1. Forum
  2. Usenet
  3. MISC.NEWS.INTERNET.DISCUS

  • Are there more autistic people now?

    From JAB@21:1/5 to All on Wed May 7 19:16:14 2025
    XPost: sci.misc

    Are there more autistic people now?

    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgp08z3egno

    Nupe: "The autism net has been cast wider" overtime

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Mike Van Pelt@21:1/5 to here@is.invalid on Wed May 14 21:43:42 2025
    XPost: sci.misc

    In article <vvgt4e$1aui8$2@dont-email.me>, JAB <here@is.invalid> wrote:
    Are there more autistic people now?

    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgp08z3egno

    Nupe: "The autism net has been cast wider" overtime

    I suspect this is the case, or, at least, a very large part
    of it.

    Someone I interact with on another online forum related how she
    (after two of her children were autistic, one high function,
    one less so) got tested, was found to be definitely on the
    spectrum, and her reaction was "I should have known; that's
    been my problem all my life!" She has sensory issues that she
    has learned how to deal with, and had a successful software
    developer career before deciding to go the motherhood route.

    Her less-functioning youngest is coming along very well on
    home schooling, and becoming more "functional" as he ages;
    apparently for many autists, what's necessary is to figure
    out what accomodations are needed for their particular issues
    and use them. Classroom education would probably be a bad idea.

    She also relates that her grandfather was generally considered
    to be an "odd duck", though fairly successful in his own
    way, and from what she has been able to learn about him, he
    sounds very much like her youngest. Perhaps, in the past,
    many people with some degree of autism were better able to
    cope in the world as it was a few decades ago.
    --
    Mike Van Pelt | "I don't advise it unless you're nuts."
    mvp at calweb.com | -- Ray Wilkinson, after riding out Hurricane
    KE6BVH | Ike on Surfside Beach in Galveston

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JAB@21:1/5 to usenet@mikevanpelt.com on Wed May 14 19:32:20 2025
    XPost: sci.misc

    On Wed, 14 May 2025 21:43:42 -0000 (UTC), Mike Van Pelt <usenet@mikevanpelt.com> wrote:

    Perhaps, in the past, many people with some degree
    of autism were better able to
    cope in the world as it was a few decades ago.

    A number of variables affecting an outcome. If a Johnny or a Mary did
    not act out in classroom settings, that was Ok with a teacher then.

    Reflecting back to my K-12 school years, I don't recall someone being
    autistic, but most likely yes there were autistic students afoot.

    I'm not sure "outsiders" should be involved unless absolutely
    necessary.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JAB@21:1/5 to adhellman1@gmail.com on Thu May 15 20:29:50 2025
    On Thu, 15 May 2025 17:31:52 -0400, Auric Hellman
    <adhellman1@gmail.com> wrote:

    Back in the day, an uneducated public would refer to them as "slow",
    while the crude would label them "retards".

    I don't have an understanding about the end result (years later) of
    those "afflicted," but I am briefly aware of the below topic. I
    suspect brain development might be a misunderstood topic, or at least
    years ago---stats might suggest a group of say children should be at
    this 'level', so if not up to this...slow.

    My niece could have gone to Harvard at 12, but her parents said no;
    and based upon this stat, there are a lot of "retards" out there:-) ================================

    "Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences proposes that
    intelligence is not a single, general ability but a collection of
    distinct intellectual capacities. He originally identified seven
    intelligences, later adding an eighth (naturalistic) and considering a
    ninth (existential)."

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From JAB@21:1/5 to adhellman1@gmail.com on Fri May 16 21:51:07 2025
    On Thu, 15 May 2025 17:31:52 -0400, Auric Hellman
    <adhellman1@gmail.com> wrote:

    Back in the day

    "For someone to be diagnosed with autism, they need to have
    'persistent difficulties in social life and in social communication,'"
    I would have to take a deeper dive into this topic, but superficially
    the above suggests conformity to their norms.

    And there's solid research showing that autism is
    largely a product of the genes you inherit from your parents.

    I suspect that is a bit off....Case in point: "Children who enrolled
    in Head Start programs are more likely to graduate from high school
    and attend college, have improved social, emotional, and behavioral development, and are better prepared to be parents themselves than
    similar children who did not attend the program."

    Nature vs Nuture.....

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)