cause of autism or birth defects?

Question

do you think it is more prevelant in todays society or just more reported and has always been in the same ratios since our existence?... if it is higher today what do you think the cause is? processed unatural foods, chemicals and pollution, heavy metals, or the soup of man made electromagnetic radiowaves?

Answer 1

There seems to be an increase, but the increase is grossly exagerated.

We know the rate of DIAGNOSIS has increased but we are not certain if the actual condition is much more common. My niece & nephew would likely have just been diagnosed as "retarded" or "brain damaged" 30 or 40 years ago.

I heard one of the ladies on "The View" today quote that the rate of austims used to be 1 out of 10,000. Those stats from many years ago which included only classic autism. Even then, many with autism were just diagnosed "retarded" or someother general label. Most experts agree that the actual incidence rate of classic autism 30 years ago was more like 1 out of 1,000.

The current stats (1 out of 166) include Asperger's & other high-functioning forms of autism which were never diagnosed as autistic until the late 80s. The now compose about 70% of those with autism. Classic, or "Kanner's" autism occurs at about a rate of 1 out of 500.

So an accurate comparison would the old incidence rate of 1 out of 1,000 to the new rate of 1 out of 500. That means the rates have doubled, but that is a far cry from the rate increasing 60 times over. (and far from an "epidemic")


More on the Change in diagnostic standards - Autism used to mean people that would be institutionalized, could never have meaningful jobs and would hardly even know how to talk (Like Rainman at best)
Now the definition is so broad it includes people like Bill Gates. (Not that we know of any official diagnosis of Bill Gates but the theory is he has Asperger's)
Given that Asperger's, the most common form of autism (62 - 86%), was not know to exist in America until 1990, it seems obvious that at least some of the increase is due to a better understanding & therefore a better diagnosis of Autism. People with Asperger's were always around, just labeled as "odd," "geeks," or "not quite right." I wonder if two of my uncles would have been diagnosed with Asperger's if they were growing up these days.

Broadened awareness - Then I have to wonder how many of the kids with the more severe forms were labeled brain damage, or just retarded. Remember, until recently, the common belief was that autsim was caused by unloving, neglectful mothers. If a doctor KNEW the mother was very loving & attentive, he would likely rule out a dianosis of autism, therefore resulting in the diagnosis rate being artificially low (back in the 80's & before).
Now we I frequently hear of mothers going through tremendous ordials to get their kid diagnosed. There are two possible conclusions to that fact. Many kids are incorrectly labelled autistic, or these kids would not have been diagnosed without parental prodding. No prodding before the 1990s so an inaccurate diagnosis rate of autism in the past.

An ALSO - A very recent study out of Isreal concluded that when fathers are in their thirties, children have about 1 1/2 times the risk of developing autism of children of fathers in their teens and twenties. Compared with the offspring of the youngest fathers, children of fathers in their forties have more than five times the risk of developing autism, and children of fathers in their fifties have more than nine times the risk.
There will likely be many other studies on the subject to either support, clarrify or debunk this study. My gut says theres at least some truth to it, though. My brother had 4 kids, 2 with autism. Arianna was born when he was almost 36 & Dominic was born when he was 40.

Answer 2

In my opinion birth defects are more reported nowadays, but anxiety and mental depression due to technologism cause increase in alcohol,tobacco and street drugs use/abuse which is considered a major risk factor for many birth defects.

Answer 3

Better diagnosis as well... People used to be labeled as MR or retarded, but now the autism spectrum is so large (e.g., Asperger's syndrome- which many where probably labeled mentally ill or anger problems).

Answer 4

those of you who don't have babies with ADHD and characteristic no longer researched the incapacity might desire to get their information immediately and understand that it extremely is an fairly complicated and serious disability!! until you have been there, lived with it and considered it first hand you haven't any longer any room to chat and make judgements!!