Causes of Autistic Spectrum Disorders?

[Alphazebra]

I think that due to the nature of the width of scale of symptoms / abilities / actions that people with Autistic Spectrum Disorders show there is likely to be a large number of complex influences that all add up to pushing people different degrees along the spectrum. Myself I am aware of a troublesome birth (see above) which may have affected me but I also know for certain that many of my more unusual characteristics really started to become more obvious with stress and frutstration when I went to University. It was there with so many people different and such interactions going on that I really noticed being different and so found myself amplifying things even more.

 

Melba, don't even think about whether you caused your son's situation. I just don't believe it and neither should you. Think of all the good you do for him now instead, I am sure he appreciates it even if he can't yet explain quite how much.

[Melba]

Thanks Alphazebra, that is a comforting thought, Melba.

[streamdreams]

A couple of thoughts hear;

 

First it what Hans Aspeger himself who brought up the subject of � male brained� when he said � The autistic personality is an extreme variant if male intelligence� (bottom of page 84 Uta Frith?s translation� She also disputes this and refers to a later paper. However people in need of sensation, or a subject for an academic paper always take thing out of context.

 

It a pity we can have two question for this poll, unfortunately the board is limited in it ability to ask polls

 

 

Do you believe that the ASD is hereditary

Yes / No

 

Do you believe that something may have 'triggered' or 'caused' the ASD?

Problems in pregnancy?

Problems in birth?

Catching a virus or disease?

Vaccination?

No cause?

Other?

 

(I would answer Yes ? Other)

 

The reason for the split is that from all the research I have read there are two parts to the story;

 

First It seems very likely that there is a hereditary factor, but that factor it?s self does not seem enough, it seems that genetically a person may have a predisposition towards ASD but does not necessarily have it. This is proven by the fact that with identical twins on the spectrum it is only in about 60% of cases that both twins have autism! Genetics can also account for testosterone generation. Directly linking testosterone to �male brained� is sensation not science.

 

So it seems there has to be some external trigger, what that trigger actually is we don?t know. I suspect there are several, and that most will be in the area of poisons. For example there is an on going discussion, in the organic farming world regarding pesticides;

 

Pharmaceutical companies are required to test their products, ensure that they comply to indicate safe levels. However that is where the testing stops. They are not required to the toxicity of their pesticide in conjunction with another. Remember these are fairly aggressive chemicals and will rapidly react with bio organisms. So although in doses, on their own, they are apparently harmless to large mammals such our self, the problem arises when we have a mixed salad. Tomatoes from Holland , Cucumber from Israel, Onions from France etc etc. all with different pesticides. The problem is the mix is random and the outcome un predictable. Some may react , some may no, we just don?t know and more to the point we don?t know what will be produced. Chronologically the increased use of these pesticides does co-inside with the increase of autism cases. However it is no as clear as that, because our detection rate has also increased. For me this is probably the biggest candidate for a trigger.

 

According to what I have read the hereditary/poison route is the only path to autism. Physical damage to the brain can also be a cause, oxygen starvation at birth, and gross chemical poisoning amongst other thing. It seems however in these cases the cause is relative easily identifiable and hereditary means can often bee ruled out..

 

In which cam MMR sits, I have no idea, it could well be both.

 

Lastly the mercury story is the is the most scientifically un sound thing I have come across in the entire spectrum. Yes we have found out for tragic industrial poisoning that mercury can produce autistic type symptoms. Whilst I am prepared to admit the mercury in fish, thimersol , etc etc may be one the triggers that can �activate� hereditary autism, I am also prepare to accept that they may aggravate autistic symptomology, but I do not accept that they are not the cause of autism.

 

What enrages more that anything is that supporters of the of the mercury theory actual claim they can actually cure autism. The advocate chelation, however; a closer look at what they prescribe shows not some magical removal or mercury, but a combination of the removal of as many chemical contaminants as possible and a CF/GF diet. In short a Biological CF/GF diet. Since a Biological diets have been shown to help ADHD and CF/GF shown to help autism its not surprising there are seeing some results!

 

Lastly one good thing about DAN is they generate a lot of cash for research! And no they don?t make me very comfortable either

 

I am not qualified and this is just my $0.02

 

Julian

[KarenM]

I think there well could be something in the male brain autism thing . There are far more male aspies and from what i have looked into lots of boyish aspie girls like my daughter. I do not think Simon Baron -Cohen is just in need of sensation even if he is the cousin of ALI G. Karen

[streamdreams]

I do not think Simon Baron -Cohen is just in need of sensation even if he is the cousin of ALI G

 

Sorry I don get this line, coul you explain

 

thanks

 

j

[KarenM]

Simon Baron-Cohen is the cousin off a really silly comedian called Ali G real name Sasha Baron-Cohen . .Just in case you do not know Simon Baron-Cohen is the autism expert with the 'male brain theory'.

