Recently, I have noticed that there are alot of kids with autism.  When I was younger, I do not remember there being so many cases.  In fact, I did not know anyone with autism until a few years ago.  Now I know three people with autistic kids (boys, of course).  Perhaps, because alot of people I know are having kids now.

There are rumors that the babies get autism when they get shots at the hospital.

Seriously, my whole life, I never knew anyone with autism.  Now it seems to be everywhere.  What are your thoughts?  Why is this?

There also used to be speculation that kids became autistic because their parents were too strict but that has proven to be false.

As far as rumors about vaccines, there is no proof that something in the vaccines causes autism.  The cause of autism is more of a complex genetic nature, although some research suggests that certain environmental factors (including vaccines) can trigger a quicker onset of autistic symptoms due to the child's genetic disposition to it. 

But then again, it varies from child to child who has autism.  Honestly I think it's just one of those things that you just can't point your finger and blame it on one thing.  Think of kids with Down Syndrome.  It's one of those genetic mutations that just happens and we don't know why.  Or why are kids born with mental retardation? Seizure disorders?  etc.  While in some cases it can be traced to problems during pregnancy, a lot of times it just happens.  As far as seeing more of autism, I don't know if there's actually more kids being born with autism or if there has just been more learned about autism and children are being diagnosed with it when they would maybe have received a different diagnoses in earlier years.  Keep in mind autism is a spectrum disorder meaning it can range from high functioning Asperger Syndrome to a very profound form such as Rett Syndrome. 

As far as treatment for it, I've heard that some parents have found some sort of "miracle cure" for their child.  Like one mom gave her boy cod liver oil and his symptoms suddenly vanished.  Maybe it's true for some but I think for most kids with autism you need to help them from a behavioral perspective.  I took care of an autistic boy for a year and it drove me crazy to see how his mom was constantly trying new drugs and drug combinations cuz she just knew there had to be a miracle cure somewhere, while at the same time she would ignore all other possible causes of his behavior.  For instance she had him get Botox in his feet because he walked on his tip-toes.  Botox helps people with cerebral palsy or similar disabilities because it relaxesm the muscles.  But in this case it was not a muscle problem- it's a behavior problem. 

I was diagnosed with autism and it's real difficult to have a label on my back when I can't get benefits because I'm not that autistic and I don't fit much in the real world either.

I feel like a misfit. :(

I was diagnosed with autism and it's real difficult to have a label on my back when I can't get benefits because I'm not that autistic and I don't fit much in the real world either.

I feel like a misfit. :(


I'm sorry to hear that.  If I had one wish it would be for everyone in the world to be able to accept people with disabilities for who they are.  I am a special ed teacher in a high school and I hate seeing the way students and even teachers and administrators act toward my students because they are in a wheelchair or can't talk or act differently.  I've worked with a lot of students with varying disabilities and even those with the most severe have a personality you come to know and love.

I think this problem is that a lot of people in the world, especially the older they are, just aren't as educated about and have not been exposed to different disabilities.  Think back in the 70s people were still being institutionalized.  And even after institutions, before special ed law changed, a lot of schools would not want to enroll somebody who was "different."  Kids who even had a very mild disability were not given fair treatment until special ed law has changed.  A friend of mine says she remembers in 1st grade she had to be in a special classroom because she didn't say her "r"s the right way.  The good thing you could say is now the young generation today is (or I should say "should be") more exposed to people with disabilities as you are required to have special needs children in the regular classroom as much as is appropriate.  Of course you have to protect confidentiality-you can't just blab out "HEY EVERYBODY THIS PERSON HAS A DISABILITY"  but at least students can be educated about disabilities and learning differences.

I was diagnosed with autism and it's real difficult to have a label on my back when I can't get benefits because I'm not that autistic and I don't fit much in the real world either.

I feel like a misfit. :(

Well, there are many degrees of autism.  I looked into the possibility I might have it in the form of Aspberger's syndrome.  I came to the conclusion I did not; what I have is a combination of depression and social anxiety, both of which can mimic symptoms of Aspberger's. 

I suspect the rise in autism may have a two-fold explanation: 
1. It's being diagnosed more than it was in the past AND far fewer people with cognitive disabilities are consigned to the invisibility of institutionalization.  That is, people with retardation and mental health issues are much more visible today than in generations past.
2. The population of the U.S. has doubled since WWII.  There's more of everything out there.

My friends who have autistic children really believe that mercury in vaccines has caused autism.  One doctor told my friend that before the 1-year olds get their MMR shots, the doctors should give them tests to see if they are susceptible to the disease.  Supposedly, in the town of Katy, Texas, there are at least 500 kids with autism.

Something seems really fishy.

Mercury hasn't been used to make up vaccines for several years.

The MMR thing has been proven false.  The doctor who came up with the 'link' was working on his own vaccine at the time.  His sampling method was not scientically rigorous and has been discredited repeatedly since.

I think there tends to be a diagnosis explosion when illnesses become more 'mainstream' for the first time (especially behavioural ones like ADHD). I guess the medical profession thinks it's easier to treat something if the person becomes labelled as a result.

I think they are more aware of autism now,and people in the old days may of been autistic but were labeled retarted.For some reason it seems to affect boys more than girls.

My friends who have autistic children really believe that mercury in vaccines has caused autism.  One doctor told my friend that before the 1-year olds get their MMR shots, the doctors should give them tests to see if they are susceptible to the disease.  Supposedly, in the town of Katy, Texas, there are at least 500 kids with autism.

Something seems really fishy.


That sounds like something localized to that town, not to the vaccines.  The vaccine thing is typical media hysterics, just like the saccharine cancer scare.

Autism wasn't even first diagnosed until the 1930s and there have been more classifications added such as PPD-NOS which is a new classification as of ten years ago.  I know from personal experience that had the PPD-NOS designation been around 30 years ago, that would have certainly been what I was considered.  Had it been around 50 years ago, I know several relatives that would have also had the same designation.  No one is going back and opening old files to see how many other cases should be reassessed for that.

I'm willing to bet that if you limit autism cases to the classic "all the symptoms" cases, there would be the same proportional number now as there was 20 years ago.