Autism - What is it?

[Ahso!]

Its a question that has been at the forefront of many discussions lately, or perhaps thats just in my head. Its very possible, you know.

I've been doing much research into this and have found a wide array of opinions on the subject from vaccines to mercury contamination in fish to any other number of environmental concerns. Depending on which view you decide to take on it, its an interesting subject to entertain.

Its been said that only thirty years ago in the U.S. autistic births were only one in ten thousand, today its one in one hundred fifty. In the UK its said to be as high as one in every fifty, and Japan is even said to be lower. What a phenomena. Thats breath taking when you consider those numbers.

Is it that we are simply identifying more now? Thats probably some of it. Are we just more acutely aware of it? Perhaps. Are we rushing toward our demise from a decaying environment? thats scary to think about. Are we hating each other to the point that we are alienating our offspring and causing stressful changes physiologically? Interesting idea. Does it all boil down to sex as perhaps Freud might say? Only your psychoanalyst could know for sure.

What is this thing happening to our species at such an alarming rate? Do you have any idea's or thoughts. In this subject, all idea's are welcome and considered.

Personally, I believe its evolution through natural selection. And if thats so, then we are privileged as a people to be alive at this moment in history. Think about it, even if this has been happening slowly over say thousands or even tens of thousands of years, we are the generation that is conscious of its existence and are witnessing evolutionary change take place.

Regardless if you are autistic or non-autistic, you have to be mesmerized by what is occurring before our eyes.

ARC (autism research center) located in Cambridge University and headed by one Simon Baron Cohen has done some remarkable research on the matter of autism and its sub-categories. I recommend anyone who may find themselves bored for an afternoon to take a gander at their website.

Whats interesting is that was has been discovered in the family history of many of these autistic people is the presence of engineers or at least people with the IQ of that of engineers.

Its suggested that females are choosing less aggressive geeky type men as their mating partners, and the females are what is referred to as systemizers. When these two breed if you will, the resulting offspring is very often a child with autistic qualities.

Think of the ramifications of this. Wow!

This post is getting long so I'll stop here. What are your thoughts? What have you heard? Who do you know with autistic tendencies? I suggest its more than you may realize. In fact it could be you.

[kayleneaussie]

My eldest daughter has Aspergers and she has 4 children 2 who are autistic....

Its an interesting subject....we had no family history, but then again did we

[Ahso!]

Originally Posted by kayleneaussie

My eldest daughter has Aspergers and she has 4 children 2 who are autistic....

Its an interesting subject....we had no family history, but then again did we

Yes, it seems to be genetic. I firmly believe my father had Asperger's and I believe all my siblings are autistic to varying degrees. My father was born in 1911, so much of what is commonly thought today would not apply to him, not to mention that most likely others down his lineage were autistic. And so on.

[mrsK]

Hello
I work with children who have autism.
I myself have a few traits as well.
I didn't realise what it was till this year.I have been doing a lot of autism courses & thinking to myself,that is me .They are talking about me
To be perfectly honest everyone has them some just a bit more than others.
Good to see you back

[Ahso!]

Originally Posted by mrsK

Hello
I work with children who have autism.
I myself have a few traits as well.
I didn't realise what it was till this year.I have been doing a lot of autism courses & thinking to myself,that is me .They are talking about me
To be perfectly honest everyone has them some just a bit more than others.
Good to see you back

That is such a common story, MrsK. Both my son, who has been working with autistic people for about 4 years now says the same thing. My daughter Sarah who is to be married this coming Saturday received her masters in clinical psychology and now counsels families of autistic children, prior to that she work at the same place as her brother. Ironically, its her that is most affected by the Asperger syndrome that has been apparently present in my family for some generations at least. Her and I seem to be fairly equal in that regard.

[Ahso!]

this is an informal little test which is interesting. It doesn't diagnose you with anything, but it does give one the idea as to how they scored in comparison to both diagnosed with and without autism. I scored a 37. Whats your score. My wife scored a 16.

[buttercup]

Tests tend to bore me half way through but i got there

17

[Betty Boop]

Originally Posted by Robert J

this is an informal little test which is interesting. It doesn't diagnose you with anything, but it does give one the idea as to how they scored in comparison to both diagnosed with and without autism. I scored a 37. Whats your score. My wife scored a 16.

I scored a 9.

Will have to see if I can get my son to take that test.

[YZGI]

15 here.

[mrsK]

21 here.
I knew it would be high