 

Ali G Karen

[streamdreams]

thanks for that , we learn every day

 

J

[Lynden]

I dont know what caused Logans, or if indeed if ASD will be the final diagnosis (atm its GDD with autistic traits - lots of them)! I was on blood pressure medication throughout my whole pregnancy (as was I with my NT daughter as had suspected pre-eclampsia several times) and had a difficult pregnancy. I was also in a car accident when he was 26 weeks or so. Birth was by elective cesearean so fairly straightforward though he did have the cord round his neck. It didn't seem to cause any problems though as his apgars were okay.

 

He hasn't ever regressed though - or at least I dont know if he has. He did sit at approx the right time but he never mouthed objects, or played with rattles etc and the rocking started at around 10 months and the headbanging not much later. He failed three hearing tests, even though his hearing is perfect. He did seem to babble a bit, and he did clap his hands etc and that stopped but not sure if thats just one of those things. He did have his MMR at 14 months but I definitely haven't noticed any significant changes since then.

 

Although we didnt think there was a family link we do now think that my hubby is more than likely on the spectrum and his cousin has ADHD which is also linked I think (still learning!)

 

I still sometimes feel like there's something I could have/shouldn't have done etc but am learning that its not my fault.

 

Lynne

[andrwg]

I am referring to "Causes of Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

In my case, born October 1962 with congenital rubella syndrome, it seems evident that the rubella in the second month of my mother's pregnancy has lead to my alternatively wired brain, for me it has resulted in Asperger, which I personally consider is a gift.

Edited September 22, 2005 by andrwg

[Zemanski]

good to see you back, Andreas

 

 

Zemanski <'>

[Suze]

Hi Andreas, I,m glad you used the term "wired differently", this is the best way to describe my son, I find.He is perfect to me but crossed wires give him mixed messages and he gets confused, (by NT standards, not his own , he feels no confusion).

[Zemanski]

Com's brain was definitely alternatively wired from birth but although his birth was long and I had diabetes (amazingly only in his pregnancy) I don't think there was anything specific that did it

 

Zemanski

[streamdreams]

Com's brain was definitely alternatively wired from birth

Alow me to be a bit autistic hear

 

Our brains are the only organ that is not fully developed at birth, in fact it finished developing around the age of 12

 

so after birth there is a great deel of wrong wiring to be done, one of the reason th medicines are some what controversial.

 

I probably got that all worng and some one can corect me.

 

J

[Zemanski]

totally agree, but Com's brain started out that way - what's happened to it since is another matter

 

Z

[Malika]

HI to all ,

 

My son was born dark blue nearly black but started breathing immediatly however sometimes I think my dad was a bit autistic may be a combination of both could be the trigger. I have listen to a conference on line in the US about fragile X and autism it was very interesting, more absolutly amazing it is all about molecular biology and chromosomal implication in fragile X and possibly autism. It does not seem to connect at the moment but may be later...

 

Here the link: http://webcast.ucsd.edu.8080/rangen/UCSD_TV/8484.rm

 

Malika.

[noogsy]

hi everyone.i think asd is hereditory.i think i have it as does my father who is a artist and as weird as they come...lol...his home is unbeleivable full of paint and brushes and tools and everything lies all over the place he is constantly looking for things....he never locks his doors and doesnt see bad in people.he is 70 years old and even when people steal from him he does not bother he says things like obviously they must need that more than me.....he has a naivety that he has never grown out of.but on saying that he has a anger if sparked can go on for days or even weeks...he was sent to work at 13...and has survived had a family and had a very productive life....maybe we worry to much for our children.....as i think most of them have a future that is very bright.....love noogsy

[lizzie]

