NationStates Jolt Archive

Is autism a rapidly spreading disease that needs funding to find a cure?

Or is it simply another personality type that has been incorrectly labeled as a disease due to intolerance?

Autism isn't something you catch. I don't think it's really understood.

There was an argument that cases were significantly increased by the use of mercury in inoculations(increase shelf life). Don't know what became of it.

As to rush to cure? I would put greater effort into solving downs. An autistic child can function in society.

Downs is caused by the wrong number of chromosomes. That's obviously a problem. Autism is caused by... who knows?! There was never any real evidence that mercury poisoning caused autism, and there still isn't. Just a lot of hysteria.

Autism is actually a spectrum of disorders, ranging from severe to mild. I teach 2 autistic kids, one of them is pretty "normal" (I hate that term) other than he has some issues with intra personal relationships (who doesn't?) the other one still doesn't speak and has problems with......just about everything, except playing the guitar (which is what I am teaching him) he is really great at that.

It probably seems like there are more and more cases, but chances are it probably went undiagnosed for the most part. Medical science is getting better at this kind of jazz.

Autism is actually a spectrum of disorders, ranging from severe to mild. I teach 2 autistic kids, one of them is pretty "normal" (I hate that term) other than he has some issues with intra personal relationships (who doesn't?) the other one still doesn't speak and has problems with......just about everything, except playing the guitar (which is what I am teaching him) he is really great at that.Yep, I know about the spectrum. Are you saying some need to be cured and some don't?

It probably seems like there are more and more cases, but chances are it probably went undiagnosed for the most part. Medical science is getting better at this kind of jazz.That's part of it, but there actually is a large new wave of autistic children that appeared in the early 90's. I think it may be because of the growing importance of computers, nerdy dysfunctional people have had more success reproducing than they used to, so there are more children who aren't genetically inclined to be socially adept. This is just my own theory though, it would be very hard to prove anything like this through studies.

Yep, I know about the spectrum. Are you saying some need to be cured and some don't?

I don't think it's something you can necessarily cure. I think it's something that can be treated. Some kids by nature need more accommodation than others, and some people have to cope with more issues than other. It's life. Whether or not it can be prevented is a whole other issue. Telling these kids there's nothing wrong with them isn't going to help them, ignoring it isn't the answer.

Yes, that's true, their issues can't be ignored, but I think they could be seen in a better light. I just wish kids didn't think they have a disease that needs to be cured. That's like telling a gay person they need to be cured. Not gonna happen.

I think the decision to "cure" it, if such a thing is ever possible, should be up to nobody but the person it affects most: The one who would be "cured."

I, personally, would keep my autism. It has made me the person I am today. And while I may not be 100% fond of that person, she's still me. Anyone else wouldn't be.

Yes, that's true, their issues can't be ignored, but I think they could be seen in a better light. I just wish kids didn't think they have a disease that needs to be cured. That's like telling a gay person they need to be cured. Not gonna happen.

I can understand where you are coming from. I prefer to look at it as having challenges, rather than having a "disorder". I have OCD which is...very challenging most of the time. I don't think there is necessarily anything "bad" about it, as long as I am working through my issues so that it doesn't interfere with my life to an extreme extent. Some of my compulsions are just, quirky to me, it doesn't matter that I do them and other people don't, I don't think it's "abnormal" for either me to do it or for them to not do it. Other things though, it's something I have to try to keep in check, because otherwise it's too much and it actually hurts my productivity and such. (if any of that is coherent.)

Like I was saying earlier (I think) some kids need a lot of help to function somewhat normally in life, that's okay, as long as they are getting the right kind of help.

Autism is genetic, much like eye color. I should know, seeing as I have Asperger's Syndrome (one form of autism).

Autism is actually a spectrum of disorders, ranging from severe to mild. I teach 2 autistic kids, one of them is pretty "normal" (I hate that term) other than he has some issues with intra personal relationships (who doesn't?) the other one still doesn't speak and has problems with......just about everything, except playing the guitar (which is what I am teaching him) he is really great at that.

