The Autism News

Kerry Caligari at 1:02pm May 27
I think you have some very valid points, not everyone may agree, but opinions on autism are vast and wide ranging. As a parent I feel I have to be open minded, so thankyou for sharing. My 5 year old loves the computer and would far rather be on the computer than doing anything else and I work hard to make sure I let him have his time, but limit it and make sure he also has lots of social time too.

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Amy Catron McCarty at 1:03pm May 27
Honestly, I have thought the same myself. Im not laughing at you. There are too many kids with autism for it to “just happen”. I have many beliefs, but I am right there with you on the thought.

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Joan Strawbridge at 1:06pm May 27 via Facebook Mobile
I have read that we , humans, use something like 3-10% of our brain…who knows what lurks beyond our tiny thought box?

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Vickie Freeman at 1:14pm May 27
Hey wont get laughing from me my son and his friend both made the comments about evolution and the next steps they said people are starting to be born with out spleens or what not i mean if we went from apes to what we have now who knows what we will be in another 100 200 300 thousands of yrs.

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Bobbi Varadi at 1:16pm May 27
Well you might be right…… But I’m one of the older autism spectrum people and I have a really hard time with the computer…… But making a world in my own head , I have no problem….. Done that forever and it never left me…… We are happy in our world…… Facebook is almost as good as our world…… But I am never alone…….. I don’t know if I made any sense…….. It made sense to me

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Robin Horne-Aceves at 1:18pm May 27
Theory from the crystal children thoughts. My son is incrediably kind and is very earthly in all that he does. I am very open minded. This could be the new evolution.

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Riki Inked at 1:21pm May 27
I agree, as adults need to change the way we teach…my twins (high function) read and write at a grade 2 level..but they are just starting kindergarten….the computer is the same too, they fly thru games and websites..ill never stop aba and other therapys tho.

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Jennifer Henry Radcliffe at 1:33pm May 27
I’m so glad others are agreeing with this, my husband and I have had the same discussion! Obviously there is no way of really knowing, and I think this would apply to those who are not vaccine-injured.

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Cindy White- McGlinchey at 1:34pm May 27
I think it’s a possabilty…Shane loves the pc and has been playing on it like an expert since he was 3.

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Kasey Rae Spencer at 1:38pm May 27
God I hope chronic medical illness isn’t part of the next human evolution. I only speak for my family…but it stops NOW in my gene pool. This wont continue in my family, I will see to that.

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Sharon Appleman Greenwald at 1:43pm May 27
I have to wonder how many parents who have kids with Autism took some sort of infertility treatment. I believe that Autism is on the rise because people are having kids at much older ages. Also, I believe that women are infertile because their bodies are telling them that they shouldn’t have children. By defying what their body is telling them and getting pregnant through infertility, Austism could very well be one consequence of that. I do not mean to insult anyway, but was curious as to what other people think.I am also aware that not everyone who takes infertility treatments has kids with Autism or that only older parents have kids with Autism. But I think this is a theory worth pursuing.

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Kate Stones at 1:47pm May 27
Funny, I’ve regularly discussed this idea with my family too. My 7 year old son is also a computer whizz. He was able to turn my pc on & log onto the internet at 3 years old. I put in passwords so he couldn’t, but he cracked them! He is very active on Club Penguin (kids’ virtual world) & loves that social interaction. He has many other abilities that astound everyone, including being bilingual in English & Danish, yet he still battles to dress or wash himself.

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Berney Gillett at 1:47pm May 27 via Facebook Mobile
My 7 year old has mid to high functioning ASD and frightens his teachers and peers with the speed he types on the pc.

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Sediqua Jacobs Kimmie at 1:50pm May 27 via Facebook Mobile
I do remember when I was a kid I came across lots of other kids or adults who were ‘different’..I think autism was always there it’s just people were not that familiar with the term.I do however also believe that it is genetic..that’s just my opinion.

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Nathalie Sytema at 1:52pm May 27
Okay here another one who was thinking ASD might be something to do with evolution. Now they are a minority and we treat them as different. But if the growth in diagnosed people with autism keeps up, I wonder which group will be concidered “handicapped” in 10 generations or so.

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Theresa Brown Fulton at 2:09pm May 27
Great topic for discussion. This is something I had never thought of. My 3 year old is a HFA and loves the computer but isn’t quite a whiz at it yet.

