Autism, how come it seems so common, is there another explanation

[mamadadawahwah]

Now that I am researching autism, and speaking to friends neighbours etc, it is all too common. It seems every 2nd person i know has someone belonging to them with asd. Is ASD a symptom of our "times", too much pollution, not enough focus on our children, what?? What is making our kids go inside of themselves and not want anything to do with the outside world, thats the way i see it presently anyway.

Is it really a well researched condition or are the medical professionals just winging it? I have read numerous reports of many behavioural methods in which to deal with it. The best are very expensive, the worst are downright laughable.

Are we approaching autism in the wrong way because we are missing the link it has with today's society? I had my child late and maybe my toxin ridden body caused this to happen. I dont know. All i do know is that is far more prevalent than what we would expect and it often runs in two per family. What gives.

Does anyone know of any new research/approach to this condition. I have heard of bio - feedback which allegedly has made some inroads.

Mamadadawahwah, you're right about not getting caught up in these things. But to be quite honest I didn't even know about the 'look' of autism until I read this thread, lol!! It just gave me a shock to read about all these physical descriptions which appear to fit my son. He is not autistic, I'm sure, although as Jimjams suggested he does appear to have some sensory issues. It's quite bizarre that allergies can affect things like eyelashes - I can't even see the connection there. The dark circles under the eyes would probably be due to congestion of some sort, I would think.

How does your milk allergy affect you, & what kind of symptoms does it cause?

Neither of my 2 boys are blonde. Rather than looking babyish they both somehow seem much older than their true ages. In ds1's case this is partly due to his height but there are children in his class who are taller than he is but who still look younger. Ds2 is an average-sized 2yr-old but it's often commented on that he is like a little old man in a toddler body!

There is another little boy in ds1's class who looks so similar to ds1 that even I have to look twice sometimes. AFAIK the other boy is not autistic.

CT, my ds looks older too, he is only just 3 but is frequently taken for a 4/5 year old when we're out and about. Another parent, who didn't know he has SN, described him recently as 'dignified' - I think because he's not 100% connected to what's going on around him, maybe he appears to rise above it iyswim.

Beccaboo - That sounds just like ds1. I remember taking him to an Open Day at the school to have a look round etc before ds1 started there in the following September. I was asked by a teacher, an LSA and our 2 'tour-guides' which school ds1 was transferring from. He was still only 3. We also went through a long phase where people at bus-stops etc used to give ds1 money to buy sweets because "he's such a good boy". Needless to say they hadn't witnessed one of his many meltdowns.

I would think, but don't know so check, that you CAN get a statement, DLA etc without DX but I think it would be a lot harder.

Nic o4, milk causes my stomach to slightly contract and wheeze. I had bad excema as a child and i think it was due to milk. I still drink it, cause i use it for calcium and I love yogurt. I would have thought someone with an allergy to milk would have a natural inclination to avoid it. But I dont.

Thanks Davros, I'm going to look into it. Maddiemo said something similar. I know I probably sound like I'm 'in denial' as they say. I hope I'm not. I just want to be armed with all the right information.

I went to see a possible school this afternoon, and met the senco. She was a lovely woman, and had a good attitude I thought. She asked about the dx, and i explained and asked if she thought it would help with a statement. She laughed and said she didn't think we had a hope in hell of getting a statement, dx or no. They have a five year old there who is non-verbal with severe behavioural difficulties, and he has been refused a statement by the LEA.

Blimey CT, you must live somewhere nice. If someone round here offers a child money for sweets, you report them to the police.

I am quite surprised at the teachers comments as your LEA statements a high number of children. Around the 4% mark. On the other hand I know of many children with significant needs and no statement and very little chance of getting one without a big battle. My LEA would like parents to trust them enough to not want statements!!!!!

I think they're in the process of changing it Maddiemo. The new policy is that no child gets a statement before starting school. You can't start the process before then. So presumably they will be 6 or 7 before you even get a statement, if at all. I gather from Mumsnet that this is illegal - but of course as you say you've then got a big battle on your hands if you want to challenge.

This borough has the highest incidence of ASD in the UK apparently.

We have no confirmed dx for J and got both his statement and DLA without having one in place......isnt it supposed to be about need and not label?

They can't stop parents applying for statements. It does seem more commomn for children to be have to fail in mainsteam to show that they have enough needs fo a statement.

My LEA tries not to staement pre school children. Only those who are headed for specialist provison seem to get statements and even then not always easily.

According to my LEA we have a higher dx of autism per head of population than your LEA. I do wonder where they get their stats from

Conatct your local branch of NAS, they should have a good idea of what it is like re statements.

This is not to discount anybody's experience... but I don't know any autistic children. Or children with ADHD I know some adults who had ADD or hyperactivity diagnoses when they were kids that was 20+yrs ago, does that count? I don't know any children with nut allergies, either. I can think of a few children with asthma, fewer children with eczema, one little girl with food allergies. Am I that unusual that I know so few children with these problems?

There is one little boy in DS's reception class who was assessed for ADHD (I heard today that he doesn't have it; a close friend of the family is convinced that his mum is just terrible at discipline). Another little girl in reception is being assessed for a brain-chemical imbalance (she throws major wobblies, and does strange things like play with blue tack obsessively, is that possibly autistic?)