Time on Grinker: What Autism Epidemic?

[Guest guest]

Title: What Autism Epidemic? -- Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007 -- Printout --

TIME URL: http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1576829,00.html

Date: 2007-01-11 20:00:01 -0500

Back to Article

Click to Print

Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007

What Autism Epidemic?

By Wallis

Epidemic is a powerful word. It generates bold headlines, congressional

hearings, research dollars and dramatic, high-stakes hunts for

culprits. It's a word that has lately been attached to autism. How else

to account for the fact that a disorder that before 1990 was reported

to affect just 4.7 out of every 10,000 American children now strikes 60

per 10,000, according to many estimates--the equivalent of 1 in 166

kids?

But what if there is no epidemic? What if the apparent explosion in

autism numbers is simply the unforeseen result of shifting definitions,

policy changes and increased awareness among parents, educators and

doctors? That's what Washington University anthropologist Roy

Grinker persuasively argues in a new book sure to generate

controversy. In Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism, Grinker

uses the lens of anthropology to show how shifting cultural conditions

change the way medical scientists do their work and how we perceive

mental health.

In addition to rising awareness of autism, Grinker points to these

factors:

BROADER DEFINITIONS Each successive edition of the Diagnostic and

Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders--the bible of mental health--has

revised the criteria for identifying autism in ways that tend to

include more people. Two conditions on the milder end of the autistic

spectrum--Asperger's syndrome and the awkwardly named PDD-NOS

(pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified)--were added

to the DSM in 1994 and 1987, respectively. Grinker and others say 50%

to 75% of the increase in diagnoses is coming in these milder

categories.

SCHOOL POLICY U.S. schools are required to report data on kids who

receive special-education services, but autism wasn't added as a

category until the 1991-92 school year. No wonder the numbers

exploded--from 22,445 receiving services for autism in 1995 to 140,254

in 2004. Grinker points out that " traumatic brain injury " also became

one of the 13 reportable categories in 1992, and it had a similar

spike.

MORE HELP, LESS STIGMA As services have become more available for kids

with autism, more parents are seeking a diagnosis they would have

shunned 30 years ago, when psychiatrists still blamed autism on chilly

" refrigerator " mothers. Doctors are also more willing to apply the

diagnosis to help a patient. " I'll call a kid a zebra if it will get

him the educational services I think he needs, " National Institute of

Mental Health psychiatrist Judith Rapoport told Grinker.

FINANCIAL INCENTIVES In some states, parents of children with autism

can apply for Medicaid even if they are not near the poverty line. A

diagnosis of mental retardation doesn't always offer this advantage.

RELABELING For all the reasons above, many kids previously given other

diagnoses are now called autistic. University of Wisconsin researcher

Shattuck has found that the number of kids getting special-ed

services for retardation and learning disabilities declined in 47

states between 1994 and 2003, just as those getting help for autism was

rising. In 44 states, the drop exceeded the rise in autism.

As convincing as Grinker's analysis seems, arguments about the apparent

epidemic will probably continue. It's simply impossible to accurately

reconstruct the past incidence of the disorder, given how radically

definitions have changed. Those who believe the increase is real often

focus on the mysterious paucity of autistic adults. With their

conspicuous symptoms like hand flapping and little or no language, " I

think we would be recognizing them in institutions, " says Dr.

Hendren, executive director of the M.I.N.D. Institute at the University

of California, .

Grinker's answer is that autistic adults are out there but wearing

other labels. " Where are all the adults with fetal alcohol syndrome? "

he asks. No one over 40 has the condition, thought to affect up to 1 in

500 kids today, because it was not recognized until the mid-'70s. " But

no one would say alcoholism among pregnant women just started, " says

Grinker.

Grinker, whose 15-year-old daughter is autistic, concedes that there's

something reassuring about the idea of an epidemic: " Thinking about any

disorder as an epidemic is easier than thinking about it in terms of

multiple causes, shifting definitions and a scientific reality we are

only just beginning to understand. " Besides, if a disease suddenly

spikes, it seems more plausible that the increase could be reversed--if

only we could find the mysterious environmental trigger. With autism,

though, that hopeful scenario seems just too simple.

Click to Print

Find this article at:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1576829,00.html

[Guest guest]

Unbelieveable. Where do these cucks come from?

The neuro-diverse are going to lap this up with a spoon.

I love the " Financial Incentive " section. Excuse me while I go back

to developing my master plan on how I'm going to rip off medicaid.

So far I've gotten my son to go along with the plan..he pretends to

be autistic perfectly. Really it's an academy award winning

performance. He's so dedicated to the " plan " he never even goes out

of character.

I've plotted and planned how I'm going to take medicaid to the

cleaners...I can't back out now.