Could he have ausbergers syndrome?

Autism is genetic, much like eye color. I should know, seeing as I have Asperger's Syndrome (one form of autism).

If it's genetic, then what's the pattern for it?

If it's genetic, then what's the pattern for it?

I have no clue -- you'll have to ask a doctor (who'll probably forward you to another doctor who specialized in bioengineering).

I have Asperger Syndrome, which is related to autism.

I have autism, I don't know what there is to cure! Cure homeless or somthing. Hell cure me of I don't know being the right wing ruler of my nation, death to degenerate citizens!:mp5:

Autism is one of the fastest growing, and most over-diagnosed "diseases" in this country.
Its recent proliferation, is due to two things:

A multi-billion dollar pharmecutical industry and thier lobbiers, and the fact that not too long ago, they redefined what AUTISM IS.

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/health/634177,CST-NWS-aut04.article

...Hell cure me of I don't know being the right wing ruler of my nation, death to degenerate citizens!:mp5:

Let's first cure you of incoherence. :D

Let's first cure you of incoherence. :D

Ach bugr'em! I told 'em I did! Millenium hand and shrimp! Never squee th' left handed shadow, toll the bell and run like hell! Buggrit!

Autism is one of the fastest growing, and most over-diagnosed "diseases" in this country.
Its recent proliferation, is due to two things:

A multi-billion dollar pharmecutical industry and thier lobbiers, and the fact that not too long ago, they redefined what AUTISM IS.

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/health/634177,CST-NWS-aut04.article

My broker got me into autism a few years before the boom. I'm gonna get out soon before the bubble bursts.

Is autism a rapidly spreading disease that needs funding to find a cure?

Or is it simply another personality type that has been incorrectly labeled as a disease due to intolerance?

It's neither a contagious disease nor a "personality type." It's a little understood mental disabililty with a physiological basis. Some think it may be related to schizophrenia. It is frequently, though not always, accompanied by retardation.

There are various types of autism, of which Asberger's syndrome (which is not accompanied by retardation - indeed most Asberger's sufferers are quite bright, even gifted), is one.

Could he have ausbergers syndrome?

the first one does, I don't remember the name of the thing the other one has, it affects his communication, but he is just a bit behind in everything else.

My broker got me into autism a few years before the boom. I'm gonna get out soon before the bubble bursts.

well, all I can say is the bottom has DEFINATELY dropped out of the nut and berry market...

I think that it's a matter of severity, personally; some people on the autistic spectrum are vastly higher-functioning than others, and a cure would only be an uncontroversial improvement for those who have it the worst.

It's also hard to determine where to draw the line between "quirky but psychiatrically normal" and "mildly autistic/Asperger's syndrome", and I've had a lot of inadvertent emotional and practical damage done by people who drew that line in the wrong place. (This isn't helped by the fact that I'm also gifted and have ADHD, both of which share symptoms with the autistic spectrum.)

They should try to find treatment for the severe cases. But for people with Asperger's or HFA, no I don't think they should alter their minds unless they want to.

My younger brother has autism. He's currently on therapy. AFAIK, they do not use drugs for autism. Neither is it overdiagnosed, but rather underdiagnosed, as many parents do not like to admit or face the fact that their child is autistic.

Perhaps you are referring to ADHD and Ritalin, which is overdiagnosed and provides millions for the pharmaceutical industry,

It's neither a contagious disease nor a "personality type." It's a little understood mental disabililty with a physiological basis. Some think it may be related to schizophrenia. It is frequently, though not always, accompanied by retardation.

There are various types of autism, of which Asberger's syndrome (which is not accompanied by retardation - indeed most Asberger's sufferers are quite bright, even gifted), is one.

Asperger. Hence Aspies ;)
If it needs treatment or not is up to the person who has it. Is he/she happy with who he/she is ? Yes ? Then why treat them ?

Autism is genetic, much like eye color. I should know, seeing as I have Asperger's Syndrome (one form of autism).

Yeah, it's totally genetic. It runs along my father's genetic line, personally. I know three people in my family who have it.

