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?

Prevelance studies show no increase in prevelance. What we're seeing is an increase in diagnosis and an increase in understanding.

Can't be bothered to read the thread as I'm assuming judging by past threads it will be full of people adamant that it is 'just better recognised'

If you beleive that you have some serious cognitive dissonance going on.

My DS is diagnosed ASD. Now i know what it is i realise my entire family is probably somewhere on the spectrum. I was shocked at DH's NT family as i had assumed mine was "normal" lol. Looking back there were kids on the spectrum in my school but the teachers just ignored them...

Not sure about younger siblings, but here's one study (there's loads on this though) "risk of autism rises with advanced paternal age" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7396152/

As far as I'm aware the mother's age has less of an impact

If you've taught for 34 years surely it's not escaped your attention that education is less segregated now? My sibling has a learning disability and went to special school where the majority of his classmates had autism (often comorbid with other conditions) - these children have always existed, they were just hidden from view in a way they no longer are.

Awareness. My ds is diagnosed autistic since he was 4. Since his own diagnosis I've recognised it in myself, this is due to awareness and research.
My sister has learning disabilities, always told 'a global development delay' never an actual diagnosis, she is so clearly autistic with learning disabilities alongside. Again, it's down to awareness. That's my opinion anyway.

That says Overall, we did not observe significant associations of advanced parental age with clinical ASD diagnosis.

@vacay yes awareness due to education due to research which we did not have back then.

Fairly similar if you think to how many people smoked around kids back in the day or did not have seatbelts in the car etc. The fact these things just became a thing because of education and knowledge rather than a diagnosis of something.

Full quote "Overall, we did not observe significant associations of advanced parental age with clinical ASD diagnosis, Social Responsiveness Scale, or Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales scores. Instead, increased odds of ASD were found with paternal age < 30 years"

So it means no differences when both parents taken together - but increased odds of autism when the Dad is over 30. Loads of studies have replicated this finding. It's not controversial, it's well known older fathers are a risk factor for autism in children.

For what it is worth anyone non verbal with clear 'issues' years ago we as a family came into contact with was just considered under the blanket of brain damanged. This was 1970 or 1980's Ireland. 'They' were sent to special schools allegedly adapted for them but I assume as adapted as psych wards back in the day and things like electric shock therapy and all that was a thing. Thankfully the world has evolved and thankfully there are people educated in the field of ND etc.

There are also now a lot more people generally.

Or we've just read the actual scientific studies.

Silly silly @MrTiddlesTheCat why look at studies when you can look at tiktok videos?

I started school in the 00s and left in the 10s. Looking back there was maybe 1 or 2 max children per class in primary school that might've been autistic. They could've had a different learning difficulty though. I don't recall coming across any autistic children at secondary school but I was in top set. Nowadays there are loads of SEN or suspected SEN children in each class at primary school.

This rise in SEN might be due to a huge increase in older parents (late 30s and onwards). Older parents have a higher risk of having children with autism and other disabilities. Also maybe autistic people tend to be older parents? Autism is genetic so siblings are likely to be autistic.

I wasn't diagnosed till I was 45. My schoolfriend was also diagnosed as an adult. My dad is undiagnosed and so is my brother. We all went to school. We all appeared "normal" by your standards OP. We were all also top set. We are all neurodivergent.

It's just much better awareness and diagnosis now. And it's genetic: my children are ND as well.

I think because it’s genetic and previously lots of people with autism would have been dumped in institutions or stayed at home with mother like another poster said.

Well we had the 'J' block in our school, the remedial block. All the children that needed extra help went there. That's why they weren't in our classrooms. Segregated and made to feel like they couldn't achieve.

Things have changed for the better in the respect that there is more integration, but for the worse in that there are fewer special schools that are the experts in helping children with diverse needs excel.

The spectrum isn't a line, so there's no such thing as 'further along'

I ask myself this regularly.
we are told no money for the schools but each class has a teacher and a TA and at least one SEN assistant.
why are parents always “fighting” as well

@Mangoooo so the rise in diagnosis is something that evolution has changed? Not the fact you can just get diagnosed now? I am almost 50. I have autism. My siblings do not have autism, my parents were younger having me and we ate non processed foods. Interesting.

Read the ignorance towards autism on this thread and you might find out why it might be a fight.

Lots of lazy parenting pushing for diagnosis for misbehaved kids that they can’t be arsed to control. No home learning or discipline usually so during global assessments the child is marked as not meeting milestones as a result of such.

I imagine quite a small fraction of those with autism in schools are actually on the spectrum.

I agree with your comment AlittlebitofMonica

At my primary , there are on average , 5 chn with ASD or ADHD/ADD in each class of 25ish. There are others that are not diagnosed ,that I would say most probably are too . Small village school.

@Dancehalldarling and yet not enough pushing for diagnosis of stupidy in their kids. Unreal eh.