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I have certainly wondered about this. How can autism cases be increasing exponentially, but no one knows why?
An evolutionary decline from long term inter-generational exposure to man-made substances which have damaged our DNA and other genetic structures.... at least that is my best guess. Agrarian and nomadic cultures that lived off the land without any manufacturing whatsoever never suffered from autism.
I wouldn't be surprised if increases in autism rates are due to all the junk/chemicals in foods and the modifying/altering of foods. Since what we put into our bodies feeds our cells (of all types, throughout our body) and it is of constant repetition, it's only logical that it could or will impact our cells, including brain cells, and possibly alter DNA.
All you have to do is compare people and societies over time, and look at the extremes where there is no autism and where there is. And in the places where autism is, what unnatural changes have been in effect for those where rising rates are present.
This kind of stuff leaves many clues, and usually points to industry and civilization, and changes caused by man.
Uh huh. So looking at your post either your cousins are married to each other and its their kids you are talking about, and they are both autistic and both prescribed "drugs" or both your cousins, separately, happen to have autistic children who both happened to have the same diagnosis and prescribed treatment and both sit in the window.
Most of us can smell a liar three threads away, and additional lies just make that hole deeper.
I wouldn't be surprised if increases in autism rates are due to all the junk/chemicals in foods and the modifying/altering of foods. Since what we put into our bodies feeds our cells (of all types, throughout our body) and it is of constant repetition, it's only logical that it could or will impact our cells, including brain cells, and possibly alter DNA.
All you have to do is compare people and societies over time, and look at the extremes where there is no autism and where there is. And in the places where autism is, what unnatural changes have been in effect for those where rising rates are present.
This kind of stuff leaves many clues, and usually points to industry and civilization, and changes caused by man.
Yes, I believe there will be a cause found in our environment. Same with ADD/ADHD, which several studies are linking to pesticides. There are other diseases with higher rates than in the past, such as Alzheimers and all these deadly childhood allergies to peanuts, strawberries, etc. that barely anyone had heard of before but now there are a lot of kids that can die from exposure. I read a study last week that linked it to a pesticide used on peanuts. We are all guinea pigs when it comes to pesticides, antibiotic and hormone use (kids are developing and hitting puberty years earlier now), and now genetically modified foods.
The current diagnosis includes Asperger’s and PDD-NOS, which were both completely separate diagnoses now under an umbrella that includes all three (just requiring different levels of support). I can’t imagine fewer people would be diagnosed if the diagnosis includes all three.
What I CAN tell you is that our statutory criteria at my old job was based on the DSM-IV-TR criteria for autism. Very few people qualified even though LOTS more people had valid diagnoses of ASD under the DSM-5. At my old job, we took people who now require level 3 supports and some who require level 2. We would have taken almost everyone who met the old DSM-IV-TR criteria.
This. My two "Aspies" would not have received a formal DX under DSM-IV-TR criteria. This meant their peds and educators were unlikely to spot or notice traits and mannerisms that fit ASD criteria before the change. They are "Aspies" like their father. They fit the DSM-5 criteria, and in my son's case, his ASD is comorbid with ADHD-combined type, DCD, and dysgraphia.
My second daughter was 11 when she was diagnosed because she didn't meet the specific criteria most associated with ASD represented in boys.
Both needed a formal DX to receive a 504 plan and county services, but one particular non-profit in our area only offers services for those who meet DSM-IV-TR criteria. We had to explain, that while she didn't meet specific criteria, she (and her brother) do need these services. Both need support and services in areas of communication and my son have significant challenges with executive functioning. In my daughter's case, we've had to find ways for her to communicate in a way that works for her. She's not non-verbal, she's just not very verbal. This has posed concerns in a variety of situations where communication is necessary to relay pertinent information.
