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?

My husband's cousin was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was a child in the 80s. He is 44 now and he has just been diagnoses autistic, not schizophrenic.

I was born in the 1980s, our neighbours had an autistic son my age who lived in a residential care centre; we never saw him. Nowadays there would be much more effort for him to be at home, in a school, maybe doing sports, music or other hobbies, and going to the cinema, museums, etc. with support and adjustments.

I remember kids in my childhood who were 'different' and now realise they were on the autism spectrum. I imagine life was really hard for them without recognition of their condition and then adjustments and support for them.

I don't know wether there are more children with autism or ADHD now but i certainly think having a diagnosis is now seen by many adults as an excuse to not discipline their children. I think the vast majority of parents do a great job but there are too many that shrug their shoulders and wash their hands of any responsibility.

Hereditary .

Also education has changed so much. My teachers had no issues with me because teaching was delivered in a very discipline, rote way, with the emphasis on getting on with your work in silence. Rows of desks all facing the front. I wouldn't have coped with all the group work that goes on today. And the thought of having to present my work to the class fills me with panic as I write this.

It's hereditary, so someone having more than 1 autistic child isn't unusual.
I knew a few autistic children growing up (Im late 30s) most were in special schools. My autistic brother was in mainstream, he was high functioning and I don't think many would have known he was autistic. I am Autistic (female) but not diagnosed as a child, I think if I was a child now it would have been noticed by teachers and doctors.
There has been an increase in girls being diagnosed as the original research was based on boys. Autism typically presents different in girls. There are a lot of adults also being diagnosed autistic who had been wronly diagnosed with mental health problems or just seen as weird/socially awkward/naughty.
I'm not sure if there actually is a raise in Autistic children but rather more autistic people are getting diagnosed as there's more knowledge and understanding of the condition.

Some of the children alongside you in the top set will have also had SEN. (For example I am autistic, I attended mainstream primary in the 1990s and then at secondary I was in the top sets all round, but at that point there was zero chance of me getting diagnosed because it was thought that autism didn't present in females at all).

The children who showed severe behavioural issues or had higher needs were more likely to have been sent to a different school than currently, as the current political climate is a swing back from segregation towards everyone attending mainstream (with support via EHCP).

That makes very little sense. You’re talking about people with severe autism being kept at home and going on to produce children, which is unlikely to have happened.

What about all of us with Asperger’s who would never have been institutionalised? We were always there (inventing stuff, being mathematicians, engineers, being logical, advancing society) and occasionally the autism genes combined in such a way that a child with classic autism was born.

You seem to be saying that classic autistics have produced all the people with Asperger’s.

Not all autistic people hand flap or struggle to communicate 🤦🏻‍♀️.
Yes no was diagnosed, but I look back and can think of at least 3 people in my class who now I think would have been autistic

Oh the irony

Who is'' Neurotypical?''

I don't think I know anyone who is.

They are the rare ones these days.

DS has a provisional diagnosis of ADHD and or Autism and has been turned down for ADP. Advised by CAMHs to apply for it!

i certainly think having a diagnosis is now seen by many adults as an excuse to not discipline their children

<rolls eyes into orbit>

@Mumof2girls2121 You don’t get an autism diagnosis easily. TAs that support chn have been funded by higher needs funding that schools have to apply for. It can be as little as £3k pa which will only cover part time support. Very rare to get full time. Usually the child would have greater needs .

More SEN children in mainstream schools rather then in “institutions” - why a lot of us as children did not have many disabled children in our classes.

”Lower” threshold for diagnosis. 30-40 years ago - autism was very much only diagnosed in children who were non-verbal. ND children were more likely to be labelled as “stupid”, “naughty”, “weird”.

in addition greater awareness and acceptability. Even 20 years ago the feeling was children didn’t need a diagnosis unless it was causing problems, but greater research has demonstrated that a lot of children mask and actually significant harm is being caused because child feels different but doesn’t know why. More and more research that women with conditions such as fibromyalgia often have undiagnosed ND.

Higher survival rates for prematurity - big link between prematurity and ND. Higher survival rates for children from disease like cancer (which often have an impact on brain development). Higher survival rates generally for children “who failed to thrive” - again often link with ND.

Older parents.

DRINK!

I think you've quoted the wrong person because none of what you've said here relates to my post.

Older parents
Choice of partners so more selection on interests and intelligence or workplaces
Possibly diet and weight. As pcos and diabetes increases
Birth injuries and children surviving prematurity
Medication in pregnancy like that particular one for epilepsy

Logically if a person is a bit quirky and struggles socially their choice of partner maybe reduced.
People did used to have kids late but .. Obviously had kids from say 18/21 upwards so 2 kids in 40s but other 6+ kids born to younger.
Now having 2 kids but to older parents.
So imagine if say lead in water had an impact well a lot more built up by my 35th year than of i had dc at 21.
Working and commuting can be stressful and most do that during pregnancy.

Older dads is more mh issues in dc.

Also sub issue previously people lived close to relatives who would come over or drop in have a chat look after dc. Pre covid my parents visited ever 2 weeks or so. Diff conversation different people.

Is there higher instance of back to back births who are asd? Or breech?
As i think my side only has 2/8 who was neither (but1 was beech until 38 weeks)

Likewise another family of 2 dc had 1 with chord around neck and other born prem wth minor brain injury.

My school friends married and had a dc at 25yo who is asd. The dad was clever over chatty and quirky. I suspect his mum may have been autistic as there were MH issues.

Obviously blood glucose control and thyroid issues get worse as women get older.
As do autoimmune issues.

Im not convinced adhd is increasing. It maybe more that children with control issues actually stand out more as generally most children dont hit etc.

Some issues are being worsened or induced by schools and their attitudes. (And less supervision)

It’s not lazy parenting. Your posts are lazy and hurtful.

You keep telling yourself that 😂😂😂

No idea why you're quoting me for.

Things that are now considered autism spectrum used to be considered on the neurotypical spectrum, at the end called ‘weird’.

DH mother is clearly autistic as well as several of his relatives. But none of them ever ever mention it despite me being very open with DD3 being diagnosed. The closest anyone has ever been to acknowledging it was phrases like “DMIL always thought differently”

they def seemed to discourage me wanting to “label DD too early” as they still believe there to be a lot of stigma.

It's a mix of envirnment and genetics. My son and all of my nephews are autistic. None of the older generation in my family are diagnosed but my mam, dad and brother all have strong traits of autism. I could tell my son was autistic by the time he was 6 months old but he was 2 before I could get a diagnosis.

Increased awareness becomes something of a double edged sword, because it becomes the case that you can't access any help at all UNLESS you've got that magic piece of paper.

15 years ago my local children's centre ran all sorts of parenting classes, aimed at helping parents and children with all sorts of difficulties, some of which might be considered potentially ND behaviours these days. But most of these were also recognised as very common childhood behaviours. We didn't need any sort of referral, or paperwork, we just rocked up, did our 8 weeks, and learned some really useful techniques.

I'm sure a number of parents on those courses went on to pursue a ND diagnosis. But a lot of us just got the help we needed at the right time. There doesn't seem to be any help available to parents at all these days. A diagnosis can help to unlock some amount of help/funding/community.