>

> Title: What Autism Epidemic? -- Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007 --

Printout --

> TIME URL: http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1576829,00.html

> Date: 2007-01-11 20:00:01 -0500

>

>

>

> Back to Article

>

> Click to Print

>

> Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007

> What Autism Epidemic?

> By Wallis

>

> Epidemic is a powerful word. It generates bold headlines,

congressional

> hearings, research dollars and dramatic, high-stakes hunts for

> culprits. It's a word that has lately been attached to autism. How

else

> to account for the fact that a disorder that before 1990 was

reported

> to affect just 4.7 out of every 10,000 American children now

strikes 60

> per 10,000, according to many estimates--the equivalent of 1 in 166

> kids?

>

> But what if there is no epidemic? What if the apparent explosion in

> autism numbers is simply the unforeseen result of shifting

definitions,

> policy changes and increased awareness among parents, educators and

> doctors? That's what Washington University anthropologist

Roy

> Grinker persuasively argues in a new book sure to generate

> controversy. In Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism,

Grinker

> uses the lens of anthropology to show how shifting cultural

conditions

> change the way medical scientists do their work and how we perceive

> mental health.

>

> In addition to rising awareness of autism, Grinker points to these

> factors:

>

> BROADER DEFINITIONS Each successive edition of the Diagnostic and

> Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders--the bible of mental health--

has

> revised the criteria for identifying autism in ways that tend to

> include more people. Two conditions on the milder end of the

autistic

> spectrum--Asperger's syndrome and the awkwardly named PDD-NOS

> (pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified)--were

added

> to the DSM in 1994 and 1987, respectively. Grinker and others say

50%

> to 75% of the increase in diagnoses is coming in these milder

> categories.

>

> SCHOOL POLICY U.S. schools are required to report data on kids who

> receive special-education services, but autism wasn't added as a

> category until the 1991-92 school year. No wonder the numbers

> exploded--from 22,445 receiving services for autism in 1995 to

140,254

> in 2004. Grinker points out that " traumatic brain injury " also

became

> one of the 13 reportable categories in 1992, and it had a similar

> spike.

>

> MORE HELP, LESS STIGMA As services have become more available for

kids

> with autism, more parents are seeking a diagnosis they would have

> shunned 30 years ago, when psychiatrists still blamed autism on

chilly

> " refrigerator " mothers. Doctors are also more willing to apply the

> diagnosis to help a patient. " I'll call a kid a zebra if it will

get

> him the educational services I think he needs, " National Institute

of

> Mental Health psychiatrist Judith Rapoport told Grinker.

>

> FINANCIAL INCENTIVES In some states, parents of children with

autism

> can apply for Medicaid even if they are not near the poverty line.

A

> diagnosis of mental retardation doesn't always offer this advantage.

>

> RELABELING For all the reasons above, many kids previously given

other

> diagnoses are now called autistic. University of Wisconsin

researcher

> Shattuck has found that the number of kids getting special-ed

> services for retardation and learning disabilities declined in 47

> states between 1994 and 2003, just as those getting help for autism

was

> rising. In 44 states, the drop exceeded the rise in autism.

>

> As convincing as Grinker's analysis seems, arguments about the

apparent

> epidemic will probably continue. It's simply impossible to

accurately

> reconstruct the past incidence of the disorder, given how radically

> definitions have changed. Those who believe the increase is real

often

> focus on the mysterious paucity of autistic adults. With their

> conspicuous symptoms like hand flapping and little or no

language, " I

> think we would be recognizing them in institutions, " says Dr.

> Hendren, executive director of the M.I.N.D. Institute at the

University

> of California, .

>

> Grinker's answer is that autistic adults are out there but wearing

> other labels. " Where are all the adults with fetal alcohol

syndrome? "

> he asks. No one over 40 has the condition, thought to affect up to

1 in

> 500 kids today, because it was not recognized until the mid-

'70s. " But

> no one would say alcoholism among pregnant women just started, "

says

> Grinker.

>

> Grinker, whose 15-year-old daughter is autistic, concedes that

there's

> something reassuring about the idea of an epidemic: " Thinking about

any

> disorder as an epidemic is easier than thinking about it in terms

of

> multiple causes, shifting definitions and a scientific reality we

are

> only just beginning to understand. " Besides, if a disease suddenly

> spikes, it seems more plausible that the increase could be reversed-

-if

> only we could find the mysterious environmental trigger. With

autism,

> though, that hopeful scenario seems just too simple.