She developed a cold just a few days after the end of 4th grade. Nothing major. Her condition deteriorated quickly, and she wasn't able to communicate that. She had the sniffles and a cough. She laid in bed and took it easy. We told her (and my oldest) to let us know if she started to feel worse. I checked on her periodically, and then in the afternoon, she told her sister it hurt to breathe. She couldn't walk downstairs without feeling short of breath. I had her sit down, noticed her lips were losing color and her temp was nearly 106, with oxygen saturation in the low 80s. Immediately called for EMS. They asked her questions at rapid speed and she *never* said a word. We had to relay information. If they asked what she felt, she didn't respond. They were beyond puzzled by her lack of response. All this time she had a pneumothorax/collapsed lung and ended up hospitalized with pneumonia, again. She also never said a thing to her team of doctors and nurses. Not even a nod or shrug, which wasn't enough to help them better understand her condition, what she felt, etc. They looked to us to explain that she's "not talkative." She's not mute. She'll talk a lot about Hamilton, animals, anime, drawing, comics, but on her own, when she feels like it.
We've had to preface a lot of interactions with "we strongly suspect she's on the spectrum." Even with my in-laws and family. In the context of school, by 5th grade, you can't get away with being the quiet, studious student. Students are expected to participate and communicate, and throughout 5th grade, her teacher sent home progress statuses on "concerning areas" where she circled "speaking -- below grade level." or she expressed worry she didn't have friends or whatever.
So a 504 plan was necessary, and when she hit middle school, we had another meeting. I still don't think most of her teachers understood my concerns and her specific needs, which deal mostly with their expectations and trying to find alternative ways to communicate with her, because she's unlikely to communicate in the way they want/expect. So while she was a 4.0 student, excelled in all areas of academics, she struggled in other ways.
The entire time she was being evaluated, she didn't say a word. Just stared at the floor or off someplace else and rocked in the chair (stimming). She appears very stoic and exhibits less emotional expression compared to NT kids, like the "flat affect," to the point the people often ask her if she's okay. She has sensory sensitivities as well. Since infancy. But a lot of this is overlooked because she excels with great ease in other areas. That doesn't mean she doesn't struggle in other ways or that she'll be self-supporting as an adult without the proper support and services now.
What is with some of you. Follow along closely now. My two cousins I mentioned are both female. Those two female cousins have children, both of which are boys. Those two boys differ in age by about 6 or 7 years. They are the ones who were diagnosed at autistic although they just seemed nothing more than hyperactive and rambunctious. They were prescribed drugs to "control" the aggression and hyperactivity.
Is everybody on the same page now? lol
We are but you're not...this thread is about autism. Why did you put your $.02 in about how autistic kids are drugged, and give as an example hyperactive children?
Yes, I believe there will be a cause found in our environment. Same with ADD/ADHD, which several studies are linking to pesticides. There are other diseases with higher rates than in the past, such as Alzheimers and all these deadly childhood allergies to peanuts, strawberries, etc. that barely anyone had heard of before but now there are a lot of kids that can die from exposure. I read a study last week that linked it to a pesticide used on peanuts. We are all guinea pigs when it comes to pesticides, antibiotic and hormone use (kids are developing and hitting puberty years earlier now), and now genetically modified foods.
As far as peanut allergies go, we cured our older son's allergy by slow exposure to peanuts over a period of years. By the time he was 9 he was cured. I think he got the allergy to begin with because we listened to his doctor who said you shouldn't introduce peanuts to a child until it reaches 2 years old. We introduced peanuts to our other children as soon as they were old enough to handle a dollop of peanut butter. Neither one ended up with an allergy, but one of them ended up being autistic. I've yet to hear a connection between autism and peanuts though.
If I locked you in a room with my son for an hour, when I let you out, you'd believe in autism.
Mine too, and he is in no way hyperactive.
But just wait for the increasing terror, agitation and self-slapping in the head because looking out the front window, it's clear that during the past 30 minutes, significantly more cars were driving down the east side of the street than the West side.
He's 15.
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