Why are so many children autistic these days?

[Superlambaanana]

I've just seen someone comment on a thread that 4 out of 5 of their DC are autistic. So many classroom assistants in every primary class. So many parents I talk to saying they have or are fighting to get a diagnosis for their DC. And yet no one I went to school with at primary or secondary level was ever diagnosed as autistic, nor did anyone do anything that suggested they were undiagnosed like hand flapping or inability to communicate normally. Various levels of intelligence and social ability obviously, but no one who was at the level of meltdowns and needing stringent routine etc. Is it environmental?

FFS. Normal is your average person. Don't start with the ablest bollox

There does seem to be a genetic link and there's also a theory that stress of the mother could be a factor and that includes being with an abusive partner.
It's an interesting theory.

Social media. Everyone's on a spectrum of something. Same with biological sex. Bloody ridiculous.

Agreed - there is a fight to even be considered possibly autistic (enough) to justify a referral to go on the 3-5 year waiting list for assessment.

And even then, people are very very wary of labelling a child too soon. It took 2x 90min assessment with a clinician; a detailed developmental history (from myself, from the GP, from EY staff records) all of which take time and earn those parties no money; and a 360 assessment from EVERY member of school staff that worked with each of my child, followed by a collating of that data by a senior member of staff at their school…. Ie hours and hours of multiparty evidence gathering.

And the ADHD assessment was similar, with a QB (computer/eye tracking) test on top which cannot be faked.

But, yeah, ASD diagnoses are handed out like sweeties…

Genetic doesn't always mean Inherited, my son has a rare chromosome disorder, he has a deletion of general thought to be the underlying cause of his autism and learning disabilities, so it's genetic ,but it was de novo in his case and neither myself or his Dad are autistic
Autism can run is some families but not all.

With respect just because your family are all very academic and doing well ,does not mean everybody with autism can be successful ,for some it can be very disabling ,my son has autism and will never live independently ,will never speak etc ,these threads are infuriating because they always minimise or ignore those people that are most impacted.

I agree. I see a lot of your posts and find them very honest, well informed and experienced. Of course anybody with a disability needs to be supported and valued, but that doesn’t mean we can never discuss the drawbacks of disability and allow people to hope their children are not disabled. I’m disabled, I wish I wasn’t, that’s the reality (physically disabled I mean).

But people love to stigmatise, I'm autistic and personally won't discuss my disability with any ignorant nt who knows nothing about it.
The same as many people of different races won't discuss race issues with people who don't live it.

As a straight person I wouldn't dream of sitting here discussing what foods or stresses the pregnant mothers of lesbians must of done to make them turn out lesbians or suggest perhaps it's bad parenting.
I also have ADHD which because my brain is wired differently to those without, people will make the same silly comments about was it caused by something you ate or poor parenting.

It's about time people who share their ridiculous views faced the same consequences as any other damaging hate talk.
Again it's majority v minority.

It doesn't mean they will be accepted though honestly I'm.on a DLA Facebook group and I see people trying put a,DLA claim.for very tenuous reasons on a daily basis ,and then complain when they get no where with it, to get an award people have to have evidence.

It’s very disabling for my older teen and a half brother of mine (my DD has the physical self-harming scars to show for it) - the point of my post was to calm and reassure a distressed pregnant woman over something she may never have to deal with.

But, no, go ahead and stir up her anxiety.

Why as a society can't we accept that every single person is different? Some are great communicators, others are not. Some are academic, others are not. Some find talking difficult, others do not

Why do we need to label everyone?

I'm.not trying to stir up.any anxiety ,but we need to be honest about autism and not pretend every one can be independent and successful
As that helps no one.

@holibobseason agree, people seem to feel qualified to make all sorts of statements about autism which they present as fact.

@Fatnold I find labels helpful as they (sometimes) mean you can receive extra support and understanding. For example my son's diagnosis will be helpful in hopefully getting an ECHP, which would give him extra TA support with schoolwork and means his school receives extra funding for the support he needs.

As a child I wish I'd received an ASD diagnosis rather than feeling completely alone in my differences and just feeling 'weird' and unwanted all the time.

Because people who spend a lifetime struggling to fit into a society they can't function in deserve to know the reason behind their difficulties.

Its not the fault of nd that society has such rigid social compliance made by nt people for nt people and nt people are responsible for that.

Autism isnt a label.

There is extensive research and information about the increase of autism diagnosis online.

If someone is genuinely interested why don't they read up on it?

People don't want diagnosis on their child if it's not actual. Autism diagnosis can prevent you from emigrating if that's what you would like to do. And which parent wants an false diagnosis which can reduce their child's choices if it isn't actual?

And even though it isn't right many employers would prefer not to employ someone if they have specific needs, it's more money and hassle potentially, so again why anyone would chase an assessment on their child unless they had real concerns.

I feel just posting "why are there so many autistic children these days" has underlying finger pointing of "must be rubbish parenting" as the explanations of the increase of diagnosis is explained if you can use a search engine.

It's a diagnosis!
😁

There was a thread a while back about sleep in babies and Autism

Why as a society can't we accept that every single person is different?
Sounds ok. Except... the society in which I live is actively 'disabling' me, so I need to speak up about it. The 'let's just accept' allows NT complacency to continue.

Because society, education, work, and medical help are all set up that very often without the correct 'label' better known as a diagnosis, including for uncontested physical disabilities, you can't have access to the correct resources needed for you to flourish to the best of your abilities.

For obvious reasons I can't be allocated an NHS budgeted wheelchair without a diagnosis or 'label' that explains why I need one, or the drugs that keep me alive without the diagnosis that says what my prognosis is without them. I can't expect a ramp to be provided without evidence of need. Every part of life is set up that way.

Would you call a physical disability a label too?

I wouldn't have been diagnosed if I wasn't disabled by my Autism. I don't think I've met anyone who got a diagnosis for fun.

Agree. Given the rocketing rates women should have the right to know the (loose) odds before conceiving. Until you’re a mum now you don’t appreciate just how many children have a disability now and it HAS increased. People think back to their own childhood when it did seem much less common.

Eye roll until your hearts content but it is true, i know because my Grandson is autistic and his mother makes no effort to to instill any sort of guidance in to him. Her excuse for her laziness is he is autistic and therefore can't behave. Strangely he really is well behaved when he is told "how, why and when" things are happening also when he is given choices and boundries are in place, none of which his mother bothers doing, her default is to shout and swear at him. There are plenty of parents that are just like her.

@Getonwitit

Yes hopefully his mum will go no contact with his disgusting and damaging grandmother who ignorantly doesn't understand that traditional parenting doesn't work for most nd children and only causes suffering.
At least his mum understands and hopefully doesn't leave him with his awful grandmother ever.