Autism is caused by poor attachment?

[LosPollosHermanos17]

I have recently been involved in therapy that says autism is caused by poor attachment with the parents causing all the symptoms. I thought this was an outdated theory. Just wondered what other people think of this?

The therapist is also one of those that believes if parents change their behaviour when they are toddlers you can 'change the trajectory' then they won't be autistic. I suppose some people are still focused on thr 'cure' as opposed to better understanding.

The therapist is also one of those that believes if parents change their behaviour when they are toddlers you can 'change the trajectory' then they won't be autistic. I suppose some people are still focused on thr 'cure' as opposed to better understanding.

@LosPollosHermanos17 that therapist is a quack and you should complain. Those kinds of statements can be quite dangerous and upsetting. Being aimed specifically at relatives of children/people of autism looking for support makes it even worse.

True, rebel. One not so often talked about fact is that in some homes up to 90% of the kids were of gypsy heritage. They like big families, and saw orphanages as a resource to be used in hard times, with the kids being picked up at a later date when things got easier. Unfortunately, many got infected with HIV in the meantime.

los It's absolutely true that parents of girls are struggling to get a diagnosis. The theory ('theory', people, not my opinion) is that girls are better at adapting to situations, such as school, so 'present' well, but when they come home, and can be themselves, they tend to let all their frustrations come out. You're not alone in this. Can you ask if there's a similar course to Time Out for ASD near you? At best, it may help you get a diagnosis - but you'll also meet parents in the same boat as you, which can be a huge release of pressure.

and saw orphanages as a resource to be used in hard times
Roma children are still placed in institutions but NOT willingly to be 'picked up later'.
They are often classed as 'mentally subnormal' and removed forcefully.

[[https://wearelumos.org/the-problem]]

Let us not continue to perpetuate the myth that gypsies drop off their kids to be looked after by the state.

I have recently been involved in a post graduate degree in autism (I am willing to verify this to MNHQ, though sure they remember me from the olden days). Autism is a physiological difference caused by genetics in most cases, sometimes brain trauma such as infection. MRI scans repeatedly have shown differences in how autistic brains respond to stimulus. Attachment disorder shared some presentations with ASD but is very much not the same thing. HTH.

One interesting sideline is that a disproportionate number of mothers (and fathers) of children with ASD will be on the spectrum themselves, but (especially the women) probably undiagnosed. Hence their parenting style might seem atypical to NT psychiatrists/psychologists/therapists. The character of the parents and the child were related but not in the way Kanner first hypothesised. But there's no excuse for Bettelheim, who simply pulled theories out of his arse and was a classic case of the crisis of credibility that psychology still has today.

try again. This is worth a look

Well as they think it can be detected in the womb, I can't see how you can be much more attached than an umbilical cord.

I have a diagnosis now Jess. This was more of a support intervention that was offered as part of a study. Don't want to say too much as I will out myself.

I suppose I worry about this as since the therapy I have researched and this person isn't the only one that thinks like this. Maybe some people never really stopped believing it was attachment related.

@whataboutbob during Ceausescu's regime,most gypsies were forced to "settle". No more nomad lifestyle,practising their crafts and skills. They were hired in the factories and fields instead. After the revolution they were the first ones to be fired,with a home to pay bills for,no education and without the ability to pick up their old lifestyle as a means to support themselves. And the children kept coming.

I've observed that it's usually genetic

My son has aspergers and I often wonder if it was my fault for having pnd! I didn't neglect him but I didn't have the special bond with him till he was nearly 2! I'm glad that judging by this thread I'm glad people wouldn't think it was my fault!!

@numbandlost it is not your fault

los It's really difficult. When I was a baby, I was really ill and spent months in an incubator. I have no idea whether I'm neurotrypical or not, but I know I can convince people I'm normal-ish! When my son was born, he spent time in foster care because I'm a recovering alcoholic. It could be genetic, it could be circumstances, it could be anything. I'm always open to different ideas, no matter how painful they may be, but I'm more inclined to think 'OK, how do we find a way of making life better for ourselves?' Can I ask how you felt when you received your diagnosis, as this is a talk I will have to have with my son at some point.

