re: A Question For Medical Experts Here; What Do You Think Caused the Spike in Autism?

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Not an expert, but I had always assumed it was because it was underreported.

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If rates didn't increase, then that would mean a bunch of older adults are walking around undiagnosed. We either need to get these people on SSI/SSDI or some people need to be taken off because it's not that debilitating.

It was not underreported per se. However, when the DSM-5 was published, they included other disorders under the spectrum which were not previously included on the spectrum; the most prevalent being Asperger's syndrome, but others as well. At the same time, there was also a change to the diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5. On top of that, there is increased testing over a broader population.
It's worth noting that there has been a relatively large increase in the number of young adults being diagnosed. Reportedly, this is due to increased awareness, but I don't think it's a stretch to read into that, so take it for what it's worth.

*I am not a medical professional, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

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It is almost like some parents enjoy saying my child is on the spectrum

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I've noticed a lot of "it's not an illness" or "it's not something that needs to be cured", today, which is wild.

Point to remember is, it’s a “spectrum”. One of the most intelligent and successful ENT friends of mine has the diagnosis. He’s got his quirks but it didn’t stop him from going to Harvard got fellowship and getting drunk with us on weekends. He’s also Jewish


Then there’s the sad folks who cannot speak, make purposeful movement and require total assistance for every facet
of their life, until they die.


I also it’s 1000% overdiagnosed

Not a medical expert but I do have two kids with it. No history in our families prior to ours but now have 4-5 total in our families.

Daughter was diagnosed early (around 2) and it was pretty obvious.she’s 7 now and still non-verbal, so no functional language. Still in diapers and has extreme food issues and extreme issues with change. Little boy is 4 (5 in two months) and was deemed autistic or considered to have a significant amount of autistic characteristics (by school system). He’s not non-verbal but very limited with language. Probably language of a 2-3 year old. Has sensitivities to sound and food issues. Only early signs he showed was regression. He was starting to talk and identify body parts, etc then all of a sudden in between 14-18 months he lost those skills.

Since my kids have it, I have been around the special needs school programs at 3 different schools here. Each school is filled with 3-4+ classes (5-10% of school total) of kids like mine. Some a lot worse off than my kids, banging their heads, self harm, etc.. Growing up 30-40 years ago, it was not nearly this bad.

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Each school is filled with 3-4 classes of kids like mine. Some a lot worse off than my kids, banging their heads, self harm, etc.. Growing up 30-40 years ago, it was not nearly this bad.

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When I was growing up (I’m mid 40s), there were always special ed classes, and I remember being friendly with a couple kids that were in special ed that seemed to be relatively normal.

I think there’s a push to “mainstream” the kids that aren’t totally fricked up and put them in the regular class to assimilate. Back when I was a kid, these kids likely would’ve been segregated in special ed.

I firmly believe there is actually more Autism and it’s not just “reporting it more” etc. my cousin is severely autistic and when I was a child growing up I never met someone with autism now it is seemingly everywhere.

Possible causes:

1. Vaccines (GASP!)

2. High Fructose Corn Syrup

3. Microplastics

4. Mating decisions. This one is the most intriguing to me. The autistic brain is a hyper masculine brain. Logical. Calculating. No empathy. Can’t understand non verbal communication. So the hypothesis is that if a female with a masculine brain mates with a man with a masculine brain … you get a hyper masculine brain … autism.

So who do people in a post liberal society mate with? Why people they work with of course. So if you look at areas with high rates of autism you will see spikes of it in areas with engineering, technology, mathematics firms and companies headquartered around there.

An engineering firm attracts men fit for the role. And there are women who are attracted to that work too. They have a baby. You get a baby with autism.

My aunt and uncle live in DC (high rates of autism) and she works for google and he works for a private engineering firm.

So, underreporting and expanding the umbrella definition seem to be popular replies. And let's not forget 'better testing' too.





We've become such Pavlovian dogs to big medicine. Sad to see happen.

Not an expert but I’d bet my last dollar that the shear amount of vaccines , poor diet and all the bs chemicals that are found in food and daily use products don’t help a damn thing.


There’s a reason big pharma manipulates data …