Hi Everyone, I had a very difficult pregnancy. I am registered 80% disabled with spinal problems for which I had two ops, neither of which worked, I am in pain 24/7 and have to take very strong pain killers everyday just to function, when K's father and I decided to have a child, I went to my consultant for advice, he said I would need to come off my medication as soon as I became pregnant, which I did, however I was in so much pain I couldnt cope without the meds, so the doctors put me back on them and assured me that no harm would come to my baby, because of my back problems and depression, splitting up with K's father and being as big as a house!! I ended up in hospital on bed rest for three months before baby was born so they could monitor me while I was in there they were responsible for my meds and continued to give me dihydrocodeine and temazepam (both are addictive!!) getting toward the end of my pregnancy, I kept asking the doctors why I was still been given these drugs so close to my due date and was repeatedly told that the meds would not be a problem to the baby and everything would be fine, I was worried by this, but, they were the docs and obviously knew what they were doing!!! Anyway, eventually 3 weeks overdue, I went into labour and gave birth to a BIG 10lb 12oz boy, as soon as they gave him to me I knew there was a problem, he was screaming and shaking, he wouldnt feed, he hated being held, he hated being put down, he was projectile vomiting, he didnt sleep for 3 days solid! If you cast a shadow over him he would jump out of his skin!! I was worried sick, I knew he was going through withdrawal from my medication, cold turkey, but I couldnt get anyone to believe me, they would fob me off with excuses and they said he was like this because he was a big baby!! Anyway after 6 days of not feeding he was finally admitted to the neo-natal unit and was fed through a tube, he was a lot more settled after that not just because he was being fed at last, but he had more or less worked the drugs out of his system, It was terrible, I had to watch my newborn son go through a week of sheer hell, it was so frustrating that no-one would listen to me, I was the only one who seemed to know what was wrong!!! No-one has since said officially that this trauma is linked to K's AS, but no-one has said it isnt!! I wish I could find out for sure that the hospitals couldnt care less attitude was directly linked to K's AS because I would definately go for some kind of compensation for his suffering!! Sorry..........Im ranting again!!

[DaisyFulkirk]

I ticked 'other' because I don't think it is JUST hereditary, if it was that straightforward they'd have identified the gene and the mutation by now. There must be some aspect of genetics, though, the family links are much too strong for there not to be. Maybe there should be a "I really don't know" box!

 

I know that I did not change in response to any outside thing like an injection or something new in my diet - my mum is very clear about that. I always had very rigid, very 'different' ways of playing and I have always found new things and relating to my age group very very difficult.

 

I can't see how MMR can do what some people think it has done and I think it's really important to establish what DOES happen when some little person undergoes a very dramatic change. I think that some research is needed - really independant proper scientific epidemiological research with controls and checks and balances and nobody at all standing to gain money or prove a hypothesis.

[Vix]

I ticked the hereditory box, as there seems to be a lot of ASD's and traits in DH's family.

 

However, I do wonder why Kyle has come out worse. I had a very stressful pregnancy with him (my brother died and we went through a stressful house move) and then I had an awful birth. They were monitoring him and lost his heartbeat so rushed me in for a c-section, but as I'd only just had my epidural topped up I had to have a General anasthetic. He was born fine, but 2 days later they told me he had Group B Strep and had to have IV antibiotics for 5 days. I sometimes wonder if these things triggered something.

 

He was never a very happy baby, and used to cry for hours but couldn't be consoled.

 

He wasn't happy after his DTP vaccines, but wasn't bothered about his MMR. I'd noticed he seemed "detached" before his MMR, there was no regression, because there was nothing to regress from really. He crawled around 10 months, walked at 16 months, but apart from saying "OH dear" when he was 14 months old never talked.

 

I sometimes blame myself irrationally for what has happened (even down to giving him the wrong name and living in the wrong house!)

[mandyque]

This poll has brought up some very interesting results. I know there are no proven causes of autism at present but I think the results here show that there are a lot of us with the same theories. I suspect that the real answer lies in a complex mixture of answers, there are 2 other children in my ex-husbands side of the family with ASDs but my gut instinct says it's due to difficulties during labour and birth. In reality I believe that it is more than possible that C was going to have autistic traits from day 1 but that the difficulties we experienced when she was born possibly made it worse as she is much more severely autistic than the other 2 family members.

[Canopus]

My mother used pethidine as a painkiller whilst giving birth to me. It completely knocked her out and must have affected me as well because I didn't cry after being born. In fact I didn't cry until about 12 hours after being born. Could this have resulted in AS? My mother refused pethidine when giving birth 3 subsequent times and all the babies cried after being born and turned out NT.

