A generation ago, my dd (who is dx ASD) would have been labeled that weird kid who is scared of stuff and squaks and flaps and who was 'slow' (she had developmental delays).

She's actually 2E (dx gifted as well). I'm glad that she has had the opportunity to be dx, instead of being written off as above. She's had therapies and such and has come so far!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the increase mostly in mild forms? Because that's where most diagnostic progress has been made. If we see an increase in severe forms, then that's cause to worry about environmental causes.

Even if it is, shouldn’t we still question why so many kids are diagnosed and whether any of it can be prevented?

+1

Autoimmune disorders are on the rise, allergies are on the rise, asthma is on the rise.

I wonder if we are going to get to 1 in 5 kids with autism and people will still say it's all better detection, broadening definition and mild forms. When will it be enough for people to care about environmental triggers?

None of these are comparable and all have medical evidence and often genetic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Autism is a medical condition causing brain inflammation. I wonder how many years it will take for this to be accepted ? How many kids will suffer, how many families will suffer?

There are so many groups trying to normalize autism, saying it's not a bad thing. That will hinder the search for a cause and a cure or prevention.

No

Absolutely yes

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the increase mostly in mild forms? Because that's where most diagnostic progress has been made. If we see an increase in severe forms, then that's cause to worry about environmental causes.

Even if it is, shouldn’t we still question why so many kids are diagnosed and whether any of it can be prevented?

+1

Autoimmune disorders are on the rise, allergies are on the rise, asthma is on the rise.

I wonder if we are going to get to 1 in 5 kids with autism and people will still say it's all better detection, broadening definition and mild forms. When will it be enough for people to care about environmental triggers?

Anonymous wrote:Is the increase mostly in mild forms? Because that's where most diagnostic progress has been made. If we see an increase in severe forms, then that's cause to worry about environmental causes.

Even if it is, shouldn’t we still question why so many kids are diagnosed and whether any of it can be prevented?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: It's based on data from 2020 and I am surprised they don't break it down into girls vs. boys because usually they do and it's always more boys than girls. I do believe there can be a genetic component and I know they have broadened the definition and are better with early detection, but as a parent of a child with autism I absolutely do believe there is so much going wrong in our environment contributing to this.

They do say that it’s 3.8 times more prevalent in boys than girls, but they don’t say how that has changed over time. They also mention that girls are diagnosed later and are more likely to also have an intellectual disability.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/ss/pdfs/ss7202a1-H.pdf

So what does that make it for boys out of curiosity...not sure how to do the math....1 in how many boys? I could have sworn we already hit 1 in 15 a year or 2 ago.

Anonymous wrote: It's based on data from 2020 and I am surprised they don't break it down into girls vs. boys because usually they do and it's always more boys than girls. I do believe there can be a genetic component and I know they have broadened the definition and are better with early detection, but as a parent of a child with autism I absolutely do believe there is so much going wrong in our environment contributing to this.

They do say that it’s 3.8 times more prevalent in boys than girls, but they don’t say how that has changed over time. They also mention that girls are diagnosed later and are more likely to also have an intellectual disability.

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/ss/pdfs/ss7202a1-H.pdf

Anonymous wrote:Is the increase mostly in mild forms? Because that's where most diagnostic progress has been made. If we see an increase in severe forms, then that's cause to worry about environmental causes.

The changing the classifications and lumping everything unsee it is probably the rise.

Anonymous wrote:Autism is a medical condition causing brain inflammation. I wonder how many years it will take for this to be accepted ? How many kids will suffer, how many families will suffer?

There are so many groups trying to normalize autism, saying it's not a bad thing. That will hinder the search for a cause and a cure or prevention.

No

Autism is a medical condition causing brain inflammation. I wonder how many years it will take for this to be accepted ? How many kids will suffer, how many families will suffer?

There are so many groups trying to normalize autism, saying it's not a bad thing. That will hinder the search for a cause and a cure or prevention.

Anonymous wrote:Maternal age keeps going up

So does paternal age, which is also a factor.

And the quality of our water and food supply is going down, and people are on lots of prescription meds while conceiving kids.

Maternal age keeps going up

Anonymous wrote:Is the increase mostly in mild forms? Because that's where most diagnostic progress has been made. If we see an increase in severe forms, then that's cause to worry about environmental causes.

I don't think they specify and I get what you are saying. However, as the mom of a child considered to have mild HFA I have to tell you even if it's mild this is highly alarming. I am lucky we could afford all the private intervention EI through the state did not offer. I am lucky I could afford to go part time and even stop working for a period of time. I am lucky we could afford all the medical issues more common with HFA and to pay for a therapist for myself so I didn't lose my mind. You may look at my child and see mild and mainstreamed, but I can assure you as the parent of a NT child as well this has been 1000x more work and stress and I am lucky. How are we going to support all the kids with mild issues below the poverty line or even who's families just can't afford what we did. What about the parents who have no choice but to work full time. My words are not expressing well how exhausting it has been to try to do right by my child and I still feel guilt for not doing more and I know I have the privilege for being able to do what I have. And...my child may still never be able to be completely independent.

Yes, families with kids with more severe needs have it much harder. Yes, it makes a difference if those diagnoses are of kids with more severe needs. However, many of the mild cases may not become gainfully employed according to some stats. Many may still need to live at home for life. Autism has been around a long time and school systems still struggle to do the basics and special ed teachers are burning out and leaving the profession at record numbers. Mild does not mean these are a bunch of future professors and engineers who will just have better social skills thanks to EI.

Is the increase mostly in mild forms? Because that's where most diagnostic progress has been made. If we see an increase in severe forms, then that's cause to worry about environmental causes.

It's based on data from 2020 and I am surprised they don't break it down into girls vs. boys because usually they do and it's always more boys than girls. I do believe there can be a genetic component and I know they have broadened the definition and are better with early detection, but as a parent of a child with autism I absolutely do believe there is so much going wrong in our environment contributing to this.