reasons for increase in Autism diagnoses

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LKL
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11 Aug 2007, 7:30 pm

The idea that vaccines cause autism has been pretty thoroughly discredited in statistical studies. this leaves some other environmental cause for autism, or some congenital cause like genes or intrauterine environment. If it's genes, then an increase in autism means that there is an increase for the genes of autism in the population; if an allele for one phenotype (autism) is increasing at the expense of another phenotype (NT), then generally there is some selective advantage for the increasing allele in either its heterozygous or its homozygous form.

Given that many people with autism/aspergers have difficulty finding mates (seemingly a pretty strong selective disadvantage), what could be an overwhelming advantage for people with aspergers in modern culture vs. culture, say, 100 years ago? I understand that AS/HFA people tend to understand computers better than NT people, but computers are relatively new on the scene (less than 2 generations for the majority of the population), so facility with computers can't be the whole story.



username88
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11 Aug 2007, 7:36 pm

I just think its because AS is becoming more known about by doctors in America, in Europe theyve been more knowlegeable about it for quite a few years now.



richie
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11 Aug 2007, 7:53 pm

The increase in diagnoses is more likely caused by the "widening" of diagnostic criteria to include
Asperger's Syndrome, Executive function disorders, sensory integration problems, ADHD, and
Pervasive Development Disorders. Still when people hear the word "Autistic" they think of the
low functioning Kanner type of autism or the "Rain-Man".



username88
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11 Aug 2007, 7:56 pm

That guy was so funny :D I forgot what they called his condition though.. It will come to me one of these days lol



2ukenkerl
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11 Aug 2007, 8:04 pm

WHAT the heck do computers have to do with anything? AS people understand computers because computers have to be taught precise logic, and AS people are perfect for that! In that way, computers have existed for over 10,000 YEARS because, although the electronic embodiment of the concept has only existed for 60 years, and the mechanical embodiment has only existed for a couple hundred years, and the mechanical concepts for perhaps a few thousand years before that, the basic concept HAS existed for over 10,000. To say otherwise would be like disputing the linguistic ability of say germans because english has only existed for a few hundred years. German existed long before that, and other languages existed even before that.

Anyway, autistic people have HISTORICALLY been considered stupid and probably not very responsive, and probably wouldn't even have considered computers. The CLEAR reason why the rate of autism has increased is because the criteria is FAR broader. Under that historical criteria, most here would not qualify as autistic.

Quote:
Autism was first described by Kanner (1943, as cited in Frith, 1991). Kanner described a group of patients who, from an early age appeared aloof or indifferent to other people, resisted change, and engaged in repetitive activities. As these children grew, he observed a conspicuous absence of make-believe play, a fascination with objects which were often skillfully handled, mutism or language which seemed to lack communicative intent, and 'islets of ability' or special skills which were expressed in remarkable feats of rote memory, calculation, or other isolated skill.


INDIFFERENT? LACKED COMMUNICATIVE INTENT? ISLETS? ISOLATED?

Although THIS description doesn't speak of lower IQ, it doesn't speak of being a good programmer either. Note what another piece says. Ironically, it says that 75% are ret*d, and the rest is relatively new. Of course, that 75% is probably ALREADY an outdated statistic. It is likely to keep dropping a LOT because of the new broader criteria.

Quote:
Similarities have been noted between the definition of AS and that of autism without mental retardation, or High Functioning Autism (HFA). Mental retardation co-occurs with autism in about 75% of reported cases so the DSM-IV definition allows for children who do not demonstrate emasured intelligence in the mentally ret*d range. Currently there are no widely accepted diagnostic guidelines specifically for High Functioning Autism (Gillberg, 1998). HFA may be most appropriately diagnosed when the criteria for autistic disorder are met (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) and Full Scale IQ exceeds the mentally ret*d range. As compared to AS, HFAs generally have lower Full Scale IQs, with less apparent Verbal/Performance IQ discrepancies. In AS, Verbal IQ typically exceeds Performance IQ (Gillberg 1989, Ozonoff & Farham, 1994). There may be more of a family history in AS, especially in fathers of AS children, than in HFA (Gillberg, 1989). Motor clumsiness may be more characteristic of AS, whereas motor mannerisms may appear more in association with HFA (Gillberg, Steffenburg, & Schaumann, 1991).