I have Aspergers' syndrome too... my symptoms range from catatonia, to mild attention problems, and even some OCD type behaviors.

It probably seems like there are more and more cases, but chances are it probably went undiagnosed for the most part. Medical science is getting better at this kind of jazz.

There was some data a while ago that showed a significant rise in autism in North America when a certain vaccine was introduced. When it was introduced in China a similar rise occured, it looked promising as one of the causes (I'm sure there are many, one being genetics). Don't know if it was peer reviewed or if it had any merit at all but....

Here's a couple links I found after a quick google: http://www.know-vaccines.org/autism.html

http://www.autismwebsite.com/ari/newsletter/iom.htm

I scanned them, so I don't know they're 100% would I had heard but I'm lazy and they look interesting to read anyway.

Autism isn't something you catch. I don't think it's really understood.

There was an argument that cases were significantly increased by the use of mercury in inoculations(increase shelf life). Don't know what became of it.

As to rush to cure? I would put greater effort into solving downs. An autistic child can function in society.
on various sceptics' blogs it was proven wrong. I happen to have this open in another tab: http://skeptico.blogs.com/skeptico/2007/10/autism-best-joh.html

There was some data a while ago that showed a significant rise in autism in North America when a certain vaccine was introduced. When it was introduced in China a similar rise occured, it looked promising as one of the causes (I'm sure there are many, one being genetics). Don't know if it was peer reviewed or if it had any merit at all but....


I think it was because it was the same time the vaccine was introduced, Kanner made autism a separate syndrome instead of the previous classifications as feebleminded or schizophrenic.

Yeah, autism is hell, at least for me. Never have I seen the positive aspects that opponents of a cure have insisted on, only the negatives listed by every guide to mental illness.

Yep, I know about the spectrum. Are you saying some need to be cured and some don't?

Who says people who can function and are just different need to be cured?

Autism isn't something you catch. I don't think it's really understood.

There was an argument that cases were significantly increased by the use of mercury in inoculations(increase shelf life). Don't know what became of it.

As to rush to cure? I would put greater effort into solving downs. An autistic child can function in society.

Some can, many cannot. The same is true of Down Syndrome.

There are many mental conditions where it is difficult to define a point at which they become diseases. Who knows how many people out there have autism, but are so high functioning that they are taken to be merely rude? Such a person couldn't really be said to have autism because their condition doesn't really keep them from functioning in society.

http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=050710

That's asperger's syndrome (and other forms of autism, I believe) in a nutshell.... except it doesn't involve bugs or drooling zombies.

There's an urban legend of vaccines causing autism in little kids, but the Scandinavian countries have been vaccinating pretty much their entire population for at least the last 40-odd years _and_ keeping tabs on autism cases (among all other nation-wide health issues) and so far there's been no correlation shown, hence the label 'urban legend'.

As for genetic components for the syndrome(s), someone smarter than me gets to find the answer, but as far as I remember reading, there's little or no correlation there either.

Autism is not a disease, it can't be caught from someone else - if anything, it's probably some form of fetal development issue (or genetic, like I said, I don't know).

The apparent increase in cases of autism (and indeed all 'mental health issues') is more because of improvements in diagnostics than any actual increase in case numbers.

Forget autism. Let's cure stupid first.

The apparent increase in cases of autism (and indeed all 'mental health issues') is more because of improvements in diagnostics than any actual increase in case numbers.

No, its not really that we can diagnose Autism more accurately, its much more that ten years ago, they changed the definition of what constitutes Autism.

Ten years ago, Autism was more like severe mental retardation, the inability to care for ones self, and had nothing to do with the much more milder conditions that are asociated with it today.

The drug companies in this country also have a major role in this and indeed all mental health issues in America.
America has more cases of Clinical Depression and Schizophrenia than any other country, and this is largely due to pressure from the drug companies upon doctors to diagnose patients, and treat them with thier products.
These days, almost 1 in 10 college students are on medications for Depression.

Is this becuase we actually have more cases, or becuase, much like Autism, its being severely over-diagnosed, and over-medicated?