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Cathy Brennan Reilly at 2:14pm May 27
The whiz kid computer asd person is just one of many flavors of autism. There are kids who are so ill they can’t understand computers, can’t digest food, can’t type b/c their fingers don’t have the strength or can’t understand language. I do think it’s a change in how humans react to their environment which is slowly poisoning some of us (who are more sensitive or can’t detox). those who are less sensitive become “computer whizzes” (which they may have been even if the environment didn’t change their already altered genes), but I can’t say that I’m looking forward to the onslaught of very sick humans that occuring.

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Gretchen Mansfield Wilson at 2:21pm May 27
hmmmmm interesting thought for responses. Never thought of that.

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Candy Gill-Knickerbocker at 2:28pm May 27
I wrote a paper about 5 years ago about ADHD that basically said the same. My sociologist prof. didn’t like it very much!!! lol… I keep my mind open to the possibility that our kids are the truly the “next generation” and that they are adapting to our environment… high tech/no personal contact… no personal feelings (except for those maybe very close to them)… it’s an interesting way of looking at it and I can’t totally discount it… although I’m sure many would…

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Candy Gill-Knickerbocker at 2:32pm May 27
BTW… at the time I wrote paper, my son was incorrectly diagnosed with ADHD and I didn’t put much credence into food being part of the environment that caused the changes in him… but now, I believe he does have food allergies… over time, I think many parents (if open-minded) will change their opinions of their child’s illness… it’s all a matter of perspective…

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Sediqua Jacobs Kimmie at 2:45pm May 27 via Facebook Mobile
This is a very interesting topic.Always good and somewhat educational to hear others opinions.

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Sediqua Jacobs Kimmie at 2:57pm May 27 via Facebook Mobile
That is awful Joan..so sorry.Everyday is a challenge here but so rewarding.

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Michelle George at 3:16pm May 27
Have other parents found ti difficult with getting a confirmed diagnosis… my husband and i have been subject to parent evaluations and everything, all because the docs prefer to think it is the parenting before anything else… i found this the most difficult bit to cope with, even worse than dealing with the autism itself…

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Clair Louise Foster at 3:22pm May 27
I’m not laughing either. You know as parents of autistic children i think we all have ideas of how we got here or why even. I don’t really discuss my ideas with too many people though because they just don’t get it.

People without autistic children always think that there better diagnosis now and that is the reason there are so many children with autism, i always smile at that one because its total crap (in my opinion )

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Katie Miller at 3:28pm May 27
As an Autistic person, I would much rather have others think of me and my people as some sort of higher evolved being than as a sick, diseased non-person to be pitied. However, scientifically, evolution cannot happen in only a few hundred years time – it takes millions. That being said, I think it is advantageous to look at the strengths and skills that autism often brings.

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Cait Burtch at 3:53pm May 27
Great perspective…

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Robert Gibbs at 4:06pm May 27
Interesting thought.

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Mellissa Lee at 5:01pm May 27
This is really intresting and makes me think

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Katrina Malone at 5:13pm May 27 via Facebook Mobile
I have 2 kids on the spectrum. Both no social skills one hfa a brainiac and a wizz and one that has limited speech but is good at processing. Yes I believe these children are here to change us and the planet. Bring it on send an autie into the presidency and see our worlds change.

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Tammy Burton at 5:15pm May 27
very interesting take

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Sarah Hadlow at 7:05pm May 27
I agree with Katie, I’d much rather be thought of as the next step in human evolution than someone who needs to be looked after and/or pitied. I like to think that we’re a step further along that NTs, but not so much that we’re completely evolved.
On the other hand, the human mind does tend to create notions that ‘make sense’ of the world, and Autism is one of those things – like the creaton of life itself -that has no known cause, meaning or cure. Perhaps this theory, like religion (I’m Catholic and don’t want to get into the religion debate), is one of the current ways that allows us to view Autism as something that is functional and serves a purpose somewhere along the way, in essence allowing us to label, box and make sense of it all.

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Candy Gill-Knickerbocker at 8:18pm May 27
Well put Sarah and Katie! Thanks for your input. As someone with only 1 foot into your world (I have many traits but don’t qualify for a diagnosis), it means a lot to hear your take on things!

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Kate Stones at 1:10am May 28
In response to some comments on autism being a “sickness”. My son has autism but is certainly not sick. He does not have any food allergies or stomach complaints or any of the other symptoms of illness that I hear so many other parents mentioning. I often wonder if there are actually two difference disorders (or a disorder & an illness) being lumped together into the autism basket.

