ADD is easy - it’s parents who actually believe in Dr. Spock and don’t spank their kids.
Autism, I suspect, is more a WPA for the millions of people who majored in Psych and wanted to actually work in the field.
I spend time with people with varying types of brain damage. They all have structural damage to their brains and they all have similar traits like zero patience, low impulse control, obsessions with certain objects, perseveration on one thought or subject.
One was born with genetic differences. One has autism. And one has Alzheimer’s. My mother was a highly educated highly professional smart as anything WELL READ CONSERVATIVE. She now has Alzheimer’s, which everyone knows becomes literal structural brain damage. She has now many symptoms of the autism spectrum, which I know so well in my life professionally and personally. I feel I am proving every single day that the traits of autism you believe come from not being beaten and slapped enough are clearly structural failures in the brain itself.
As a parent of an autistic child, the nasty, caustic replies and reliving my son’s reaction to his vaccination literally brought me to tears.
My wife and I are professionals both with multiple degrees. We don’t use drugs, and my wife was alcohol free the entire pregnancy. I was suspicious of vaccines prior to the time of my son’s birth, but we were bullied by the doctor into accepting them. He was a little over 3 YO, and was given the shots for multiple vaccines all at once. His reaction was immediate, by the time he got home his temp was 106. A swift call to the doctor and we were told to treat him for the temperature and seek help Monday if still elevated.(This was Friday afternoon.)
He never recovered, and in fact his development regressed. We have before and after pictures where the terrible changes are plain to see in his face.
He is now 16, and partially verbal, but he can never be independent. We have nearly bankrupted ourselves trying to get him help, including moving 500 miles to get to where there were additional services.
He receives a whopping $221 a month from the state for the last 3 years, and it ends when he turns 18 or can’t go to school. He will never work, earn a degree, have his own family, his own home, or a drivers license. It has been devastating for the entire family.
Because we were not on welfare, he could not get the treatment he needed that was available if we had been, and it was unavailable for purchase until recently.
Anyway, this is our personal experience.