The drug companies in this country also have a major role in this and indeed all mental health issues in America.

Okay, I'll take your word for that, but keep in mind it might not work that way for other countries. As per my country, I still stand behind my statement of advanced diagnostics. :)

Somethingawful.com forum users account for 50% of the world's autism and more than 190% of the world's Aspergers Syndrome.

Okay, I'll take your word for that, but keep in mind it might not work that way for other countries. As per my country, I still stand behind my statement of advanced diagnostics. :)

Well, keep in mind that there was a redefinition of what Autism is.

This means that where before Asperger's, and other condition were added to it, the numbers of course, were significantly lower.

So, its not so muich that modern medicine is "better" at diagnosing it than they were 10 years ago, its that so many more people now qualify as "having Autism,or Autism-related conditions".

I guess it depends on whether it's functioning or not; if something severely impairs your ability to interact with other people and achieve any goals you might desire in life, it probably needs to be "cured". However, given how little is currently understood about autism, even with the leaps in knowledge made in the past few years, making a decision like this is simply not responsible or advisable.

I have Asperger Syndrome, which is related to autism.

No, 'Asperger Syndrome' IS A FORM of autism, just like 'autistic disorder' and 'PDD-NOS' are.
There is a subgroup of autistics without additional mental handicaps, that seem to have a somewhat similar set of behaviours, and they are promptly being classified as having a different diagnosis.
Something like classifying everyone who likes to do extreme sports as a human subclass Homo Sapiens Adrenalinejunkens, or something.

Okay here is what I know about Autism. My cousin can't dress himself, he barely talks, he doesn't make eye contact for more then a few seconds, he can't bare to be touched or talked to by strangers, he bangs himself off of walls. He needs to be restrained during violent tantrums. He obviously can't be put into regular school so he is sent to a special school which is incredibly expensive. It's gotten to the point that my 5'3 aunt can't physically handle him and he has hurt her. Unintentionally of course but he only 12 and already taller then her. He is has very severe autism. If there was a cure and god willing there might be someday, my aunt will sure as hell sign him up. His future is really bleak. He is not at all functioning and could never be alone. I cross my fingers that there will be a cure someday. And searching for one is a noble task.

No, its not really that we can diagnose Autism more accurately, its much more that ten years ago, they changed the definition of what constitutes Autism.

That, plus the fact that more people are actively seeking 'some kind of diagnosis' for the problems they encounter in life.
Until the eighties, being somewhat weird just made you 'somewhat weird', but society accepted that.
In the eighties and nineties, it made you a nerd, which was, again, an acceptable status.
Nowadays, even nerds are expected to be social miracleworkers.
The ever increasing speed of changes, the ever greater demand for 'interhuman skills' and the social pressure to be able to cope with all of this, make more and more autistics lag behind and 'fail'.
The greater accessibility (and less negative reputation) of mental healthcare and the better availability of information, mostly via internet, means that more of these people will get into contact with the notion of 'gifted autism', and enter into a diagnostic trajectory for it.

And, of course, this also leads to the increase in false positives, although in the end I think the reluctance to accept 'being autistic' will prevent most false positives from pursuing a wrong course of treatment. That is, if there would be anything wrong with following some guidelines that are good for 'your average autistic'. Actually, if everyone would be a little more 'autistic'...

Okay here is what I know about Autism....

But that doesn't mean that that is all there is to know about autism, and it doesn't mean that every autistic is like that.
If a cure for autism would be found, it would be forced upon everyone with a diagnosis (yes, of course it will be!).
That would mean you would adversely affect the benefits of an autistic brain, and change the personality of those that don't want it changed.
So, I would like to see society more receptive of 'gifted autistics', and I would like to see treatments that can make life with autism, especially in combination with a mental handicap, easier, but no, a cure for autism would probably be a dangerous thing to have around...

but no, a cure for autism would probably be a dangerous thing to have around...

