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World Autism Awareness Day


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Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities. One should keep in mind however, that autism is a spectrum disorder and it affects each individual differently and at varying degrees - this is why early diagnosis is so crucial. By learning the signs, a child can begin benefiting from one of the many specialized intervention programs.

Autism is one of five disorders that falls under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), a category of neurological disorders characterized by “severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development.”

The five disorders under PDD are:

  • Autistic Disorder
  • Asperger's Disorder
  • Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD)
  • Rett's Disorder
  • PDD-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)

Each of these disorders has specific diagnostic criteria which been outlined in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR).

Prevalence of Autism

Autism is the most common of the Pervasive Developmental Disorders, affecting an estimated 1 in 150 births (Centers for Disease Control Prevention, 2007). Roughly translated, this means as many as 1.5 million Americans today are believed to have some form of autism. And this number is on the rise.

Based on statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and other governmental agencies, autism is growing at a startling rate of 10-17 percent per year. At this rate, the ASA estimates that the prevalence of autism could reach 4 million Americans in the next decade.

Autism knows no racial, ethnic, social boundaries, family income, lifestyle, or educational levels and can affect any family, and any child.

And although the overall incidence of autism is consistent around the globe, it is four times more prevalent in boys than in girls

 

 

A close friend of mine has a boy that is autistic and he is the sweetest kid you'll ever want to meet. This October we are all going to participate in the walk and have managed to raise $500 so far, almost to our goal.

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Please donate, Drunken Asshole-Oner appreciates every cent you donate...., even though he can't articulate it in any coherent manner.

 

 

 

Sorry, don't mean to trivialise the issue. You are right, it is a serious syndrome that affects many lives and we can only wish that successful treatment is soon discovered to help sufferers cope.

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Apparently 1 in 150 kids born int the US now are born with autism, and apparently in England and Ireland the numbers are more like 1 in 58.

 

An epidemic would be correct.

 

You should educate yourself about vaccines especially if you plan on having children any time soon. Or know anyone else that is.

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Seems like some of you are close to autistic people. Can someone explain to me the qualifications for "autism?" If 1 in 150 are autistic in america, maybe our crack team of medical professionals are a little lax in defining the word.

From what I remember (don't quote me on this) There are varying degrees of autism. You can be slightly autistic which means you have trouble with social norms and so on or you can be severely autistic and pretty much in your own world. There's also the issue of (idiot) savants, the sufferers who have one amazing mental ability like mathematics, music, memory, drawing, etc. I used to be a carer for a dude with Downs Syndrome and he was unbelievably musically talented but otherwise pretty much gone.

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Seems like some of you are close to autistic people. Can someone explain to me the qualifications for "autism?" If 1 in 150 are autistic in america, maybe our crack team of medical professionals are a little lax in defining the word.

 

 

1 in 150 is a recent number. It wasn't always like that. This is some new shit.

 

Europe has it alot worse. I think it's something like 1 in 58 or something over there.

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Haha exactly. That article mamero posted has a video also which depicts an autistic woman just sort of zoning out on and being entertained by something a little more than usual. I think we've all have done that, with or without the aid of drugs, and we can understand what the hell she's doing. Obviously if we've all done it it's not an intelligence thing, you're just being introverted and zoned out.

 

It seems to me the numbers are rising because the research is being broadened. Kind of like crime going down because it's not being reported.

 

I have a hard time understanding what autism is and why I should care. There's so much we don't understand about the brain, stating we KNOW anything at all about autism seems stupid. It's like saying the number of kids who prefer the color green over the number two is an epidemic. Hell for all we know our electrical devices and powerlines could be emitting electromagnetic waves which interfere with regular brain activity and development. Bam, I just solved autism.

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1 in 150 is a recent number. It wasn't always like that. This is some new shit.

 

Europe has it alot worse. I think it's something like 1 in 58 or something over there.

 

What reasons would make something like this regional like that. Anyone know if there are external issues that can increase the risk of it hapenning?

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Yeah, I really don't like to e-beef. Just like to stir people up a little and DAO seems to be easily stirred so I had a go. Nothing personal meant about it so no reason to beef it out and threadjack. My bad.

 

ANyone seen the docos on the savants? They can do some amazing things. I saw this guy do a ten minute fly over of London town and then went home and redrew it perfectly to scale. Awesome stuff really.

 

Your spot on with what you say about the brain too. I did two semesters of neuro-psych and it was amazing how much we know but how small that is to how much we don't know. I also agree with what you say about pop cultures in diagnosis. I don't know what it was like in the States but when they started diagnosing kids as AAD/ADHD every kid that was a little disruptive in class or a bit loud was dosed up on Ritalin. Was pretty fucking ridiculous really, the one kid I met that had been diagnosed just had shit house parenting.

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I have a hard time understanding what autism is and why I should care. There's so much we don't understand about the brain, stating we KNOW anything at all about autism seems stupid. It's like saying the number of kids who prefer the color green over the number two is an epidemic. Hell for all we know our electrical devices and powerlines could be emitting electromagnetic waves which interfere with regular brain activity and development. Bam, I just solved autism.

 

In like a 100 years someone will stumble on this post while googling for porn.....realize you solved it.......and then scientists are gonna rename it soup'dizm......and build statues in your honour.

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Your spot on with what you say about the brain too. I did two semesters of neuro-psych and it was amazing how much we know but how small that is to how much we don't know. I also agree with what you say about pop cultures in diagnosis. I don't know what it was like in the States but when they started diagnosing kids as AAD/ADHD every kid that was a little disruptive in class or a bit loud was dosed up on Ritalin. Was pretty fucking ridiculous really, the one kid I met that had been diagnosed just had shit house parenting.

 

Yeah dude every fucking kid all of a sudden had ADD and ADHD, now every fucking kid has autism. OH OH CONSPIRACY TIME! Guess what was the outcome of both, MORE DRUGS FOR EVERYONE! Fear mongering pharmaceutical companies stackin dead presidents across the motherfuckin GLOBE

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