>

> Click to Print

> Find this article at:

>

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1576829,00.ht

ml

>

[Guest guest]

ya right because medicaid pays for autism bills-lolandrea52521991 <mkeller@...> wrote: Unbelieveable. Where do these cucks come from?The neuro-diverse are going to lap this up with a spoon.I love the "Financial Incentive" section. Excuse me while I go back to developing my master plan on how I'm going to rip off medicaid.So far I've gotten my son to go along with the plan..he pretends to be autistic perfectly. Really it's an academy award winning performance. He's so dedicated to

the "plan" he never even goes out of character. I've plotted and planned how I'm going to take medicaid to the cleaners...I can't back out now.>> Title: What Autism Epidemic? -- Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007 -- Printout -- > TIME URL: http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1576829,00.html > Date: 2007-01-11 20:00:01 -0500> > > > Back to Article> > Click to Print> > Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007> What Autism Epidemic?> By Wallis> > Epidemic is a powerful word. It generates bold headlines, congressional > hearings, research dollars and dramatic, high-stakes hunts for > culprits. It's a word that has

lately been attached to autism. How else > to account for the fact that a disorder that before 1990 was reported > to affect just 4.7 out of every 10,000 American children now strikes 60 > per 10,000, according to many estimates--the equivalent of 1 in 166 > kids?> > But what if there is no epidemic? What if the apparent explosion in > autism numbers is simply the unforeseen result of shifting definitions, > policy changes and increased awareness among parents, educators and > doctors? That's what Washington University anthropologist Roy > Grinker persuasively argues in a new book sure to generate > controversy. In Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism, Grinker > uses the lens of anthropology to show how shifting cultural conditions > change the way medical scientists do their work and how we perceive > mental health.>

> In addition to rising awareness of autism, Grinker points to these > factors:> > BROADER DEFINITIONS Each successive edition of the Diagnostic and > Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders--the bible of mental health--has > revised the criteria for identifying autism in ways that tend to > include more people. Two conditions on the milder end of the autistic > spectrum--Asperger's syndrome and the awkwardly named PDD-NOS > (pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified)--were added > to the DSM in 1994 and 1987, respectively. Grinker and others say 50% > to 75% of the increase in diagnoses is coming in these milder > categories.> > SCHOOL POLICY U.S. schools are required to report data on kids who > receive special-education services, but autism wasn't added as a > category until the 1991-92 school year. No wonder the

numbers > exploded--from 22,445 receiving services for autism in 1995 to 140,254 > in 2004. Grinker points out that "traumatic brain injury" also became > one of the 13 reportable categories in 1992, and it had a similar > spike.> > MORE HELP, LESS STIGMA As services have become more available for kids > with autism, more parents are seeking a diagnosis they would have > shunned 30 years ago, when psychiatrists still blamed autism on chilly > "refrigerator" mothers. Doctors are also more willing to apply the > diagnosis to help a patient. "I'll call a kid a zebra if it will get > him the educational services I think he needs," National Institute of > Mental Health psychiatrist Judith Rapoport told Grinker.> > FINANCIAL INCENTIVES In some states, parents of children with autism > can apply for Medicaid even if they are not near the poverty

line. A > diagnosis of mental retardation doesn't always offer this advantage.> > RELABELING For all the reasons above, many kids previously given other > diagnoses are now called autistic. University of Wisconsin researcher > Shattuck has found that the number of kids getting special-ed > services for retardation and learning disabilities declined in 47 > states between 1994 and 2003, just as those getting help for autism was > rising. In 44 states, the drop exceeded the rise in autism.> > As convincing as Grinker's analysis seems, arguments about the apparent > epidemic will probably continue. It's simply impossible to accurately > reconstruct the past incidence of the disorder, given how radically > definitions have changed. Those who believe the increase is real often > focus on the mysterious paucity of autistic adults. With their >

conspicuous symptoms like hand flapping and little or no language, "I > think we would be recognizing them in institutions," says Dr. > Hendren, executive director of the M.I.N.D. Institute at the University > of California, .> > Grinker's answer is that autistic adults are out there but wearing > other labels. "Where are all the adults with fetal alcohol syndrome?" > he asks. No one over 40 has the condition, thought to affect up to 1 in > 500 kids today, because it was not recognized until the mid-'70s. "But > no one would say alcoholism among pregnant women just started," says > Grinker.> > Grinker, whose 15-year-old daughter is autistic, concedes that there's > something reassuring about the idea of an epidemic: "Thinking about any > disorder as an epidemic is easier than thinking about it in terms of >

multiple causes, shifting definitions and a scientific reality we are > only just beginning to understand." Besides, if a disease suddenly > spikes, it seems more plausible that the increase could be reversed--if > only we could find the mysterious environmental trigger. With autism, > though, that hopeful scenario seems just too simple.> > Click to Print> Find this article at:> http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1576829,00.html>

Any questions? Get answers on any topic at Answers. Try it now.

[Guest guest]

Dr. Grinker's bio

http://www.unstrange.com/grinkerbio.html

[Guest guest]

NAAR, Grinker and Fombonne-a menage a trois.ianpsmom <ianpsmom@...> wrote: Dr. Grinker's biohttp://www.unstrange.com/grinkerbio.html

Everyone is raving about the all-new beta.

[Guest guest]

Add Leventhal (Illinoisans know what I mean) and you have a

menage a quatre.