Dunwich
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11 Aug 2007, 9:56 pm

username88 wrote:
That guy was so funny :D I forgot what they called his condition though.. It will come to me one of these days lol


The real guy Rain Man was based on? I think he had savant syndrome.

Also, wasn't there a study that showed increases in cases of autism in areas with high mercury-pollution in the water supply?


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Johnnie
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11 Aug 2007, 10:00 pm

there has always been loners,mountian men and all sorts of people that didn't fit in. Now they are finding out there is actually a reason for it and putting a label on the condition.



Danielismyname
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11 Aug 2007, 11:14 pm

Asperger's. I think there's also an increase in the number with autistic disorder (classic autism) -- it was 1 in 1000; I think it's 4 in 1000 now; which may be due to people like me getting picked up twenty years too late, or maybe not.

2ukenkerl,

It's around 70 percent now (cognitive impairment) for those with autistic disorder; mental retardation isn't in the diagnostic criteria anyway, so the whole LFA/HFA thing means naught currently.



2ukenkerl
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11 Aug 2007, 11:42 pm

Danielismyname wrote:
Asperger's. I think there's also an increase in the number with autistic disorder (classic autism) -- it was 1 in 1000; I think it's 4 in 1000 now; which may be due to people like me getting picked up twenty years too late, or maybe not.

2ukenkerl,

It's around 70 percent now (cognitive impairment) for those with autistic disorder; mental retardation isn't in the diagnostic criteria anyway, so the whole LFA/HFA thing means naught currently.


Things get really difficult, etc... We basically went from comparing apples to apples to comparing apples to a basket of apples, oranges, and peaches.

It is like there is a rat infestation somewhere(LFA), and the pest control company calls it a rodent problem, and then says the rodents have increased 300% NEVER mentioning that they are including rats, hamsters, and squirrels!(They added HFA and AS, and the 1/150 ALSO includes ADD/ADHD, from what I have heard.)

HEY, I had a pet hamster once, and I like squirrels. USUALLY they are both harmless and nice.



Last edited by 2ukenkerl on 12 Aug 2007, 5:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Danielismyname
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11 Aug 2007, 11:56 pm

I'm a squirrel glider hiding up in the trees.

Well, the apples were those with autistic disorder whether they were HFA or LFA (the IQ difference); so they've always been comparable. Autistic disorder (Kanner's) hasn't changed much since its inception. I'd be considered stupid and unresponsive now; doesn't mean I cannot use a computer.

The oranges are definitely those with Asperger's as it's only been around since '94, which is "mild autism".



Last edited by Danielismyname on 11 Aug 2007, 11:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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11 Aug 2007, 11:57 pm

I've heard some speculation of general environmental pollution upping autism rates for real. Also breeding later. But yeah, there is also the widening of criteria, such that people who would have once just been considered eccentric are being recognized as autistic. And WAY back when, even many autistic people might have just been dismissed as ret*d or troubled. There was a lot of stigma regarding autism in the past, and from some of the stories I've read in John Ratey's books in their chapters on autism-spectrum conditions, some parents did what they could to avoid getting their kids an autistic label so that the mother wouldn't be blamed for being too uncaring. It was theorized that an unaffectionate mother caused the child to deeply withdraw psychologically, and so the autistic child was a deliberately neglected normal child waiting for it to be safe to come out of his or her protective shell, not a child with unusual sensory and cognitive quirks who was confused and overwhelmed by a world that accidentally assaulted his or her senses and didn't speak his or her cognitive language.


