Retroactively diagnosing people with autism [also: the Amish]

[I Ratant]

Didn't make any "claims", Sweetie.
Just observations.
You got on your high horse and take this crap seriously.
If my observations are in error, and some of them may be, then, reason says you point out the errors, not attack me for not knowing what you do.
Sad, that.

 

[jskowron]

Why hasn't anyone looked at the sudden drop in Mental Retardation in children? Are we doing something right?[/quote]

Could be related to better prenatal/postnatal care and education. Prenatal substance use(by the mother, obviously) is a leading cause of MR. Exposure to environmental toxins(e.g. lead) at a young age is also a major cause. Perhaps the reduction in MR has something to do with new regulations. New external paint removal regulations just went into effect in my area this year, so there is the potential for more downward trending.

There may also be some interplay between the AD and MR curves here. Presentation that were historically diagnosed as MR may now be being diagnosed as AD.

 

[Dancing David]

I've some controversy over DSM-V, possibly being too aggressive in diagnosis.
With the existing problems with over-diagnosis currently, which apparently lists normal kids behaviors as aberrant and needing medication, I kinda wonder about the whole thing, seeing as there's a few thousand years of living that seems to work out OK without excessive interest in "fixing" problems which may be transitory or non-existent.

It's either better detection of the condition due to more alertness by the diagnosee, or over-diagnosing because it's easier than looking for less obvious causes.
I'd go for #2.

And your claims as they are, unsupported speculation on your part.

And for the fourth time:

The other causes are?

Well what are they, hmmm?

So you know zero about autism but you feel that it is over diagnosed "because it's easier than looking for less obvious causes", and the data supportive of this amazing conclusion is?

What other less obvious causes?

Are you aware that autism is a developmental disorder?

 

[Dancing David]

There may also be some interplay between the AD and MR curves here. Presentation that were historically diagnosed as MR may now be being diagnosed as AD.

Exactly!

 

[iknownothing]

I kinda wonder about the whole thing, seeing as there's a few thousand years of living that seems to work out OK without excessive interest in "fixing" problems which may be transitory or non-existent.

Well for thousands of years, people who would be diagnosed today as autistic were probably seen as retarded or possessed. Kids who, today, are getting diagnosed with behavior disorders were seen as bad, and punished.

 

[Psi Baba]

As a dog lover, operating a puppy mill puts a person very high on my ◊◊◊◊ list.

As they should. Just to be clear, I wasn't downplaying that practice. Upon rereading my post, I see that the first half of that post might have sounded a bit sarcastic, implying that their "worst" thing isn't all that bad. I didn't mean it that way. I should have said, "The one really inexcusable thing the Amish do . . . other than that . . ."