Why so many ND now?

[Jumpking]

Had much with 4 friends yesterday. All the ladies told me they're waiting for ASD assessments for their children.

I know so many parents of ND kids.

I don't think I'm unique.

There was around 5 or 6 ND children in my primary school growing up. Now this is per class, minimum. The children weren't in special schools, they just didn't exist in such high numbers.

What do you think has been the sea change in our society that means there are now far more ND children than there were 30 years ago?

(And it isn't because they weren't diagnosed 30 years ago, or we weren't aware... There really weren't children in my school, or the school's of friends I've discussed this with, who had sensory issues, or clothing issues, or only beige and/or dry food, or toileting issues, or obsessive interests issues or all the other ND things which are so prevalent with children today)

Oh, sorry, I forgot to say: I'm also "textbook" in that I have a string of different diagnoses which have all now been replaced with ASD and ADHD. My diagnostic report actually says "has multiple prior diagnoses consistent with untreated ADHD".

OCD, anxiety, depression, insomnia, binge eating disorder. All diagnosed between 2005 and 2015, and all completely explained by undiagnosed ASD and unmedicated ADHD.

Oh, and a big 'yes' to ALL the older men in my DH's family having ASD too! I could see it from the moon once I realized DH and DS had it. It explained why they were all so stressed.

Pollution, it gets into our food and we breath it in then procreate and the results are that the numbers of ND have grown and grown.

It will not be what people want to hear therefore it will be dismissed as a reason

Lalupita a ‘loner’ or have ‘lots of energy’?? You do realise there is so much more the ND than that ffs!? And you do realise that you can only get a diagnosis through a trained professional such as Psychiatrists? They won’t Nilly Willy give out a diagnosis just because someone likes time to themselves or has a bit of extra energy!!

Why isn't everyone ND then?

Well, it's not a "reason" is it?

It's an interesting hypothesis, but no definitive evidence to back it up.

www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/air-pollution-linked-with-increased-risk-of-autism-in-children/

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4737505/

Wow, this ignorance in this post is astonishing.

The DSM-5 has strict criteria; you can't just get a diagnosis by being a "loner". Most people on the planet experience similar things to ND people but you only get a diagnosis when there is significant, prolonged evidence of them negatively impact your life to the point of impaired function.

Being autistic is a lot more than just hanging out by yourself.

I agree OP.

Growing up in the 90s there was one child in my school with autism (very thin, only ate certain foods, liked one area of the playground only, solitary).

I also knew one other child who attended a special school with more severe LDs.

A relative of mine works in a local primary and says there are now one or two children with autism in every class. Nut and other allergies have also shot up.

I recently read a study linking preservatives in maternal diet with neurodiverse conditions in children. I really believe this to be a significant factor in the rise, although genetics play a part, and older parents.

Look up Abdelli, 2019, "Propionic Acid induces Gliosis".

I'm surprised more people aren't talking about diet tbh.

Well according to the statistics it will be 1 in 2 in the next few years.

why do some people have no covid symptoms?

As I said in my post (if you had read it all) this was a POV from the psychologist who was lecturing in my training 50 years ago and which i agree with. As I also said I do think its an argument for society to change so as to help many (not all) of the people whose neurodiversity currently causes them actual problems, and as I also said, I think that unless and until society changes, then diagnosis is a needed tool. If you are going to respond to my (admittedly long) post, them please read all of it first.

@kittensinthekitchen

Can you back up what you're stating?

The only known cause is genetics. But if it's upbringing as some are saying, why aren't all the siblings of a diagnosed ND, ND too?

Its been discussed for a number of years and there is growing research about it

Dont you keep up to date with new information?

The only known cause of green eyes is genetics.

Why don't all siblings of people with green eyes have green eyes too?

You want me to back up that there's no definitive evidence that nuerodiversity is caused by pollution?

What?

(And it isn't because they weren't diagnosed 30 years ago, or we weren't aware... There really weren't children in my school, or the school's of friends I've discussed this with, who had sensory issues, or clothing issues, or only beige and/or dry food, or toileting issues, or obsessive interests issues or all the other ND things which are so prevalent with children today)

Yes, actually, this is exactly what it is. They were there. You just didn't see them. It was a different time.

A relative of mine works in a local primary and says there are now one or two children with autism in every class. Nut and other allergies have also shot up.

The reason there are more ND children in mainstream education is because most "special schools" have been forced to close.

Nut allergies have always existed but schools were never expected to be "nut free" in the past so it wasn't as publicised.

Pollution on its own doesn't count in why more males are affected than females, but then as with covid more males were seriously ill in intensive care than females.

Is pollution changing the genetic make up of humans?

Theres nothing particularly unusual or outlandish in what you're saying. Its also something that is used within mental health, certainly with issues like seeing visions, hearing voices, feeliing suicidal, self harming. These issues often now (dependent on other symptoms) do not result in a diagnosis of mental illness but are seen as either trauma responses or behavioural responses to stimuli or internal feelings.

kittensinthekitchen

Ive given you two reports and you have disputed both - so Im asking for your evidence to dispute both

Thanks to the posters who acknowledged my distress with the comments being posted here. For those who seem to think we are just "labelling" quirks or human differences: I am "high functioning" autistic. This doesn't mean that I am " nearly normal". It means that I am exceptionally good at pretending so it minimises YOUR experience of my autism, not mine. This masking comes at a huge mental and physical cost. So just because you don't see or experience it doesn't give you the right to make assumptions about it.

I am very glad more children (and adults) are being diagnosed and I hope it gives them the understanding and confidence not to feel they have to pretend to fit in. Although judging from many of the comments on this thread I doubt it.

Well males and females do have different biologies

But also its more correct to say that more males are diagnosed than females, its not correct to say that more males are affected than females. And therein lies the problem with viewing diagnosis as a hard and fast/set in stone piece of evidence about how widescale the issue is (or isnt)

Ok let's put it this way.
The number of children wearing glasses has more than doubled since the '70s.
When I was at school only one kid in my class needed glasses in primary. The class I had last year had 8 children wearing glasses, with more being considered for an eye test. What is going on? Why do so many children need glasses now? Do they really need glasses or are we pathologising being a bit squinty? I didn't get glasses until I was 14 and just managed until then. I also heard some kids are wearing glasses as a fashion statement, or to sit nearer the front,or get more attention from the teacher or to move tables nearer the front to be with their friend.

While you might thing it's a ridiculous comparison/exaggeration for analogy's sake, the statistics back me up. Just like with ND's, the cause is a mix between more awareness,genetics and societal shifts.

Extreme allergies including nuts have definitely snowballed in the last 40 years. I listened to a very interesting lecture by a professor of immunology on this subject.

Schools (and planes etc) didn’t need to be nut free in the past because that level of allergy was very rare.