Autism is growing rapidly

Foxrac

Foxrac

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2005
Messages
44,482
Reaction score
448
4d213331.png

I'm shock that autism is growing rapidly, it seems new generation of handicapped. :hyper:

In early 20th Century, deaf is used grew rapidly and growth rate had been peaked in around 1970's since immunization program is protect people from get rubella but hearing impaired would start growing rapidly since most baby boomers are turn into senior and Generation X are going be closer in next few decade.

In 2030, Florida will have more people are over 65 years old than people are under 18 years old. I saw some website in few month ago.
 
That is not a surprise to me because the statistics shows that autism usually is more common in boys than girls. My son has autism and I've had other several friends who also has autistic children as well. Yeah it is growing rapidly and there's not a cure for it yet, but with the proper treatment and education - I believe we can make it work.
 
Found this at http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=WhatIsAutism
------------------------------------------------------
Based on statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and other governmental agencies, autism is growing at a startling rate of 10-17 percent per year.
------------------------------------------------------

It seems that there are many theories about what could cause autism. Other than that, it says at the website, "brain scans show differences in the shape and structure of the brain in autistic versus non-autistic children." So why would the population undergo such a rapid change in brain shape and structure as a new generation is born?

Rubella (German measles) is an infection of the skin and lymph nodes and does not do something as drastic as changing the brain's shape from what I know.

I have never run into anyone who has autism, but the subject itself fascinates me. For one thing, my head takes a much different structure than anyone else in my family and I have before suspected myself of having autism because I am a savant in some areas like math (my friend at a restaurant one time told her friends that she was wondering how much something cost so she said, "Let's ask him. Wait and you'll see how good he is at math." (referring to me) and gave me a complex division problem which I was able to abruptly round down to a hundredth in only five seconds using only my head), whereas in communication I may have a blind spot every time I conversate with someone. Like for example, someone will say 5 different things need to be done and I would remember 4 but I would never even know that one thing had been said because it never entered my brain. I wouldn't even barely remember being said, and this happens all the time in nearly every conversation. It would be as if that one thing had never existed, never been said, even if I tried to recall it right after it was said.

Anyway, this is probably just my imagination. The brain has remained a subject of fascination for me. You can see why. :)
 
Well, autism isn't a bad thing, especially if it's high-functioning autism. I am high-functioning autistic, and so is my fiancee.
 
Jolie_77 said:
That is not a surprise to me because the statistics shows that autism usually is more common in boys than girls. My son has autism and I've had other several friends who also has autistic children as well. Yeah it is growing rapidly and there's not a cure for it yet, but with the proper treatment and education - I believe we can make it work.
Click to expand...
Who needs a cure if there is workable treatment? :dunno: You are certainly right about autism being treatable, and it does have good points too. We're just not "normal".
 
Theseus said:
Anyway, this is probably just my imagination. The brain has remained a subject of fascination for me. You can see why. :)
Click to expand...
I've been diagnosed, and you do seem like you could be autistic. My special talents are much more varied, though, but when I am not good at something (sports, cars), I really SUCK at it. It seems like either I am really good or really bad at something, not somewhere in the middle.

You can always try getting an official diagnosis if you really want to know. ;)
 
suicidegirl said:
there's a possiblity that autism is linked to vaccines. you see, many vaccines contain a substance called thiomersal, which is 49.6% mercury - a substance known to have neurotoxic effects, especially in infants whose brains are still developing.

here's some links-
http://www.naturodoc.com/library/children/autism_vaccine.htm
http://www.juiceguy.com/Vaccinations-linked-to-Autism.shtml
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/06/22/eveningnews/main625458.shtml
Click to expand...

A recent study that looked at 28,000 children has disproven this suggested link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5149670.stm
 
One thing is that we are now diagnosing a broader range of symptoms as being autistic. Also parents and doctors are more aware of it. There may be an increase, but it also may be that to many went undiagnosed before.
 
I have 2 friends who are autistic. One had very good treatment as a child and you could not even tell that he is autistic today. The other one, it does show a lot but it does not bother me.
 
