Autism rate unbelievable

[OneShyLimeBird]

I don’t mean to sound insensitive, but the rate of autism has increased so much that I am doubting my own high functioning diagnosis, and the diagnoses of many others. The meaning of autism has expanded so much that virtually every other child has it. It used to be so rare, I’m not saying your child doesn’t have needs but you used to have to meet a much higher threshold to be diagnosed with autism that it’s now lost all meaning. It can’t all be autism.

It is. The higher numbers are because of higher awareness, which is a good thing.

Scrap the high functioning but too. You must know yourself that we function until we don't, and that high functioning is more about the neuro typical perception of atypical.

The awareness is fantastic, as it's starting to show that there's such a broad spectrum in neuro type, whilst the world is still set up for the neurotypical majority.

Don't be one of those people who thinks some autistic people are less autistic than you think counts as autism. You should understand the need for support.

I think there is just more awareness. There was a time when it was only really acknowledged in boys and more obvious cases.

Nope. Better understanding of autism is a good thing. It shouldn't be the case that it's only autism if you're male, non verbal and playing with your shit. (That was my eldest son at 2.5 btw)

I think it’s down to both improved diagnostics and I also do wonder if there’s an environmental cause. DS is now 31 and autistic. Back then it was very obvious that he was different to the rest of his classmates, and he was the only child in the class that appeared different. He had no friends throughout school because of these differences.

Literally every person in my family has autistic traits, and I was told by a very eminent autism specialist that this is typical in families with an autistic child/parent/sibling. But we would never have met the threshold for a diagnosis back then. These days we probably would, even though none of us are anywhere near as severely affected as my son.

The awareness will hopefully reduce the amounts of mental health struggles in adulthood where masking and not learning coping strategies reduces ability to function or cope.

Like fuck does everyone have a bit of autism in them.

I think that with the way teaching has changed and more parents are aware of development, what used to be accepted as ‘quirks’ is now a diagnosis - we didn’t have anybody with autism in my classes at infant school - but, there were several quirky people who struggled and today would be identified as autistic and would in Ann ideal
world receive support to be able to live a life as normal as possible.
There is no doubt that many children have autism and I’m grateful that these children are diagnosed now rather than struggle along as they did in the past.

No, not everyone has "a bit of it" in them...and just because your son struggles, doesn't mean others don't struggle too. You can't tread on everyone else because they don't all have the same level of needs.

Why does it hurt you that others aren't as profoundly affected as you son? Thankfully, that isn't a criteria for support needs...

Also, not sure what the dig at LGBTQIA+ is, there.

I think that environmental changes and processed food is not helping the situation.

Many people before were probably not noticed as autistic before as they could cope in a world where it was quieter, you knew what was happening each day because it was much the same as the previous day and jobs changed by the seasons. Also you got a chance to release your energy in a productive way when working.

The world has changed with people being overstimulated all the time, lack of chance to get rid of energy in an effective way and poor food options.

We don’t all have a bit of autism anymore than we are all a bit pregnant.

Autism rates are higher because there is less stigma around it so parents will get their child assessed and talk about it to others, people who are higher functioning or better at masking are being assessed rather than just struggling on with life.

For many years people were considered quirky, eccentric, weird, odd, strange, anxious, immature, geniuses, socially inept, rigid etc but now professionals are trained to realise and spot the signs that some of these people are autistic.

I absolutely agree with this. Modern society is torturous for a person with autism. In fact, I don’t think any humans are designed to cope with the mental onslaught and fast-paced life that technology has brought. I don’t think that’s a disorder in us, rather it’s life that’s screwed up. Constant stimulation is not normal, but we’re told that we are abnormal if we can’t tolerate it.

It’s not really accurate to say the world is only designed for NT people. We now live in an online, computer first era. These are products designed by many neurodiverse people and neurodiverse people tend to be more comfortable using technology than NT people.

The systems suit their ways of thinking (as you’d expect given who designed them) and the way that being online avoids in person contact suits most autistic people very well.

The first thing DD's therapist asked us was "do you have anyone in the family who comes/came over a bit odd, eccentric, introvert, with quirks"?

While DH had noone (really small family), I immediately counted 3 very close family members on both sides of my parents. So DD's diagnosis wasn't really that surprisingly if you take genetics into account.

She managed 15 years with nothing more than a feeling, that she is different but lives a happy life. Only when Covid caused a huge mental breakdown because anxiety caused a breakdown and we thought help for this, ASD became a lot clearer.

It is good that she is diagnosed, she is now able to get the help to live a better live than just surviving. We are looking at unis and without support she is entitled to she wouldn't be able to deal with living on a campus and the pressure of uni life.

It's wider education and more highlighting of the condition which leads to more people realising and then going to seek help and a diagnosis.

A lot of older females, including myself, are getting diagnosed more and more with ADHD too. Just to clarify, it wasn't even recognised in adults until about 26 ish years ago, so they are still realising and learning about these conditions.

I can't speak for autism but all the research on adhd was done on young males, so the symptoms aren't the same for women, so more of us are only learning later on in life. I reckon the same is for autism. More and more is being learned about these conditions and how it comes out differently in the sexes.

I think people forget that the brain is a powerful central nervous system that controls all of our body and just like other organs, it will go wrong from time to time.

ADHD, autism and over neurodivergent disorders are usually as a result of the brains pathways formed differently to the neurotypicals brains, resulting in impairments and issues. It shouldn't seem surprising that there are more of us than you think. There are many things that can be potentially different with our brains.

That doesn't help children, where primary schools are now extremely loud, constant teacher changes, moving from room to room for different lessons.
The environment is completely different to even 20 years ago, and not at all easy for autistic children compared to the stability and calm of the 90's.

Well said!

The criteria you have to meet hasn't changed? It's more that people are aware of it so are approaching their gps for assessment or going private. There was likely ever a similar rate but people just didn't know!

Sure.Sure. It's all dodgy and over diagnosed. You're not autistic either. There. Have all your struggles gone away now?

The environment is completely different to even 20 years ago, and not at all easy for autistic children compared to the stability and calm of the 90's.

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

It might be something else. I don’t think it should all come under autism. It’s offensive

Have you not seen how primary schools function now compared to the 90s?

I haven't seen one of these threads in a while. Does this mean there's going to be an influx of them in the next few days, that's usually the way it works. 🙄

A lot of things don't come under autism. ADHD and SEMH are also commonly diagnosed. Autism has very specific criteria which someone who isn't autistic won't have a chance of meeting by the uk criteria. US is obviously different.

I agree with you both. As an ancient teacher working in a specialsed SEN service, I have seen this happening over the last nearly 40 years.
Societal changes and new technology/internet/gaming etc have massively impacted on ND children. Those who mighthave “managed” in a much more formal and quieter school setting are now overwhelmed. And there are far fewer specialist settings to meet their needs because of the push to have everyone in mainstream.