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There has been continued debate over the past few years as to the
actual statistics of people affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders.
The CDC, NIH, and other agencies give very conservative estimates
ranging in the 2-6 per 1,000 children. Other research agencies state
the numbers are much higher using numbers such as 1 in 400, 1 in
250, 1 in 100 and in the infamous Brick Township, New Jersey, as
high as 1 in 10. The debate over the actual statistics has not been
solved to anyone's satisfaction and it only adds fuel to the fire as
cause and treatments are considered. Further, the lack of a
consensus of these numbers only divides the Autism community more
and without unity, the goals of finding cause and treatment slip
further away.
The current theories run in two different directions. One theory
is that Autism is actually increasing. Something is happening that
is causing more and more children to become Autistic and an actual
epidemic is occurring. The other theory, and one that most
healthcare agencies subscribe to, is that the diagnostic criteria
has been expanded, thus children are being diagnosed with ASD where
they would not have been 10 years ago. In other words, the net has
been cast wider. But there is a substantial hole in this theory.
If it is true that diagnostic criteria has been expanded and now
we identify children as being Autistic or PDD who would have been
overlooked previously, we should have a substantial population in
our society of ASD adults. If the prevalence is not increasing but
only how we diagnose people has changed, where are the severely
impaired Autistic adults?
If you ask parents of children with Autism if they recall when
they were children or teenagers any kids or siblings or their
friends who displayed the characteristics of their children now,
they all will say they never knew of a single one. I personally
never heard of Autism until a television show in the 70's or 80's
called "St. Elsewhere" had a main character with a son with Autism.
Before that, it was totally unknown to me. Until I had my son and he
was diagnosed with Autism shortly before the age of two, I had never
seen an Autistic child. Now I see them everywhere. Schools are
folding under the pressure of accommodating an increasing load of
these children with their very unique needs. Physicians are
specializing in the care of Autistic children. There are more
therapies than anyone could have ever imagined. I have noticed the
increase in the style and number of therapies just in the past eight
years since Autism entered my life.
But this is a substantial hole and it reminds me of Occam's
Razor. This is a philosophical theory that when you eliminate the
impossible, the simplest solution is probably the right one.
Reading up on this theory is interesting. It is just a matter of
keeping it simple.
Where are the Autistic adults? Until the government health
agencies admit there is an epidemic of Autism and risk alienating
the pharmaceutical companies by demanding research, we will continue
to see escalating numbers of Autistic Spectrum Disorders. This isn't
a net cast wider. This is an increase in incidence. Which is the
simplest explanation?
Where are all of the Autistic adults?
Next page >
Congressman Burton's Opening Statement - Not to be Missed > Page
1,
2,
3, 4
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Autism/PDD 101
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