Candy Gill-Knickerbocker at 2:29am June 10
I’ve heard this same theory applied to ADHD and have read some research on the idea for a paper I was doing at the time. It’s an interesting thought but I wonder about the timing. Doesn’t it take hundreds (or thousands) of years for an adaptation to manifest itself? Seems like this one (if you believe it is only an adaptation) has happened quite quickly… It’s certainly an idea that I wouldn’t discount esp. since so many people who are affected by ASD claim they don’t want to be “cured”, “healed”, or whatever term you might apply…

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Clair Louise Foster at 2:33am June 10
Maybe hundreds and thousands of years have gone by and this is the begininning! I don’t discount anything either, just try to keep an open mind, very interesting.

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Imogen Hobbs. Harris at 2:46am June 10
http://www.starchild.co.za/what.html
We are undergoing many transformations all the time, have a look at this link, many believe that ASD children are part of the indigo/crystal evolution which began back in the 60’s 70’s.
Can find more on this if you are interested.

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Amy Catron McCarty at 2:57am June 10
I have read about the indigo and crystal children. I do believe this is the beginning of an evolution.

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Clair Louise Foster at 4:03am June 10
Would love to read about that, its all so fascinating

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Fran McGowan at 4:18am June 10
I wouldnt rule it out to be honest.

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Elena Talkaboutautism at 5:16am June 10
Interesting ideas!

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Yogesh V Raje at 5:30am June 10
Am convinced it will happen. However am equally convinced that we would be shown a way to handle it.

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Sandra Mutter at 5:58am June 10
my husband and i are both certain that ASD children are the next wave of evolution. there are too many of the not to be and more being born everyday. I’ve read where they think Einstein, Michelangelo, and even Da Vinci had ASD too. if that is true then ASD has been around a long time but is now growing in numbers and ways to spot them. i’ve read the stuff on crystal children too and my tommy has about 95% of the signs. another thing is these children seem to focus really well on one area. if you watch movies of the future that is one of the things shown in them (kids careers being planned from an early age due to what they focus on and strengths are.) any of that sound familiar? so yes we firmly believe ASD children are the future. we just aren’t ready for them yet.

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Dana Corrente Read at 6:56am June 10
I think every individual w/autism is gifted & unique, however, I don’t think autism is anything new – it’s just getting more attention. While it is increasing, I firmly believe those increases are due to environmental factors and have very little to do w/genetics other than those w/a predisposition are probably more susceptible. However, there is nothing evolutionary about the hell my boys went through after HepB & MMR. That was simply medical malpractice at its finest.

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Yogesh V Raje at 8:07am June 10
Dana, i think ur right.. i hv been trying to find a link on Autism / ASD and the ancient india.. and am realizing that some of the most talented men in Indian history, especially warriors, creators were displaying these traits, though there was no method of pinpointing it then. Ayurveda an ancient form od Indian medicine, has referrals made to this spectrum though the language is unclear,,yet i belve there will be a clue to the cure there.. if not a cure, at least a method to go round it .. lets keep thehope on

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Clair Louise Foster at 8:47am June 10
Totally Dana, totally i agree with you, although my son never had any vaccines and while i would never rule out anything my son would will never be able to live/cope/manage alone so would always be “disabled” even if the rest of the world were autistic. He just has no sense whatsoever of danger and its not getting any better as he gets older.

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Erin Kreissler at 9:19am June 10
I’m trying to open my mind to the possibility that differences in perception/sensation experienced by those with autism may be just as “accurate/real” as those of us who assume we perceive things the “right” way (I’m highly influenced lately by my interest in quantum physics and how we see only what we expect to see but there is soooo much more info that others’ brains may be better wired to receive/ be “aware” of).
Maybe we NEED neurodiversity in order to evolve?

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Stormie Hill at 11:36am June 10
Yes. My husband thinks so.

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Mellissa Lee at 1:09pm June 10
yes Ive always thought of this.What do you think the world is gonna be like when all of these kids with autism are adults,there are so many and I wonder if things are gonna change in the next few years because of this.

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Yogesh V Raje at 1:10pm June 10
Melissa, things will change, for the good.. if we believe that the change is in process. Am sure it is, andit will manifest soon.

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Fran McGowan at 1:36pm June 10
I think someday there will be no needs for words, phones or computers. We will all be communicating telepathically. how often have you thought about someone then they contacted you, or bumped into them just after thinking about them.

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Yogesh V Raje at 1:37pm June 10
fran, telepathy is a scientifically explained phenomenon. as much as the spirit world is… works on Ultrasound or UltraHIgh Frequency that is not audible/visible/nerulegible to we humans.. someday we can trace that too

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Erin Kreissler at 2:19pm June 10
Cool! Both my children are helping ME learn and evolve too