My son has an autism diagnosis. He has sensory issues. However, I believe that his issues are actually attachment (developmental trauma) due to early life trauma. Or maybe he has attachment disorder and autism. Many children with attachment problems also have sensory issues. Using the Coventry Grid, he seems to fall in both areas. So while i do not for a moment believe that his early trauma caused his autism, it almost certainly caused him to have autistic-like symptoms.

The therapist is also one of those that believes if parents change their behaviour when they are toddlers you can 'change the trajectory' then they won't be autistic

I don't believe you can 'cure' autism but early intervention can certainly help a lot. Parents are with the child 24/7 so, if taught how to interact with the child in ways that will help the child to communicate, learn skills etc they can make a big difference. That's not the same as saying it was all their fault in the first place though!

Interesting topic, and makes me think about some family members.

Has anyone got any links about how attachment issues and Asperger manifest in adults - what the difference is?

I'm glad to see people talking about the new policy apparently - according to local press reports - proposed by Merton CCG. It is beyond shocking. Here's the Wimbledon Guardian report on it:

www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/news/15306391.NHS_could_stop_diagnosing_child_autism_in_south_west_London/

It would set a terrible, terrible precedent.

Well, apparently everyone is on the spectrum to some degree.

No, no they're not

Yep completely crap, nobody knows what causes Autism, there are lots of factors. My daughter was an Autistic baby, so how would that theory work! Its similar to the outdated 1950/60's theory of the refrigerator mother cause. Another stick to beat parents with!

Back (15 yrs age now) when my ds was presenting with difficult behaviour at primary school and the SENCO was strongly suggesting autism (and told dh that not only was ds autistic but I was too) I worked closely with childrens services. I spoke to a number of specialists in the field when I was facilitating a patient pathway workshop for parents of autistic children and many of them talked about autism as a constellation of differences rather than a spectrum, with many people having a few traits where others had many.

This made a lot of sense to me as like many families we have two children who have been diagnosed with ASD and a number of family members in this and previous generations with traits. Some of the people in previous generations might have been diagnosed if they presented now, but their worlds were generally less challenging (less sensory overload, more tolerance for being 'eccentric', support from housekeepers and other servants more common etc) and of course less recognition and diagnosis too (I'm not golden aging, my relatives were lucky to be from affluent academic families where difference could be an advantage).

I believe the idea of many autisms has gained traction since then. Refrigerator mothers was a nasty opinion then and now, and certainly has no place in a group presumably set up to support the families of those with autism. OP if you have the energy it would be great if you could make a complaint. This person is causing harm and shouldn't be running this type of group.

"There is no single theory as to what 'causes' autism, and nor should there be. People on the spectrum think differently and so what? It's not a disability to be 'cured', it's a different way of being."

"Autism is a neurological condition. It's not a disease or an illness or a psychological trauma. It's a different way of thinking and being."

(my bolding)

JingleJess and myusername sum up what often seems to get lost in many current public debates, both on MN and elsewhere.
(Don't mean this thread, OP!).

A lot of really interesting posts from PPs re attachment and ASCs. Learning a lot. Thank you.

I'm NT, have no family members with Autism or Asperger's. Do try and educate myself, though, by listening to opinions/ following blogs etc. from those with actual first-hand experience.
FWIW, I actually find it sinister, certainly very arrogant and condescending, how many outside the experience override those within.

An Autistic friend, who does have many, many years of first-hand knowledge via herself, her 2 DSs, and her field of work, now wearily forwards everyone this parody:

emmashopebook.com/2013/02/11/the-signs-of-neurotypical-spectrum-disorder/
Thought-provoking, funny, makes the point beautifully.

As do the comments under it.

To get back to thread topic, though: some of the most upsetting scenes I've ever seen shown within a documentary were in a documentary questioning the ethics of Corrective Attachment Therapy and Autistic kids.

Could someone tell me the current UK position on this, please? Is it still even legal?

Jess- It is my daughter that has diagnosis not me.

I think my daughter has been seperated from a parent for a max of 24 hours in 10 years. That isn't frequent probably few times a year. That's why I don't think there is a link personally.