After what I just said, how can having a cure to that be wrong. People can refuse a cure. But saying that some people would be upset so don't make one punishes those who have absolutely no quality of life. A possible would be my cousin's only chance at any type of life. Any type. A cure for him would be salvation. Because when his mother passes away, guess what's going to happen to him.

After what I just said, how can having a cure to that be wrong.

Autism isn't only negative. Just because it is in the case of your cousin, it doesn't mean it is for everyone.
If there would be a cure, since autism is labeled a 'disability', health insurances will demand you take the cure. Employers will probably do the same, because they won't be able to see that some of your skills are actually an integral part of the autistic brain.
Moreover, prenatal screening and the enforced prevention (same health insurance issues) would mean the loss of a group of people that actually, through their different view (literally!) on the world, can be a positive influence in the world, and at least make for some necessary diversity in thinking about what is 'normal'.
So, in that respect, we should focus on acceptance of differences, instead of trying to 'cure' anyone that is not up to 'ideal' standards.

Therefore I would prefer to have an effective treatment for individuals like your cousin, rather than a cure for 'everyone'.

Speaking as someone with Asperger's, here's my take.

Vetalia's onto something when he says that the evolving knowledge of autism means we're not quite sure what we're curing, and hence it is that much harder to say if we wish to cure it.

A number of the indisputable negatives - and there are far more of them in traditional autism (Kanner syndrome; Kanner and Asperger were both contemporaneous researchers identifying similar populations but with noticeable differences in intelligence and adaptation) - can be dealt with in other forms of intervention. I know my own social skills have improved over time, although I've literally had to learn them, in the same way that I would learn geography. Or perhaps more aptly, music theory; a set of rules that to some seem completely natural, but to others seem completely confusing. (It's just that the vast majority of the population understand social rules, by definition, whereas a not-much-smaller majority do not have more than a flimsy knowledge of music theory.)

It's better to refer to autism as a spectrum of disorders, of which Asperger's is one. And perhaps a notably different one, and one I for one certainly believe should not be cured; amongst this population you have many particular specialists, certainly in logical endeavours (various sciences, music); looking purely from a cold and clinical economist's perspective, these are the types of people a Western economy needs to spark new innovations and maintain a competitive advantage of any form against nations with larger, cheaper labour forces. (I just gave away my Britishness with that spelling, there.)

Also, we probably need a better understanding of the issues involved. With the exception of those who either are on the autistic spectrum or work/live with those who are (or those who've hit Wikipedia while reading this topic), I would be surprised if anyone who's posted on here knew that one common problem of those on the autistic spectrum is hypersensitivity in some form or another. That's often more of a barrier to me than my social difficulties these days: my career path is likely to direct me towards working in London, but London in rush hour - bad enough for most people - is positively frightening to me; more trivially, I'm in the backstage tech group at university, but about half the shows the university puts on every year are off-limits to me due to flashing lights and/or excessive volume, and by not knowing which these will be I spent an entire year not working on any shows.

Yes, the definition of autism has changed, because until relatively recently 'autism' was synonymous only with 'Kanner syndrome'. I was diagnosed with Asperger's around 1989, but were it not for my aunt being a psychologist I severely doubt I would have been diagnosed until at least the mid-90s (for reference; I'm a 1986 baby); that early intervention was absolutely critical.

I believe chasing a cure for autism - and like any cure, it will be expensive and time-consuming to find - is a use of resources with at best uncertain and mixed impact. Finding ways for autistic-spectrum individuals to live better lives in a neurotypical world at similar expense would seem to me to have a far more clearly positive payoff.

Autism isn't only negative. Just because it is in the case of your cousin, it doesn't mean it is for everyone.
If there would be a cure, since autism is labeled a 'disability', health insurances will demand you take the cure. Employers will probably do the same, because they won't be able to see that some of your skills are actually an integral part of the autistic brain.
Moreover, prenatal screening and the enforced prevention (same health insurance issues) would mean the loss of a group of people that actually, through their different view (literally!) on the world, can be a positive influence in the world, and at least make for some necessary diversity in thinking about what is 'normal'.
So, in that respect, we should focus on acceptance of differences, instead of trying to 'cure' anyone that is not up to 'ideal' standards.

