Autistic people face three main areas of difficulties; these are referred to as the ‘triad of impairments’. (2)
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Social Interaction
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Communication (difficulty with verbal and non-verbal communication, for example not fully understanding the meaning of common gestures, facial expressions or tone of voice)
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Imagination (difficulty in the development of interpersonal play and imagination, for example having a limited range of imaginative activities, possibly copied and pursued rigidly and repetitively).
What Causes Autism?
As it is a relatively new disorder, the exact cause of autism is still unknown. There are always ‘new’ theories as to what factor/s scientists believe are responsible for autism. However these are the main ‘suspects’ of what causes autism:
The MMR Jab
The MMR jab is an important immunisation, administered at childhood, which protects children against mumps measles and rubella. In 1997 there was a large debate as to whether this jab was responsible for a rise in cases of autism. (3) At the time some parents saw their child’s normal social development stop and even reverse (recessive development). Although recent studies have identified no connection between autism and the vaccination, many parents still believe it is responsible and refuse to vaccinate their children, which has had wider health implications. (4)
Genetics
It is known that autism runs in families. With the example of my family, both my brother and my uncle are autistic. It has been shown that siblings of autistic people have an increased chance of being autistic, and twins are particularly likely to share autistic traits. (4) There is clearly a genetic component to autism. However it is unlikely that autism is caused by genetics alone, or that one specific gene is responsible for causing the disease.
Food allergies/’Leaky Gut’
‘Leaky Gut’ describes indigestible food proteins such as gluten and casein passing through the wall of the small intestine into the bloodstream (5). When in the bloodstream they then reach the brain and some researchers believe that here it causes a ‘high’ (resulting in classic autistic behaviour) and makes the person crave those dietary components. Mainly anecdotal evidence connects autism with bowel problems and many people have seen how a gluten and dairy free diet improves, in particular children’s, behaviour.
Mercury in injections
Mercury based preservatives such as Thimerosal (which is a neurotoxin) have also been directly linked to Autism. According to some people, when young children are vaccinated, some are ‘genetically incapable’ of disposing the mercury in their bodies and this then causes damage to the brain (6). In the 1990’s children were receiving many vaccines containing Thirmerosil, however it has now been removed from most vaccines.
Atypical brain development
It is known that in some autistic people the brain develops quicker than ‘normal’ in the early stages of childhood (between 1 and 2 years of age), some scientists argue that this results in a brain ‘wired’ differently to that of a ‘normal person’ resulting in autism (7).
Refrigerator mother syndrome
In the 1940’s until about 10 years ago, parents of autistic children were blamed for the condition their children had. Refrigerator mother syndrome stemmed from the theory that cold, unloving parents caused autistic behaviour (8). However, research into the theory suggested that many of the ‘cold unloving parents’ displayed autistic tendencies themselves, suggesting a more genetic link. Nowerdays, parents are no longer blamed for the condition their children have.
Hours spent watching television as a child
A very recent and controversial study in America showed correlation between the hours that young people spent watching television and autism. (9)
- The Autism myth
New Scientist
13th August 2005
Pages (37-40)
- http://www.chekinstitute.com/articles.cfm?select=66
Are the numbers of autistic people rising?
An epidemic is known as a widespread disease that simultaneously affects large numbers of people in a population. There is evidence to suggest that there has been a rise in the cases of autism (see Graph A). Psychiatrist, Dr. made the the first diagnoses of autism in 1943. Since then, the numbers diagnosed with autism have steadily increased. (?) However is this rise due to some genetic or environmental factor or is there evidence to show that something else is responsible for the rising numbers?
Graph A shows that in California the cases of autism have significantly increased, most noticeably between 1998 and 2002. Graph B focuses on this particular period showing the quarterly increase in the numbers of persons with autism. According to the graph there has been a total increase of 97%, which equivalents to 10,017 individual cases, in this period (12). The short space of time in which this has happened would suggest that the rises in cases are not down to something genetic. So that must intend that some environmental change is responsible for the increase, such as vaccines, MMR etc.
However, just looking at the raw data shows some uncertainties with the claim. Both graphs have failed to take into account the population increase in California and also the numbers of diagnoses of other diseases such as mental retardation which may have seen a drop in cases, as autism has seen a rise.
(2)
(12)
Other Factors that could be Responsible for the Rise
There are also other factors that scientists have considered to be causing the rise in figures.
Changes in the diagnostic criteria
Many people argue that diagnostic methods have changed so much since 1987 that it is completely ridiculous to compare them to today’s methods. My uncle’s diagnosis was ‘educationally sub-normal’ and many children like him would have been placed in an institution. It has even been suggested that many of today’s adults in institutes and prisons are incorrectly diagnosed and by today’s criteria they would be autistic. (5)
A broadening of the spectrum
One reason for the rise in people diagnosed is simply that more borderline cases are being classed as autism, earlier. Some children diagnosed with autism today may not have been 20 years ago.
Better support for families
Today there are many services available to parents with autistic children and adults. When my uncle was a child, in the early 1960’s, there was little available. The few special schools there were, dealt with the physically disabled and children with downs syndrome but autism was not fully understood or recognised.
Nowadays, much more is known about autism. Parents are supported initially by the NHS. The health visitor referring a child to a paediatrician or Child Development Centre for diagnoses is the first step. Help can then be sort from the Local Education Authority for home portage or one to one support in pre-school. The statementing process can then begin to ensure that the child has the funding in place to support his specific educational needs either in a special or mainstream school.
Parents can also help themselves by research on the internet, contacting local groups and charities for information and support. All of this support means that parents are more likely to accept their child’s diagnosis or even appeal for a diagnoses for their child and doctors are more likely to diagnose borderline cases as autism to get children some help.
Increase in awareness
Sometimes referred to as the ‘Rain man’ effect, following the film where Dustin Hoffman played the role of an autistic savant. Since then more people have become aware of autism – it has almost become attractive. And with scientists rejecting the ‘refrigerator mother syndrome’ parents are no longer being blamed for autism. (5)
(5) The Autism myth
New Scientist
13th August 2005
Pages (37-40)
Conclusion
As the cause of autism is not yet known it is very difficult to pinpoint if there is an epidemic. I personally believe that there is a genetic component to autism and thus I think that the cases could not have been able to rise in such proportions due to a genetic factor. Also the environmental factors that people argue have caused the epidemic are all theory, whereas diagnostic criteria has changed and there is more support and awareness for Autism. Ultimately scientists will need a few more years of data before they can confirm either way if there is an autism epidemic
Are Cases of Autism set to rise in the Future?
If there really is an autism epidemic you would expect the cases to keep rising until autism is either cured or the trigger responsible for causing the surge in cases was found. Equally if the increase in cases of autism is just down to better diagnosis and awareness the rate of increase would begin to level off. Interestingly, last year the Child Development Centre actually noticed a small drop in the number of diagnoses (13). On the one had this could be just a slightly anomalous figure, however it provides a strong argument for the people who believed that mercury in vaccines was causing the autism epidemic. When Thimerosal was used the cases grew; now most vaccines do not contain Thimerosal the number of diagnoses are decreasing.
(13) http://autism.about.com/od/causesofautism/p/ontherise.htm
