There are causative factors and we aren't finding them. We can't afford to diddle around and wait until we hit 20% or so of our children getting this condition. It's horrific enough already.
This needs to be a true national priority.
Freemasons are poisoning the water supply?
Seriously, it is not even clear that there is an absolute increase, or whether it's just labeling: a person who would once have been called "a bit weird" or "very awkward" is now "Autism Spectrum."
It could be that the "causative factor" is as simple as the State and Federal money that pours into government schools for every child on whom they can put a "special needs" label.
If it can be caused by environmental factors then why not vaccines as well?? Truly just wondering.
“This needs to be a true national priority. “....
It will never become a “priority” until it hits the kids of those who could do something to eradicate it.
I have strong opinions of what causes (or contributes) to autism as my grandson, now 21 was perfectly fine until he hit the age of 3 then all hell broke loose and he started getting his immunizations. Don’t get me started!
Please read the article. Genetics, environmental pollutants, pregnant women getting the flu and infections during pregnancy, immigrants with no vaccinations entering the country and bringing in who knows what diseases.
I don't agree with this at all. I think the amount has always been constant, it's just that before these modern times, no one had a collective name for it, nor did the vast majority of people work with their intellects, but rather worked as human machines--that is serfs, peasants, farmer workers, etc.
I started using ancxestry.com for my family about ten years ago, and now have done numerous genealogy studies for several others. One thing shines through--every family has had it's criminals, ne'er-do-wells, hermits, unsuccessful uncles, spinsters and others labeled in this manner. I believe they were nothing more than autistic.
OK, science fans: so how come we have increasing numbers of kids showing up on the autism spectrum?
due to better detection and reporting
Also due to the widening of the “Autism spectrum’. The definition of autism in the past was much, much narrower.
I agree with you 100%, it does need to be a national priority. We are seeing the numbers increasing however there has been a change in the criteria for what constitutes/qualifies as Autism so more people now meet the criteria and are being labeled as having Autism. I am a National Board Certified Special Education teacher who has over 17 years experience working with children with Autism and other disabilities. In recent years, more children have qualified as having Autism, but their characteristics are all completely different and this has made creating education plans for each of them challenging. Regarding the belief of a correlation of vaccines and this disorder, I have worked with many parents who say prior to their child receiving a vaccine their child was completely normal. There are too many of them for me to dismiss the possibility of a link. I have read the original study that has been debunked and I have also read other studies too. In my opinion finding a definitive cause or a possible cure for this condition is as elusive as finding a cure for cancer.
I would bet autism is growing in countries with high use of birth control.
Boys are more likely to be labeled as autistic. Public schools are geared for little girls who are willing to sit down and be quiet. When boys act differently than girls in the classroom, the teacher labels the boys with autism or attention disorder. We know what happens next...mind-altering drug prescriptions for the boys.
Women putting off having children until they are 30 or older.
I have a son with ASD. My doctor brother-in-law stated that many feel the rise is due to the fact that many women are having children at an older age. Therefore, the eggs that (finally) get impregnated are old and degenerating.
It makes total sense to me.
Metal poisoning, same symptoms.
Mad hatters syndrome.
Because they keep changing the actual definition of the spectrum
If my son in law were a youngster today he would end up on the spectrum, get a label, and be given all sorts of “help”. Thankfully he is a married adult with a great job and a wife who loves him
Why? Well a few reasons...
1) its being diagnosed and looked for. 40 years ago a kid with high to mid functioning autism would just be labeled odd, or developmentally delayed or both.
2) There is no doubt in my mind that Autism is a combination of biology and environment. Somewhere during the last 100 or so years, while we were creating and releasing all sorts of man made chemicals into the environment that had never before been seen, without a damned clue what their possible impacts could be, one, or a family of them, has gotten themselves into the bloodstream of women, (as well as men), exposure to these chemicals in a developing fetus with the right genetic disposition results in Autism. No studies have proven this yet, but the general distribution of Autism clusters highly supports it... Rates higher in California for example that Minnesota etc.
I have ZERO doubt, when all is said and done, we will find that exposure to certain chemicals, during crucial brain development stages, by individuals with certain generic characteristics results in the bulk of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
The only other cause, that I can think of is a yet unknown viral infection, that is relatively benign to the host, but hostile to brain development of a fetus.
Surely part of it is definition.
It used to be autism was a very, very rare disorder with children completely unable to communicate, etc.
Now they toss in everything from what was then known as mental retardation to almost any behavioral issue or unpopular personality quirk.
That said, debilitating issues do seem to have increased dramatically, whether primarily through vaccinations, environmental stuff, or whatever.