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Continued Rise In Autism Diagnoses Puzzles Researchers, Galvanizes Advocates

Posted by samzenpus on from the going-up dept.

sciencehabit (1205606) writes "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has raised eyebrows, and concern among current and prospective parents, with a new report documenting that the rate of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis in the United States jumped 30% between 2008 and 2010, from one in 88 to one in 68 children. CDC officials don't know, however, whether the startling increase is due to skyrocketing rates of the disorder or more sensitive screening, or a combination of both."

10 of 558 comments (clear)

  1. Medicalizing Normality by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    'Nuff Said

    1. Re:Medicalizing Normality by Pope · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Have you ever considered that perhaps Autism is an evolution of humans, rather than a thing which will "fuck" us?

      LMAO, you don't know how evolution works, do you? What possible advantage could autism provide, when it renders most afflicted persons unsociable and awkward and therefore highly unlikely to pass on their genes?

      --
      It doesn't mean much now, it's built for the future.
    2. Re:Medicalizing Normality by canadian_right · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You've never actually met an autistic person have you? It is NOT an advantage in 99.99999% of cases, A few people with mild cases can live normal lives, but this is the exception. Most autistic people cannot live on their own and require close supervision 24x7. Most people, even saintly social workers, find it extremely unrewarding, frustrating, and generally unbearable working with autistic people.

      Autism is a horrible affliction.

      --
      Anarchists never rule
  2. really? really. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    about a century and a half ago, nobody ever heard about autism.
    you wouldn't be diagnosed an autist, but simply made to stand in a corner of the class with a dunce cap a lot.
    i can picture the headlines.

    autism discovered!

    sudden surge in number of autists baffles scientists!

    as we get better at diagnosing conditions like this, naturally there will be a rise in the number of positive diagnoses.

    1. Re:really? really. by bickerdyke · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Plus a number of parents that can't accept that their precious offspring simply may be plain stupid or lazy as any other kid.

      There HAS to be a reason and there HAS to be someone or something responsible for Li'l Joe standing in the corner with the dunce cap so often.

      And I guess that still leaves a bit of wiggle room for an actual increase of people ending up somewhere in the autistic spectrum.

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      bickerdyke
    2. Re:really? really. by ColdWetDog · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You realize that 'normal' people invariably have symptoms or findings found in syndromes or diseases. The discovery of which prompts the 'second year medical student syndrome'. At least in the US, the second year of medical school is when you start studying the pathology of disease and learn about all of these funny named syndromes and problems. Invariably at least one or two resonates with the reader and they feel instantly afflicted. This prompts further study (which is good) and further worry (which isn't).

      What you described is pretty much everyone who doesn't go on to be a used car salesman or a politician. Figuring out the ins and outs of social contact is hard for most humans. People afflicted with autism / aspbergers are really hard stopped to the edge of human contact. Yes, at a molecular level, some of us who don't deal with the social graces as well as others probably have some similarities, but pretty much all of health and disease lies along a continuum, We often make fairly arbitrary distinctions because it helps pigeon hole things and humans like to do that... But it's not always representative of the issue.

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      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  3. Shifting thresholds by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I suspect a lot of diagnoses concern borderline cases, that would previously not have been counted as verified autism - so before, people would be classified as "odd" or "geeky" but not as someone who carries a mental disability.

    The same thing happened with depression. In the old days, depression was virtually unheard of, aside from extreme cases of people constantly trying to take their own lives. Nowadays, everybody and their dog gets depressed at some point during the year, and prescribed medicine.

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    "A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
  4. Autism is the new ADD by korbulon · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Not saying that all or even most of the diagnoses of autism are false positives, but when you're living in a world where human communities are dwindling and become more insular - so there is less direct social engagement, extended families are spread across continents - so this core social unit is less dynamic and extensive, and people spend more and more time in front of screens - at work and at home, this sort of result is not overly surprising. Shit, when did the first iPhone come out? Mid 2007? Coincidence? iThink not.

    Increased screening sensitivity is probably playing a big factor as well: "Tommy seems rather introverted and shuns the company of others. He also throws a huge tantrum when we take away the tablet with the toons on it. Probably autism." I'm not saying this is due to negligent parenting, but when there is an obvious diagnosis that fits the symptoms, why look any further? Again, these are the marginal cases which are sufficiently prevalent to cause this spike.

  5. Putting the cart before the horse by Buck+Feta · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The question is simply answered: diagnoses are more prevalent because the drugs to treat those patients now exists. It is not mere coincidence that the FDA approved the use of Risperdal in late 2006, and its generic, Risperidone, in late 2008. There were more than a few doctors who have made more than a few dollars from prescribing tis medication. Johnson & Johnson has to pay a $2.2 billion dollar fine for illegally marketing this drug through the use of kickbacks to doctors and pharmacists. So don't tell me the pharmaceutical isn't dirtier than a whore's whose-its. Everyone relax. Autism rates will decline when these drugs get a bad enough name. Then, a more expensive drug will be produced to treat a more common malady, and everyone will freak the fuck out again.

    --
    I am Audience.
  6. Re: Clearly vaccination is to blame! by Travis+Mansbridge · · Score: 5, Insightful

    One thing that is certain is that vaccines save the lives of hundreds of thousands of children every year. But by all means, forego them if you really don't want to "take the risk."