[gladysmay]

this is very interesting reading, so many similarities, I wonder if there is a database somewhere that is matching any of this stuff up or would it be considered to open to suggestion, no control groups etc - my son was not diagnosed until age 18 and I had to go private to get this after many years of struggle with health and education. I always knew he was differnet right from birth, he hardly slept and cried and cried, I was at my wits end, despite being an experienced mum nothing I tried comforted him. Looking back, all the signs were there aplenty but no one with the right expertise had seen him until I did my own research. I thought I was this lone voice, now I realise many people have had the same experience or similar. It was considered that my father (now deceased) and my ex husband (ex is another common thread) are possible AS candidates. I am just beginning to realise there are traits in myself and my other kids. My older sister and my oldest son, I would bet on being AS. We present with allergies, any metals next to the skin, perfumes, hair dyes, eczema, and asthmas thread through my children and their fathers side plus lots of stomache aches, migraines. On the other hand there is much talented and giftedness, engineers, computer science techies and athletes. I am beginnng to wonder just how many differently thinking people there are and how much this blurs the line between neurotypical and asd's if it does at all?

[yoyo]

We present with allergies, any metals next to the skin, perfumes, hair dyes, eczema, and asthmas thread through my children and their fathers side plus lots of stomache aches, migraines. On the other hand there is much talented and giftedness, engineers, computer science techies and athletes.

 

My family is like this; riddled with skin allergies, asthma, stomach problems and many are quite talented - academic, musicians, mathematicians. Social skills are severely lacking throughout, along with the usual mix of anxiety, depression, tendency to meltdown. I am certain, in our case, that AS is genetically inherited.

 

Yoyo

[curra]

There may be several causes of my son's autism. I think that it's mainly hereditary or genetic because there are a couple of people in the family who should have been diagnosed since they had the signs of ASD but weren't, so they had a less than satisfactory life. There's also one close relative with epilepsy and two with schizophrenia. Then, there are environmental factors: I was given too many medications during pregnancy to avoid miscarriage as well as painkillers. I had pre-eclampsia and was in bed for most of the pregnancy. My son was born in the 32nd week by cesarean section which was done to stop his suffering as I had very high blood pressure. Before I was kept for 12 hours with a drip to reduce contractions. My son was born with no sucking reflex and he had jaunders, he was kept for 1 day in an incubator under a light. He could cry the whole night long during his first weeks. Until he was 3 years old he developed normally apart from being very allergic, he was even premature in language development. He smiled, sang, played , danced, laughed, kissed and hugged everyone, he had no problem at all. Then he started to regress .It could have been at the time of vaccination, but I really don't remember. He had lots of diarrea, became oppositional, he couldn't pedal a buggy or a bike, had terrible tantrums, was moody, had nightmares, was not interested in other people, only his parents, and in the nursery he didn't talk, share or played with other children. He started to have unusual interests and knowledge for his age. The nursery teacher expressed concern that he might be autistic, he was seen by a private child psychologist who tested him and ruled out autism. When he was 6, he still had no interest in making friends, had no pretend play, no independent skills and talked like a grown up giving lectures. Two GPs said that he was just eccentric, but not autistic. When M was 10, his stereotyped movements and lack of social skills were of concern at his school and he was finally diagnosed.

 

Curra

[openyoureyes]

HI all

very interesting reading and lots of different opinions, I have to say I have 2 children 11yr & 6yr, eldest with AS and the youngest at the moment just ASD!! Both preg were great no problems with high blood pressure, nothing. 1st birth was a nightmare, ended in C section, not baby distress but me, had loads of pain relief etc, 2nd birth a dream, opted for planned C section no problems wonderful.

 

Eldest was a nightmare baby, cried a lot, screamed more, slept little, ate loads, few hours after MMR had a fit, temperature not a well child, did not notice anything untowards as he was an adgetated child anyway but then seemed to slow down in making words, trying to walk etc, could say a few words before MMR ie Milk, dog, dad but then it stopped and took lots of speech therapy to get him talking again.

 

Youngest was a dream baby, hardly ever cried, liked to be on his own in his moses basket had MMR, no fit this time!! was a completely different child to the eldest.

 

Upon diagnosis was not surprised at all as we always thought the eldest was different.

 

I must admit I think that it is hereditary but there is something that stimulates it to make it more pronounce and in our case with the eldest defo MMR. My elder brother has always a different and he thinks he probably has ASD and my uncle is the same, so yes, hereditary would be my main thought but something along the way made there brain "wire differently" and I can only put this down to vacinnation.