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LKL
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12 Aug 2007, 12:22 am

Hmmm.
I was under the impression that rates of autism were rising even when changing diagnostic criteria are taken into account, but I don't have any data to back that up.



2ukenkerl
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12 Aug 2007, 1:45 am

Danielismyname wrote:
I'm a squirrel glider hiding up in the trees.

Well, the apples were those with autistic disorder whether they were HFA or LFA (the IQ difference); so they've always been comparable. Autistic disorder (Kanner's) hasn't changed much since its inception. I'd be considered stupid and unresponsive now; doesn't mean I cannot use a computer.

The oranges are definitely those with Asperger's as it's only been around since '94, which is "mild autism".


Stupid? Unresponsive? You don't seem to be EITHER one of those! You did say at some point you were basically mute, but you can OBVIOUSLY communicate. I hope you aren't saying that you think I was trying to imply anything about people like you. I WASN'T! I didn't even say that an LFA person wouldn't be able to use a computer, but that they may not even consider computers. MUCH like you may not consider talking. It doesn't mean you can't. I'm sure you CAN talk, but choose not too for comfort or desire. Frankly, there are times I would rather not talk. I guess I just give in too much. 8-(



Danielismyname
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12 Aug 2007, 5:19 am

The thing is: the diagnostic criteria for autistic disorder hasn't changed at all really, other than a few more things tacked on or taken away as time went on, here's Kanner's criteria:

an inability to establish social relatedness
failure to use language for social communication
obsessive desire for maintenance of sameness
fascination for objects
good cognitive potentialities
onset before 30 months

It's really not that different than autistic disorder as it is in the DSM-IV-TR; "good cognitive potentialities" would imply that one could develop a certain skill whilst lacking another (the 70 percent that have cognitive impairment for example); autism has never been synonymous with mental retardation across the board (it's not part of the diagnostic criteria).

I've had an IQ that's been effectively zero; I went home after the test and played Tie Fighter on my PC.



2ukenkerl
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12 Aug 2007, 7:46 am

Danielismyname wrote:
The thing is: the diagnostic criteria for autistic disorder hasn't changed at all really, other than a few more things tacked on or taken away as time went on, here's Kanner's criteria:

an inability to establish social relatedness
failure to use language for social communication
obsessive desire for maintenance of sameness
fascination for objects
good cognitive potentialities
onset before 30 months

It's really not that different than autistic disorder as it is in the DSM-IV-TR; "good cognitive potentialities" would imply that one could develop a certain skill whilst lacking another (the 70 percent that have cognitive impairment for example); autism has never been synonymous with mental retardation across the board (it's not part of the diagnostic criteria).

I've had an IQ that's been effectively zero; I went home after the test and played Tie Fighter on my PC.


OK, that criteria seems overly simple. There isn't even anything bad in it! If a psychiatrist caught me aound an unusual object or when I was distracted or bored, they could peg me for ALL of that! And I know it WAS the case before I was 3years!

an inability to establish social relatedness YEP
failure to use language for social communication YEP
obsessive desire for maintenance of sameness YEP, especially when younger
fascination for objects When bored or intrigued, ****YEP****
good cognitive potentialities YEP
onset before 30 months YEP


Autism and MR ARE definitely different. I never claimed they were the same, only that people always viewed MR as part of the diagnosis, and that IS part of the LFA one.

As for your IQ. You can be pretty dumb, and still do OK with games BUT, if you tested effectively zero, you either didn't try, were REALLY ill, or the test is just no good. I can say that just by the fact that you are here, communicating well, etc.... That RIGHT THERE puts you at least close to average.



Last edited by 2ukenkerl on 12 Aug 2007, 5:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Aspie_Chav
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12 Aug 2007, 12:21 pm

Woman are getting engineering and programming jobs and meeting male geeks and has kids.
In the past they would be at home in the kitchen or doing female jobs and never have the opportunity to meet a male geek

Didn't any of that occur to you.

You are a right bunch of tossers I tell thee!