I went to college with someone who was bizarrely autistic....Like there are a lot of folks who are geeky types or artistic types who might be labeled as autistic or otherwise highly eccentric, who'd u 'd have to say...."maybe, or maybe not" However this guy was just so beyond strange. He never took showers, he looked like a homeless person, he talked in a robotic voice, he was obssessed with '80's music, and he would constantly talk about the skin on his arms being streachy. He'd also follow people, and walk in and out of rooms inappropreatly.....really weird, even for an autistic kid
 
deafdyke said:
I went to college with someone who was bizarrely autistic....Like there are a lot of folks who are geeky types or artistic types who might be labeled as autistic or otherwise highly eccentric, who'd u 'd have to say...."maybe, or maybe not" However this guy was just so beyond strange. He never took showers, he looked like a homeless person, he talked in a robotic voice, he was obssessed with '80's music, and he would constantly talk about the skin on his arms being streachy. He'd also follow people, and walk in and out of rooms inappropreatly.....really weird, even for an autistic kid
Click to expand...

omfg

Guess no one took the time to work with him on his behaviours. :(
 
I would say there are probably two reasons why autism is increasing (both have been sort of mentioned already).

1) Awareness has increased in the medical community. Probably many were just considered ecentric to a degree and nobody the wiser.

2) There have been profound environmental shifts going on in society.
* Processed foods - Steroids and etc.
* Chemicals - Pesticides, increase in mercury and etc.
* Shifted from agricultural to industrial to service society - very stressful
* Shift in dynamics of family life.

There has been tremendous changes in the last 100 years...
 
gnulinuxman said:
Well, autism isn't a bad thing, especially if it's high-functioning autism. I am high-functioning autistic, and so is my fiancee.
Click to expand...

Asperger syndrome, for example, isn't always a bad thing... Indeed, it can be a very good thing as a lot of the most brilliant people historically probably had asperger. Sir Isaac Newton? Albert Einstein? Bill Gates?

My brother is autistic... He goes to a normal school, but he's not "normal" and likely will never be. He's very smart, he does excellently on the math tests and whatnot, and yet he's also unable to talk the way other people do, he repeats himself constantly, often says the wrong thing at the wrong time.

Autism is something that if one has, they have to live with. For people like my brother, I wish there was a cure. If there was one, people who function well (if not "normally") would have to decide for themselves if they wanted it.
 
gnulinuxman said:
I've been diagnosed, and you do seem like you could be autistic. My special talents are much more varied, though, but when I am not good at something (sports, cars), I really SUCK at it. It seems like either I am really good or really bad at something, not somewhere in the middle.

You can always try getting an official diagnosis if you really want to know. ;)
Click to expand...
Of course! Self-diagnosis is another way (although unofficial) of doing it:

Autism is defined in section 299.00 of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) as:

1. A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2) and (3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):

(1) qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
1. marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
2. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
3. a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)
4. lack of social or emotional reciprocity​
(2) qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by at least one of the following:
1. delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mime)
2. in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others
3. stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language
4. lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level​
(3) restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:
1. encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
2. apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
3. stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
4. persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
​
2. Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social interaction, (2) language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative play.

3. The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett's Disorder or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.
 
Lucia, yes.....it was just so so so WEIRD. Like I got the vibe that his parents were deeply in denial....there was nothing wrong with his brains, but he was just so fucking WEIRD!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially with the part about him talking about the skin on his arms. You'd also see him walking around campus poking at his arm. VERY STRANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
 
deafdyke said:
Lucia, yes.....it was just so so so WEIRD. Like I got the vibe that his parents were deeply in denial....there was nothing wrong with his brains, but he was just so fucking WEIRD!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially with the part about him talking about the skin on his arms. You'd also see him walking around campus poking at his arm. VERY STRANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Click to expand...
He may not be autistic but a seriously Mental ill - like schizophrenic? Usually developed in late teen.
 
Dino65 said:
He may not be autistic but a seriously Mental ill - like schizophrenic? Usually developed in late teen.
Click to expand...

Yeah.

It does sound to me as maybe he might have both...
 
Back
Top