Therefore I would prefer to have an effective treatment for individuals like your cousin, rather than a cure for 'everyone'.

So you're saying you wouldn't give my a cousin a frankly, live saving cure because some people wouldn't want to take it? And you can't FORCE people to take anything. Do they force the functioning mentally ill to take their meds? No lol. What would be the difference between the functioning Autistic? If you enjoying you're autism then don't a cure. It would never be forced on you if you're a functioning person. No insurance company would have you held down and forced something. And enforced prevention? I'm not entirely sure what you meant by that. But if I'm correct in what I think you meant then that is ridiculous. If someone said to me that there is a cure for depression but we can't give it out because some dude is totally enjoying being depressed the I'd be pretty pissed.

I think it comes down to I have a loved one who has no future. Will the end, end up in a home of some sort. And probably will pass away earlier then he should. I want a cure to fix him. I want to fix him. There is no positive here. I want a cure. Disagree or agree, it doesn't matter. Because there is a little boy who needs to be cured of this. He's getting all the so called "effective" treatments. And guess what they means for someone like him. Nothing. I can't stress to someone who can't understand, what a severe autistic child is like and goes through.

Speaking as someone with Asperger's, here's my take.

Okay, so you're a bit more eloquent in English than I am, but that's about what I wanted to say... ;)

So you're saying you wouldn't give my a cousin a frankly, live saving cure because some people wouldn't want to take it?

No, I am saying that a cure isn't the only option.
And you can't FORCE people to take anything. Do they force the functioning mentally ill to take their meds?
Sure, they're doing that in every institution / hospital / 'care center', etc.
No insurance company would have you held down and forced something.

No, you'd just loose your health insurance, because you are a 'liability'.
And enforced prevention? I'm not entirely sure what you meant by that.
There is a way to see, prenatally, if someone will have Down syndrome. If a prenatal genetic 'cure' would exist, almost every parent would choose to have this cure, meaning almost noone with Don syndrome will be born anymore.
Same will be true for autism, or anything, for that matter.
If someone said to me that there is a cure for depression but we can't give it out because some dude is totally enjoying being depressed the I'd be pretty pissed.
Now that, of course, is a completely ridiculous comparison.

I am slightly offended here - I have asperger and its a part of me.

Can you cure a german from being german? or a white person for being white? Curing a penguin from lack of flight?

(obviously you can with todays technology, question is rather what white germans would feel about having people discuss curing them. Oh and I have nothing against germans, as Im planning to move there to get closer to my best friends ;))


Id rather say its a matter of getting you neuro-typicals to start adapting so we can function normally around you. Theres nothing wrong with us, we are just different.

I do realise it is different for many, especially for those who have an autist in their life. Trust me, I know I can be a pain in the butt, and I know I keep those who love me awake at night with my problems - and Im a relatively easy person to be around.

But dont change, adapt.

Autism probably should be cured, it's pretty nasty. At least, low functioning autism. High functioning autism and Aspegers are different, though. Some of the greatest people in history had/were theorised to have had Aspergers or high functioning autism.

Autism probably should be cured, it's pretty nasty. At least, low functioning autism. High functioning autism and Aspegers are different, though. Some of the greatest people in history had/were theorised to have had Aspergers or high functioning autism.

If it were as cut-and-dried as that, there'd be a case for that. (I'm not sure whether or not I'd support it, but there'd be a case for it.)

But the very phrase 'autistic spectrum' implies something far more... continuous. More bell curve than histogram. That then leads to one heck of an issue as to where you draw the line, not to mention the small matter of where one is (and by implication what side of the line one is) which presumably would be decided at too young an age.

What seems a perfectly reasonable argument - maybe still is - falls down simply on that one flaw.

Id rather say its a matter of getting you neuro-typicals to start adapting so we can function normally around you. Theres nothing wrong with us, we are just different.

