I came across some interesting statistics showing the increasing rate of autism in the last decade. In 2012, the CDC estimated that 1 in every 88 children and 1 in every 54 boys has autism. The latest survey done in 2008 showed that autism is up 23% and since 2006 and 78% since 2002. I did not realize how prevalent this disorder had become. I can now see why people are starting to scapegoat and grasp on to any answer they receive. This disorder is truly an epidemic in the United States.
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/news/20120329/autism-rates-cdc-2012
Tamara,
ReplyDeleteThese are some really enlightening statistics. It really makes me question the data that we looked at for our final project on autism and vaccines which showed no significant increases in the rates of autism. I think both the researchers' operational definition of autism and method of data collection must have been seriously flawed for the data to show no significant increase in autism rates.
Sadly, I believe that the increased diagnosis of autism is likely the result of "bandwagoning." I would argue that the reason why autism has become such an "epidemic" is because it can be used as an identifier for nearly any kind of strange behavior (i.e. being a spectrum disorder). I think that people too frequently jump to the conclusion that any behavioral issue is autism, especially in children. Once upon a time people started blaming ADD and ADHD on a wide variety of "behavioral" issues. Unfortunately, I believe a large problem with childhood behavioral issues reside in upbringing. Using this as an example, I feel that in essence autism has become a euphemism for any behavioral disorder that cannot be easily be diagnosed, especially in children. I separate my foods and eat them in a certain order, not because I am autistic, but because I am weird!
ReplyDeleteI think it also has to do with the fact that more people are reporting that there children have autism, and that autism also has such a large dictionary definition which encompasses other mental health problems as well. As for the cause of autism, (if there is a definite rise in actual autism cases)I might actually say that it might stem from not only genetic issues, but also how and what we feed ourselves as well as babies. Many of the products sold today have a lot of synthetic chemicals which may impact the cognitive processes that allow our brain to function correctly.
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