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That’s fine. But with these threads you’re always going to hear from someone who has a child with real developmental problems that takes issue with the assertion that the diagnosis rates are over inflated, but base that opinion on exactly one data point... their own. I’m not demeaning anyone’s life situation, but the fact remains that it’s big business for the drug pushers and “mental health” industry, and it’s going to bolster the reported rates.

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People who have been through the diagnosis treadmill (and who getup ever day and walk the walk with a loved one who is autistic) have a very important data point yes, our own children or family members

But we also have exposure to a whole culture of kids like ours and the parents and caregivers and teachers who work with them.

You take an article like this and read (and spread) internet opinions that doctors teachers pharm companies welfare families researchers and others are “making up” an epidemic to defraud.

We get up everyday and give our kids meds and hope we can get them to school or to therapy sessons and hope they have a good enough day to learn at least one tiny little adaptive skill to function in a “normal” world.

You see doctors special ed teachers and pharm companies as greedy shysters. We see them as angels and our kids’ lifelines

Now, mighty I ask what is your “data point” for your assertion that the autism epidemic is really a giant misuse of medical diagnoses to defraud the US government? Internet articles you read? Anecdotes and opinions from people who post on the internet?

Now I have to get back to work- I've got my autistic young man next to me struggling through world geography on his computer. I am working real hard to get him through 6 high school subjects in homeschool this year!