On Jan 11, 2007, at 10:24 PM, Maurine Meleck wrote:

NAAR, Grinker and Fombonne-a menage a trois.

ianpsmom <ianpsmom@...> wrote:Dr. Grinker's bio

>

> http://www.unstrange.com/grinkerbio.html

>

Everyone is raving about the all-new beta.

[Guest guest]

Am I reading Grinker's bio correctly? He has an autistic daughter?

Temple Grandin has reviewed this POS? Man, am I gonna write the

magazine a letter!

[Guest guest]

Who provides the antibiotics for the STDs?

Re: Re: Time on Grinker: What Autism Epidemic?

NAAR, Grinker and Fombonne-a menage a trois.ianpsmom <ianpsmom > wrote:

Dr. Grinker's biohttp://www.unstrange.com/grinkerbio.html

Everyone is raving about the all-new beta.

[Guest guest]

Oh Dr. Leventhal. He diagnosed my son with Lord. Here are

some of the " highlights " of that experience w/ .

" Your son's ear appear rather large, that may be a sign of a

developmental problem, eh but maybe not "

" You absolutely should not have anymore children. First your chances

are about 17% highger than the average person of having a another

child with autism. Second, he is going to cost you so much money you

won't be able to afford anymore kids.

Finally, he promised that within 2-20 years they would know what

genes cause autism. Well, that was 9 years ago and I am holding him

to that promise. When 20 years are up I plan on calling him.

Ass.

Dr. Grinker's bio

> >

> > http://www.unstrange.com/grinkerbio.html

> >

>

> Everyone is raving about the all-new beta.

>

[Guest guest]

Well, he got one part totally right, they

do cost so much money that you can’t afford to have more kids!! No doubt!

I also think his number of 17% is quite

low.

I got the “look how far apart his

eyes are, that’s autism”. Idiot.

From:

EOHarm [mailto:EOHarm ] On Behalf Of andrea52521991

Sent: Friday, January 12, 2007

7:43 AM

EOHarm

Subject: Re: Time on

Grinker: What Autism Epidemic?

Oh Dr. Leventhal. He diagnosed my son with

Lord. Here are

some of the " highlights " of that experience w/ .

" Your son's ear appear rather large, that may be a sign of a

developmental problem, eh but maybe not "

" You absolutely should not have anymore children. First your chances

are about 17% highger than the average person of having a another

child with autism. Second, he is going to cost you so much money you

won't be able to afford anymore kids.

Finally, he promised that within 2-20 years they would know what

genes cause autism. Well, that was 9 years ago and I am holding him

to that promise. When 20 years are up I plan on calling him.

Ass.

Dr. Grinker's bio

> >

> > http://www.unstrange.com/grinkerbio.html

> >

>

> Everyone is raving about the all-new beta.

>

[Guest guest]

My dev ped at CHOP(Offit's hospital) told me my daughter has a larger

space between two of he toes which she is seeing a lot in kids with

autsim.

But her ears are regular size-Oh if only Dr. Leventhal and my dev ped

could work together they could put this whole mysterious puzzle to

rest with a ruler. Holly

Dr. Grinker's bio

> > >

> > > http://www.unstrange.com/grinkerbio.html

> > >

> >

> > Everyone is raving about the all-new beta.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

They could name it Dumbo ears-Evolution toes syndrome!

Dr. Grinker's bio

> > > >

> > > > http://www.unstrange.com/grinkerbio.html

> > > >

> > >

> > > Everyone is raving about the all-new beta.

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Ah, but have you been told your child has a " bifurcated gluteal

fold? " I heard that from one of the top docs in the country. That

means her bum crack comes up into a V at the top, not a straight line.

There was no correlation for it, no explanation, no nothing. Just

something to add to her ONE large ear (I asked her ped about it when

she was 6 months old and was told not to worry) the gap between her

front teeth (too wide) and her slightly too wideset eyes. Meanwhile,

this child is beautiful, stop traffic, drop dead gorgeous. I do

refrain from buying her low rise jeans, however.....

KS

www.kimstagliano.blogspot.com

[Guest guest]

My 10 year old (non autistic) has the " bifurucated gluteal fold " and

I have the space between my teeth, called a diastama. (So do

Letterman and Hutton) None of us have autism.

My ASD child, however, has a perfectly straight bum crack and no

diastama.

>

> Ah, but have you been told your child has a " bifurcated gluteal

> fold? " I heard that from one of the top docs in the country.

That

> means her bum crack comes up into a V at the top, not a straight

line.

> There was no correlation for it, no explanation, no nothing. Just

> something to add to her ONE large ear (I asked her ped about it

when

> she was 6 months old and was told not to worry) the gap between

her

> front teeth (too wide) and her slightly too wideset eyes.

