Autism-World

Ask:Why autism get more attention than any other mental disabilities?

Answer:

I’m not so sure if Autism is getting so much more attention than other mental disabilities, but it is certainly getting more attention than it ever got before.

In the 6 years since my niece was diagnosed autistic, peoples reactions when I would tell them about her went from “Did you say artistic?” to “Do you ever take her to Las Vegas?” (Rainman was FICTION folks!) to “Oh! I heard about an autistic kid who made 20 points for his basketball team!”

As far as those “skyrocketing” rates:
I’m ADD, as was my mother (born 1932) and my grandmother (born 1902). Neither of them were diagnosed as children because the condition was not known until the 60’s. So they would not be in any stats, as I would. There by creating the illusion that more kids are ADD today.

The same is the case with some forms of autsim. While some people believe autism rates have skyrocketted, others believe the rate of diagnosis is what has increased, not the actual incedence rate.

Given that Asperger’s, the most common form of autism (62 – 86%), was not know to exist in America until 1990, it seems obvious that at least some of the increase is due to a better understanding & therefore a better diagnosis of Autism. People with Asperger’s were always around, just labeled as “odd,” “geeks,” or “not quite right.”

Then I have to wonder how many of the kids with the more severe forms were labeled brain damage, or just retarded. Remember, until recently, the common belief was that autsim was caused by unloving, neglectful mothers. If a doctor KNEW the mother was very loving & attentive, he would likely rule out a dianosis of autism, therefore resulting in the diagnosis rate being artificially low (back in the 80’s & before).

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 27th, 2007 at 11:00 am and is filed under What is Autism.