut allergies", it seem some parents like the idea their children need special attention from society.

    • Today is impossible to argue a mother/woman older than +28 is no longer "young" for optimal child bearing (which is around 17-24 years old).

    Negs flooding in already …

    • Mythreesons on 01/08/2024 - 12:34
      +1

      Not deserving of any neg votes, you are right.

  • gutwagon on 01/08/2024 - 11:52

    Just in case you don't believe autism is increasing in the world, have a look at this
    https://www.statista.com/chart/29630/identified-prevalence-o…

    • johnfuller on 01/08/2024 - 15:00
      -1

      yes exactly, you see it more and more now

      currently, 1 in 36 children has autism and in the year 2000, it was 1 in 150 children

      when 2050 comes around, its going to be 1 in 20 children and people will not want to have children anymore because of this growing problem being widespread

      reading the comments in this thread, people seem to deny the fact that this is actually happening around us.

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