Meanwhile,

> this child is beautiful, stop traffic, drop dead gorgeous. I do

> refrain from buying her low rise jeans, however.....

>

>

> KS

> www.kimstagliano.blogspot.com

>

[Guest guest]

Ah, Refrigerator Repairman syndrome.

>

> Ah, but have you been told your child has a " bifurcated gluteal

> fold? " I heard that from one of the top docs in the country. That

> means her bum crack comes up into a V at the top, not a straight

line.

> There was no correlation for it, no explanation, no nothing. Just

> something to add to her ONE large ear (I asked her ped about it when

> she was 6 months old and was told not to worry) the gap between her

> front teeth (too wide) and her slightly too wideset eyes.

Meanwhile,

> this child is beautiful, stop traffic, drop dead gorgeous. I do

> refrain from buying her low rise jeans, however.....

>

>

> KS

> www.kimstagliano.blogspot.com

>

[Guest guest]

Ah, gap tooth syndrome

> >

> > Ah, but have you been told your child has a " bifurcated gluteal

> > fold? " I heard that from one of the top docs in the country.

> That

> > means her bum crack comes up into a V at the top, not a straight

> line.

> > There was no correlation for it, no explanation, no nothing.

Just

> > something to add to her ONE large ear (I asked her ped about it

> when

> > she was 6 months old and was told not to worry) the gap between

> her

> > front teeth (too wide) and her slightly too wideset eyes.

> Meanwhile,

> > this child is beautiful, stop traffic, drop dead gorgeous. I do

> > refrain from buying her low rise jeans, however.....

> >

> >

> > KS

> > www.kimstagliano.blogspot.com

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I think he pulled the 17% out of his butt crack. No offense to Kim

and her kid.

Dr. Grinker's bio

> > >

> > > http://www.unstrang <http://www.unstrange.com/grinkerbio.html>

> e.com/grinkerbio.html

> > >

> >

> > Everyone is raving about the all-new beta.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I just remembered one other " gem " of advice wise Dr. Leventhal gave

us.

He said something like: Your kid's cute. Get him all the help you can

while he's young and cute. Because when he's old and not so cute,

people won't want to help him.

That advice from one of the world renown authorities on autism.

Impressive, huh?

> > >

> > > Ah, but have you been told your child has a " bifurcated gluteal

> > > fold? " I heard that from one of the top docs in the

country.

> > That

> > > means her bum crack comes up into a V at the top, not a

straight

> > line.

> > > There was no correlation for it, no explanation, no nothing.

> Just

> > > something to add to her ONE large ear (I asked her ped about it

> > when

> > > she was 6 months old and was told not to worry) the gap between

> > her

> > > front teeth (too wide) and her slightly too wideset eyes.

> > Meanwhile,

> > > this child is beautiful, stop traffic, drop dead gorgeous. I

do

> > > refrain from buying her low rise jeans, however.....

> > >

> > >

> > > KS

> > > www.kimstagliano.blogspot.com

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Wow he should do a study of how much money we are making with our

sons PDD-NOS diagnostic.

So far we have received from insurance companies and the government

the astonishing amount of $0.00 while on the other hand we have paid

out of pocket for his treatment over $40,000 dollars and he is only

2 years old.

I don't know if he ever passes a math test while in college or high

school but I can tell you as an accountant that our books are in the

red when it comes to the great economic advantage we are getting out

him being diagnosed with PDD-NOS.

And we still have to add the money we will have to spend in 2007

plus what ever we have to spend in lawyers according to what we have

heard to get the school to comply with the IDEA act in order for him

to receive the services he needs in order to develop to his full

potential. (Or pay for private school which is most likely what we

will have to do since our great state of Texas does not assist

families with autistic children with almost anything and schools

will rather spend money in lawyers that help our kids.)

I have no idea how he came to his conclusion.

>

> Title: What Autism Epidemic? -- Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007 --

Printout --

> TIME URL: http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1576829,00.html

> Date: 2007-01-11 20:00:01 -0500

>

>

>

> Back to Article

>

> Click to Print

>

> Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007

> What Autism Epidemic?

> By Wallis

>

> Epidemic is a powerful word. It generates bold headlines,

congressional

> hearings, research dollars and dramatic, high-stakes hunts for

> culprits. It's a word that has lately been attached to autism. How

else

> to account for the fact that a disorder that before 1990 was

reported

> to affect just 4.7 out of every 10,000 American children now

strikes 60

> per 10,000, according to many estimates--the equivalent of 1 in

166

> kids?

>

> But what if there is no epidemic? What if the apparent explosion

in

> autism numbers is simply the unforeseen result of shifting

definitions,

> policy changes and increased awareness among parents, educators

and

> doctors? That's what Washington University anthropologist

Roy

> Grinker persuasively argues in a new book sure to generate

> controversy. In Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism,

Grinker

> uses the lens of anthropology to show how shifting cultural

conditions

> change the way medical scientists do their work and how we

perceive

> mental health.

