jeg wrote:
Both Autism Spectrum Disorders and Down Syndrome are far more prevalent in Caucasians than other racial groups.
at least for ASDs (i would think down syndrome would be more obvious?) it is easily more readily diagnosed here in the US as generally caucasians have more money and are more likely to attend good schools.
it's a class thing, not that there are more upperclass people on the spectrum but they have better access to diagnosis and resources where they would know about it in the first place.
TiaMaria wrote:
I'm half-black. I am almost positive that I inherited AS from my father, who was black. Nobody ever diagnosed my father as a child, who became a raging alcoholic to deal with social awkwardness, and nobody ever diagnosed me either. It's a lot easier to get psychiatric evaluation if you are from some well-off family. Not to say all black people are poor, but statistically, they really don't have as much money as caucasians. I was just accused of being bad. When my son was legally adopted by people with money, he was diagnosed at a children's hospital after extensive tests.. for having the same behaviors I had at his age. Things suddenly made sense to my mother & I about why I was like I was my whole life.
i bet there are a lot of stories like this. there is no other explanation if there is a discrepancy among the diagnosed.
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14 Nov 2010, 2:08 pm
