2 autistic kids? Must have a significant genetic component.
Are we being too free with labeling these kids??
Statistically...one would think of this massive occurrence in the past forty years...but if you look across at various examples in the 1800s...I think it’s just that people labeled the kids in those days as just “slow” and didn’t make a big deal about it. If you ever look over the personality traits of Kit Carson...you’d think long and hard that he showed autistic traits.
Or environmental.
A lot more kids are being diagnosed with autism now. Does anyone know whether it is better diagnosis, much looser diagnostic standards or more children really have autism than before? Probably one way to check is to compare numbers at constant symptom levels (numbers then who just stare into space vs number now and then continue down the symptom list). If the severe case counts are the same but the minor cases are now much more common there probably aren't more cases but instead more diagnoses of autism. Then you need to split the real cases properly diagnosed vs the number of newly misdiagnosed cases for purposes of payment for treatment or disability payments.
I have one “normal” child. We had genetic testing done, and the results all came back with no red flags. It’s not clearly known what causes it, but I’d guess that it’s a combination of factors. When they think they have a cause and effect link, it seems to get blown out of the water.
All I know is that my two autistics have taught me a lot about how to be a better person. They’re great!
One hypothesis is that part of the increase in autism is the result of geniuses marrying other geniuses.
Let’s say someone lived in the 1800’s and were smarter than 99.99 percent of the population. Out of a randomly selected group of 10,000 people, they were the brightest. Now, in all likelihood, their social circle wouldn’t be 10,000 people. They would know the 1,000 people in their town or neighborhood. Odds are they would not marry someone as smart as themselves.
Now, a person that smart would leave their community and go on to graduate school or some high-tech field. They would meet someone as smart as themselves. The two people with great brainpower might share a lot of the same gene mutations. The offspring might start getting two pairs of recessive genes that are harmless alone but harmful together.
It’s just a theory. There is an increased amount of autism in Silicon Valley and the Route 128 corridor in Boston. It may be because high-income people are more likely to get a diagnosis. Or perhaps the “geniuses marrying geniuses” hypothesis has some validity.
I tried to find a way to contact the author, but couldn’t. I can help, particularly in PA. My son is high-functioning autistic and we have faught and won the wars.
Autism has a HUGE autistic component, if you have an autistic child, the likelihood that a sibling will be autistic is staggeringly higher than the general population. I forget the exact number but its huge.
Autism has a HUGE genetic component, if you have an autistic child, the likelihood that a sibling will be autistic is staggeringly higher than the general population. I forget the exact number but its huge.