>

> In addition to rising awareness of autism, Grinker points to these

> factors:

>

> BROADER DEFINITIONS Each successive edition of the Diagnostic and

> Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders--the bible of mental health-

-has

> revised the criteria for identifying autism in ways that tend to

> include more people. Two conditions on the milder end of the

autistic

> spectrum--Asperger's syndrome and the awkwardly named PDD-NOS

> (pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified)--were

added

> to the DSM in 1994 and 1987, respectively. Grinker and others say

50%

> to 75% of the increase in diagnoses is coming in these milder

> categories.

>

> SCHOOL POLICY U.S. schools are required to report data on kids who

> receive special-education services, but autism wasn't added as a

> category until the 1991-92 school year. No wonder the numbers

> exploded--from 22,445 receiving services for autism in 1995 to

140,254

> in 2004. Grinker points out that " traumatic brain injury " also

became

> one of the 13 reportable categories in 1992, and it had a similar

> spike.

>

> MORE HELP, LESS STIGMA As services have become more available for

kids

> with autism, more parents are seeking a diagnosis they would have

> shunned 30 years ago, when psychiatrists still blamed autism on

chilly

> " refrigerator " mothers. Doctors are also more willing to apply the

> diagnosis to help a patient. " I'll call a kid a zebra if it will

get

> him the educational services I think he needs, " National Institute

of

> Mental Health psychiatrist Judith Rapoport told Grinker.

>

> FINANCIAL INCENTIVES In some states, parents of children with

autism

> can apply for Medicaid even if they are not near the poverty line.

A

> diagnosis of mental retardation doesn't always offer this

advantage.

>

> RELABELING For all the reasons above, many kids previously given

other

> diagnoses are now called autistic. University of Wisconsin

researcher

> Shattuck has found that the number of kids getting special-ed

> services for retardation and learning disabilities declined in 47

> states between 1994 and 2003, just as those getting help for

autism was

> rising. In 44 states, the drop exceeded the rise in autism.

>

> As convincing as Grinker's analysis seems, arguments about the

apparent

> epidemic will probably continue. It's simply impossible to

accurately

> reconstruct the past incidence of the disorder, given how

radically

> definitions have changed. Those who believe the increase is real

often

> focus on the mysterious paucity of autistic adults. With their

> conspicuous symptoms like hand flapping and little or no

language, " I

> think we would be recognizing them in institutions, " says Dr.

> Hendren, executive director of the M.I.N.D. Institute at the

University

> of California, .

>

> Grinker's answer is that autistic adults are out there but wearing

> other labels. " Where are all the adults with fetal alcohol

syndrome? "

> he asks. No one over 40 has the condition, thought to affect up to

1 in

> 500 kids today, because it was not recognized until the mid-

'70s. " But

> no one would say alcoholism among pregnant women just started, "

says

> Grinker.

>

> Grinker, whose 15-year-old daughter is autistic, concedes that

there's

> something reassuring about the idea of an epidemic: " Thinking

about any

> disorder as an epidemic is easier than thinking about it in terms

of

> multiple causes, shifting definitions and a scientific reality we

are

> only just beginning to understand. " Besides, if a disease suddenly

> spikes, it seems more plausible that the increase could be

reversed--if

> only we could find the mysterious environmental trigger. With

autism,

> though, that hopeful scenario seems just too simple.

>

> Click to Print

> Find this article at:

>

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1576829,00.h

tml

>

[Guest guest]

Why such despair Mom? Don't you know the Combating Autism Act cavalry

is on the way????

> >

> > Title: What Autism Epidemic? -- Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007 --

> Printout --

> > TIME URL:

http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1576829,00.html

> > Date: 2007-01-11 20:00:01 -0500

> >

> >

> >

> > Back to Article

> >

> > Click to Print

> >

> > Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007

> > What Autism Epidemic?

> > By Wallis

> >

> > Epidemic is a powerful word. It generates bold headlines,

> congressional

> > hearings, research dollars and dramatic, high-stakes hunts for

> > culprits. It's a word that has lately been attached to autism.

How

> else

> > to account for the fact that a disorder that before 1990 was

> reported

> > to affect just 4.7 out of every 10,000 American children now

> strikes 60

> > per 10,000, according to many estimates--the equivalent of 1 in

> 166

> > kids?

> >

> > But what if there is no epidemic? What if the apparent explosion

> in

> > autism numbers is simply the unforeseen result of shifting

> definitions,

> > policy changes and increased awareness among parents, educators

> and

> > doctors? That's what Washington University anthropologist

> Roy

> > Grinker persuasively argues in a new book sure to

generate

> > controversy. In Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism,

> Grinker

> > uses the lens of anthropology to show how shifting cultural

> conditions

> > change the way medical scientists do their work and how we

> perceive

> > mental health.