 

More should be done (as in the States) to look at this and prove it once and for all, but our government just sweep it under the carpet (as usual) - getting political now so I better do

thanks for reading

[Canopus]

What I want to know is whether AS affects all races equally or are some races more prone to AS than others? Nobody seems to have investigated this issue. A local AS support group only has European people although the area has a low proportion of ethnics. Has anybody encountered someone with AS who isn't European?

[OPooh]

Hi welcome to the forum.

 

My brother was starved of oxygen at birth...but my son wasn't.

[clintess]

i would of liked to off clicked on three one being genetic,2 being problems in pregnancy and three problems in birth.

[bramblebrae]

On the issue of race I believe I've read in the past ASD has no social racial ethnic predujidice ie anyone anywhere could have ASD. Personally there was a south american family on the 'earlybird' course I attended..there was a tv program about an Indian boy.

However I get google alerts to anything with specific ASD words in it and I regularly get a link to a site called monsters and something I think it's american and prints journalist type articles - not sure on the authenticity of them but there was a series of articles they did where they looked into amish(sp?) communities in America and found a 'lack' of children with ASD .I think there was only one child with an ASD who was adopted into the community....they discussed stuff such as the fact they are anti any vaccinating..amongst other differences in the way they lived compared to modern society. It was very interesting I wish I could remember the web address I'll post it next time I see an article from them if thats allowed?

 

Lorraine

Edited July 9, 2006 by bramblebrae

[LizC]

Hi for me I believe there are many factors that can contribute to AS. My aspergers son had a normal pregnancy but he was always restless even then, he seemed to cry alot on an evening as a baby, didn't want to go down in his cot from early on, he had relux and asthma as a baby too (still got asthma) my grandad had aspergers so I do believe it can be hereditary. he had many symptoms before his mmr so I really do not think this has anything to do with it, my other 2 kids are fine.

[Anneuk]

ooo this is a tough one.

 

I had several probs in pregancy with high BP, and I had a precipitate labour <well no labour at really as she just popped out > her head was quite mis shapen as it had had no time to mould and we thought this was why she cried a lot... but she didn't stop for about 5 yrs!

 

So who knows? my youngest DD (9yrs) (NT) had a billirubin off the scale and had to have an exchange blood transfusion and up to recently I had wondered if she was on the spectrum, I have recently been told that she has mild Cerebral Palsy, so again who knows this dd also had a horrific reaction to her pre school immunisations which caused a psorriasis which even today flares up and covers her whole body over the winter months, this reaction started exactly at the point she was injected, I do intend to have her assessed for AS as soon as I have the money as NHS testing around here takes years!!

 

Anne

[Perry Chie]

My son (ASD) had severe jaundice which was ignored by everyone until I insisted a blood test at 8 days only to be rushed into hospital only just avoiding a blood exchange it took months to become normal, it was due to A/O incombatability, I had to have a blood test to see my levels of antibody but never heard the outcome of that.

There are lots of relatives on my and hubbies side who would Im sure would be diagnosed with an ASD if they were children now,so I am sure its genetic in my sons case,with triggers,every jab or illness or diet infringment (GF/CF) seems to set him back months.

[LizK]

What I want to know is whether AS affects all races equally or are some races more prone to AS than others? Nobody seems to have investigated this issue. A local AS support group only has European people although the area has a low proportion of ethnics. Has anybody encountered someone with AS who isn't European?

 

My children are mixed race, 1/4 asian. I live in a multicultural city where over 25% of the population, maybe higher now is of Asian origin yet there seem to be hardly any asian families at the variosu autism things I go to. 8 families there, only my husband who is angloindian, the rest caucasion. Went to a social stories course with 15 other parents only one of whom was asian. At the local autistic society conference 40 families attended but only 2 were Asian. This is hardly representative of the cultural mix of this area and makes me wonder if ASD is less common in this group or whether it is simply not culturally acceptable, whether the asian culture compensates for ASD or whether there are issues with services picking up these children.

 

Lx

[Canopus]

Very interesting. A local AS support group is 100% European but it happens to be in an city that has a very small ethnic population. There might be social factors at work with certain Asian communities such as relatives and neighbours supporting kids with AS or other SEN rather than using government services, and a greater inclination of parents to take their kids out of school when things get difficult for them. On the other hand, other races might be virtually immune to AS. I have searched a number of discussion forums for ethnics who live in Britain for AS and got very few hits.

[baddad]

In general studies have shown that autism/as is completely cross - cultural, but the difference in 'visibility' varies hugely from culture to culture.

There are many reasons for this, but certainly within the UK Asian community two significant factors have been identified...