By definition, deviations from the majority that genuinely affect an individual's interaction with each other (and until too recently - perhaps even now - deviations that do not, such as race and nationality as Medici also mentioned) are treated as malfunctional. That's a gross overgeneralisation, and at the very least should only be applied where the effect is overwhelmingly negative. Schizophrenia (despite being linked to creativity) possibly counts; Asperger Syndrome sure as heck doesn't.

Having lived with Aspergers, I can testify unequivocally that it has no upsides or purpose and that a cure would do me a lot of good.

IIRC, the effect of Autism is that suffers lack the innate awareness that other people think differently to oneself. Surely the 'cure' is simply to work out through logic what other people know intuitively?

IIRC, the effect of Autism is that suffers lack the innate awareness that other people think differently to oneself. Surely the 'cure' is simply to work out through logic what other people know intuitively?

That's been my approach to life to a great extent. In the process it's seemingly allowed me to understand and notice a lot of the irrationality others possess; I can learn from them, but others can learn from me too.

As mentioned earlier, there's rather more to it than that though.

That, plus the fact that more people are actively seeking 'some kind of diagnosis' for the problems they encounter in life.
Until the eighties, being somewhat weird just made you 'somewhat weird', but society accepted that.
In the eighties and nineties, it made you a nerd, which was, again, an acceptable status.
Nowadays, even nerds are expected to be social miracleworkers.
The ever increasing speed of changes, the ever greater demand for 'interhuman skills' and the social pressure to be able to cope with all of this, make more and more autistics lag behind and 'fail'.
The greater accessibility (and less negative reputation) of mental healthcare and the better availability of information, mostly via internet, means that more of these people will get into contact with the notion of 'gifted autism', and enter into a diagnostic trajectory for it.

And, of course, this also leads to the increase in false positives, although in the end I think the reluctance to accept 'being autistic' will prevent most false positives from pursuing a wrong course of treatment. That is, if there would be anything wrong with following some guidelines that are good for 'your average autistic'. Actually, if everyone would be a little more 'autistic'...

You actually touched upon yet another reason for the dramatic rise in Austism cases in the last 15 years.
The available help for parents with Autistism has been DRAMATICALLY improved, and many patients whos conditions werent actually covered by insurance, or that there were no treatments for, can find a great deal of support within thier communities.

This means that many cases of Asperger's or other related conditions, really...arent. It's often a case where the actual condition is unknown, and support for similar conditions dont really exist.
This means that many doctors are diagnosing patients with remotely similar symptoms, with Autism, or other OCD -like conditions.
They often do this so that families can get help and support for thier children.

(this post directed at whoever reads it)

IIRC, the effect of Autism is that suffers lack the innate awareness that other people think differently to oneself. Surely the 'cure' is simply to work out through logic what other people know intuitively?The "innate awareness" of normal people is limited, too - just a bit (relatively speaking) less. Specifically, limited to basic emotional and mental states - that which is conveyed through body language and they are able to "read" instinctively, as well as a large set of instinctively made assumptions that typically "work" for most people observed.

But it does not extend as far as thought itself. While they understand that others might feel differently, "normal" people by default assume that others think in the same way that they themselves do, ie. while they understand that others' current "states" are different, they do not understand that the "mechanics" leading to those states are. This they must learn, and increasingly do as they grow up. The only difference is the extent to which things have to be learned, which is variably greater for those on the spectrum.

However, "normal" people typically overrate their instinctive understanding grossly. Many hold an irrational belief that they know how others feel, which is blatantly untrue. For empathy is based on the fantasy concoctions of your own brain, which may or may not correspond to reality - something few are willing to recognize. Just as the assumptions people routinely make regarding how others feel can end up ridiculously far off when interacting with foreign cultures, they very often go wrong when interacting with people who are significantly different from themselves by nature. Newsflash: people off the spectrum are about as bad at reading people on it as the reverse. (and people near each other on it often understand each other very well. oh dear, another newsflash: people who are similar to each other typically understand each other well, while people who aren't don't)

Those on the spectrum, sooner or later, have to learn the hard way that thoughtless assumptions do lead to fuckups and have no choice but to confront that fact. Therein lies many differences in how we view one another.

[/rant]