> >

> > In addition to rising awareness of autism, Grinker points to

these

> > factors:

> >

> > BROADER DEFINITIONS Each successive edition of the Diagnostic and

> > Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders--the bible of mental

health-

> -has

> > revised the criteria for identifying autism in ways that tend to

> > include more people. Two conditions on the milder end of the

> autistic

> > spectrum--Asperger's syndrome and the awkwardly named PDD-NOS

> > (pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified)--were

> added

> > to the DSM in 1994 and 1987, respectively. Grinker and others say

> 50%

> > to 75% of the increase in diagnoses is coming in these milder

> > categories.

> >

> > SCHOOL POLICY U.S. schools are required to report data on kids

who

> > receive special-education services, but autism wasn't added as a

> > category until the 1991-92 school year. No wonder the numbers

> > exploded--from 22,445 receiving services for autism in 1995 to

> 140,254

> > in 2004. Grinker points out that " traumatic brain injury " also

> became

> > one of the 13 reportable categories in 1992, and it had a similar

> > spike.

> >

> > MORE HELP, LESS STIGMA As services have become more available for

> kids

> > with autism, more parents are seeking a diagnosis they would have

> > shunned 30 years ago, when psychiatrists still blamed autism on

> chilly

> > " refrigerator " mothers. Doctors are also more willing to apply

the

> > diagnosis to help a patient. " I'll call a kid a zebra if it will

> get

> > him the educational services I think he needs, " National

Institute

> of

> > Mental Health psychiatrist Judith Rapoport told Grinker.

> >

> > FINANCIAL INCENTIVES In some states, parents of children with

> autism

> > can apply for Medicaid even if they are not near the poverty

line.

> A

> > diagnosis of mental retardation doesn't always offer this

> advantage.

> >

> > RELABELING For all the reasons above, many kids previously given

> other

> > diagnoses are now called autistic. University of Wisconsin

> researcher

> > Shattuck has found that the number of kids getting special-

ed

> > services for retardation and learning disabilities declined in 47

> > states between 1994 and 2003, just as those getting help for

> autism was

> > rising. In 44 states, the drop exceeded the rise in autism.

> >

> > As convincing as Grinker's analysis seems, arguments about the

> apparent

> > epidemic will probably continue. It's simply impossible to

> accurately

> > reconstruct the past incidence of the disorder, given how

> radically

> > definitions have changed. Those who believe the increase is real

> often

> > focus on the mysterious paucity of autistic adults. With their

> > conspicuous symptoms like hand flapping and little or no

> language, " I

> > think we would be recognizing them in institutions, " says Dr.

>

> > Hendren, executive director of the M.I.N.D. Institute at the

> University

> > of California, .

> >

> > Grinker's answer is that autistic adults are out there but

wearing

> > other labels. " Where are all the adults with fetal alcohol

> syndrome? "

> > he asks. No one over 40 has the condition, thought to affect up

to

> 1 in

> > 500 kids today, because it was not recognized until the mid-

> '70s. " But

> > no one would say alcoholism among pregnant women just started, "

> says

> > Grinker.

> >

> > Grinker, whose 15-year-old daughter is autistic, concedes that

> there's

> > something reassuring about the idea of an epidemic: " Thinking

> about any

> > disorder as an epidemic is easier than thinking about it in terms

> of

> > multiple causes, shifting definitions and a scientific reality we

> are

> > only just beginning to understand. " Besides, if a disease

suddenly

> > spikes, it seems more plausible that the increase could be

> reversed--if

> > only we could find the mysterious environmental trigger. With

> autism,

> > though, that hopeful scenario seems just too simple.

> >

> > Click to Print

> > Find this article at:

> >

> http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1576829,00.h

> tml

> >

>

[Guest guest]

TV causes autism.

Large spaces between the child's toes are evidence of autism.

Engineers marrying each other are the reason for the epidemic in autism.

There is no epidemic in autism.

Older Israeli men are the reason for autism.

Refrigerator moms are the reason for autism.

Large heads are the reason for autism.

No, large ears are.

What, you say the unvaccinated kids don't have autism and the vaccinated ones do?

Oh.

Never mind.

Re: Time on Grinker: What Autism Epidemic?

My dev ped at CHOP(Offit's hospital) told me my daughter has a larger space between two of he toes which she is seeing a lot in kids with autsim. But her ears are regular size-Oh if only Dr. Leventhal and my dev ped could work together they could put this whole mysterious puzzle to rest with a ruler. HollyDr. Grinker's bio> > >> > > http://www.unstrange.com/grinkerbio.html> > >> > > > Everyone is raving about the all-new beta.> >>

[Guest guest]

Man, I just have to jump in here.

Our developmental ped has a 9 month to 1 year waiting list at all

times. He's got a strong national reputation as an autism expert and

is very powerful in several professional organizations (AAP, etc.).