1 - For all sorts of reasons (language difficulties, caste system cultures, local (ethnic) support networks etc) many people do not get onto official records - much like that 'Ammish' community debate we had running a while ago.

2 - Many eastern religions continue to view disability as 'divine retribution' - a punishment on the parents (or child) for religious transgressions of their ancestors or of themselves in former lives. Th negative views of disability this implies leads many families to ignore or 'hide' their children's difficulties for fear of attracting judgements from their communities.

 

It's been ages since i researched any of this and i've a terrible memory for names, but one I seem to recall is 'Safillo's - Rothchild' who wrote on the subject...

There was also an interesting book by a black, disabled person who described being coloured and disabled as 'simultaneaously oppressed' - marginalised in terms of the ethnic minority and the disabled population... (just dug that out and it's Ossie Clarke - Disabling Barriers/Enabling Evironments)...

Oh - just remembered a ...

 

3 - Patriarchal control - A factor in the lives of many disabled women from ethnic communities: if the 'disability' doesn't interfere in terms of the expectations placed on the women it ceases to be a consideration for intervention...

 

There are all sorts of other considerations (gender/class/age etc) all of which impact cross-culturally, but which will vary in effect enormously, depending on cultural expectations...

 

Boy - ain't done that for ages! (think, i mean!) - I've gone and done gived mersel' one o' them thare headaches now!!

 

L&P

 

BD

[Kathryn]

I went to an NAS regional seminar recently: one of the talks was about their project to raise awareness of ASD and increase support among minority communities.

 

More about it here.

 

K x

[Karen A]

Hi I live in one of the areas covered in the report.I thought it worth saying that the NAS and local sevices are doing some excellent work in raising awareness of ASD among ethnic communities.The support available for families is also very good.It is great to be able to see an initiative making a difference and to give praise for work being done.Karen

[moira199]

My brother is autistic so I believe in my rational moments that it is genetic but I still can't stop blaming myself because I drank some wine in pregnancy. I feel so bad about it all the time.

 

 

Moira

[nvapid]

Hello,

 

Have just finished uni course in child devlopment -

ASD stands for Autism Spectrum Disorder. PDD stands for Pervasive Developmental Disorder. The terms ASD and PDD are NOT a diagnosis. ASD and PDD are used to describe the greater class of conditions to which autism belongs.

 

Studies sugest ASDs/PDDs are inherited/genetic developmental disorders affecting the way the brain processes information and a person's ability to inhibit/filter certain types of behavior. All human brain development goes through a process called modularization where areas of the brain specialize, from birth, to deal with specific types of cognitive (thought) processes. For example, in a Neurologically Typical (NT) brain, language will be modularized to areas of the left hemisphere; in a non typical brain, language may be modularized equipotentially - or in several areas and several locations all over the brain. There is strong evidence that autism is linked to equipotentiality of the cerebellum (the part of the brain that deals with motor functions) and the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain that deals with short term memory and inhibition/filtering of sensory input). Basically, people with ASD use more areas of the brain at once than the NT individual. This goes towards explaining why ASDs generally have higher IQs and hyper sensitivity of the senses. The fact that our brains work DIFFERENTLY is not a bad thing.

 

There was also ONE study done on brain weight at birth which showed that 90% of the infants with autism also had atypically larger brains. This was a limited study done with very small numbers so no great validity there.

 

The suggestion that austism is cuase by tramatic births has largely been debunked - due to the great variance in types of births occurring, although MMR is still being debated.

 

Associated Co-occurance - these are disorders sharing the same locations in brain physiology, symptoms and studies have shown where one disorder is present there is a high occurace of associated disorders.

Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, ADHD, ADD

[rdos]

I'm pretty sure about the cause of autism. In 2001, I proposed the Neanderthal theory. It's since been confirmed in various ways by online surveys and other findings.

 

As for the discussion about racial prevalence of ASDs, there is no published study which confirms that all ethnic groups have the same prevalence AFAIK. There is a study in special education that compare various groups in the US, but it is not reliable - [ rest of paragraph removed by moderator]

 

However, in Aspie-quiz 6 & 7 I've researched autism prevalence in the US. It turns out that Asians and American Indians have about half the prevalence of Caucasians while Afro-Americans have about 1/6th. The finding for Asians and American indians could be the result of social factors, or even a chance finding, but the 1/6 prevalence of Afro-Americans is very solid. Aspie-quiz 6, racial prevalence, Aspie-quiz 7 - racial prevalence

Edited November 26, 2006 by Kathryn