This means he's an idiot, but it also means that his reports and

recommendations for behavioral/educational services will hold water

in court against our school district. So we grin and bear the

appointments. During the last one, he had very little interest in

talking about my son at all--he wanted to know all about my

neurotypical daughter (not present at the appt). Zillions and

zillions of questions. This peeved me as the appointment was

expensive, inconvenient and long-awaited, and I wanted to discuss my

SON. I immediately suspected he's probably writing some paper or

doing some study about the genetic etiology of autism, and I kept

saying, you know she's fine, just fine, great, no issues at all. He

seemed very unsatisfied with that answer. Finally, exasperated, I

decided to throw him a bone and said, well, you know, there was one

thing with my daughter. You know that looney theory about head

circumference. Well when it came out, about 30 people in my local

support group went and reviewed their ASD kids' growth charts and not

a single kid out of the group fit the profile that ALL our kids are

supposed to have. But you know, my daughter, my perfect, shiny apple

daughter, well she got very close to fitting the abnormal head growth

profile.

Well you should have seen him madly scribbling this all down.

Then I said, but it didn't continue and now her head is actually kind

of small. Can we talk about my son now?

More scribbles. Oh yes, yes of course, but that is VERY interesting.

What a moron. I always tell my daughter AND son that when they grow

up, they have only 2 career choices-- either special services

director at a public school or a developmental pediatrician. Great

hours, clientele waiting anxiously to see you at all times (no need

for marketing), and 6 figures for doing absolutely nothing

intelligent, effective or productive.

On the $$ side, ya, we've made a real bundle on autism. It's

especially amazing how ADVANTAGED we've become with our medical

insurance company since autism started showing up in his medical

records.

Jenna

> > >

> > > Ah, but have you been told your child has a " bifurcated gluteal

> > > fold? " I heard that from one of the top docs in the

country.

> > That

> > > means her bum crack comes up into a V at the top, not a

straight

> > line.

> > > There was no correlation for it, no explanation, no nothing.

> Just

> > > something to add to her ONE large ear (I asked her ped about it

> > when

> > > she was 6 months old and was told not to worry) the gap between

> > her

> > > front teeth (too wide) and her slightly too wideset eyes.

> > Meanwhile,

> > > this child is beautiful, stop traffic, drop dead gorgeous. I

do

> > > refrain from buying her low rise jeans, however.....

> > >

> > >

> > > KS

> > > www.kimstagliano.blogspot.com

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

The level of idiocy can be breathtaking.

Re: Time on Grinker: What Autism Epidemic?

Man, I just have to jump in here. Our developmental ped has a 9 month to 1 year waiting list at all times. He's got a strong national reputation as an autism expert and is very powerful in several professional organizations (AAP, etc.). This means he's an idiot, but it also means that his reports and recommendations for behavioral/educational services will hold water in court against our school district. So we grin and bear the appointments. During the last one, he had very little interest in talking about my son at all--he wanted to know all about my neurotypical daughter (not present at the appt). Zillions and zillions of questions. This peeved me as the appointment was expensive, inconvenient and long-awaited, and I wanted to discuss my SON. I immediately suspected he's probably writing some paper or doing some study about the genetic etiology of autism, and I kept saying, you know she's fine, just fine, great, no issues at all. He seemed very unsatisfied with that answer. Finally, exasperated, I decided to throw him a bone and said, well, you know, there was one thing with my daughter. You know that looney theory about head circumference. Well when it came out, about 30 people in my local support group went and reviewed their ASD kids' growth charts and not a single kid out of the group fit the profile that ALL our kids are supposed to have. But you know, my daughter, my perfect, shiny apple daughter, well she got very close to fitting the abnormal head growth profile. Well you should have seen him madly scribbling this all down.Then I said, but it didn't continue and now her head is actually kind of small. Can we talk about my son now?More scribbles. Oh yes, yes of course, but that is VERY interesting.What a moron. I always tell my daughter AND son that when they grow up, they have only 2 career choices-- either special services director at a public school or a developmental pediatrician. Great hours, clientele waiting anxiously to see you at all times (no need for marketing), and 6 figures for doing absolutely nothing intelligent, effective or productive.On the $$ side, ya, we've made a real bundle on autism. It's especially amazing how ADVANTAGED we've become with our medical insurance company since autism started showing up in his medical records. Jenna> > >> > > Ah, but have you been told your child has a "bifurcated gluteal > > > fold?" I heard that from one of the top docs in the country. > > That > > > means her bum crack comes up into a V at the top, not a straight > > line. > > > There was no correlation for it, no explanation, no nothing. > Just > > > something to add to her ONE large ear (I asked her ped about it > > when > > > she was 6 months old and was told not to worry) the gap between > > her > > > front teeth (too wide) and her slightly too wideset eyes. > > Meanwhile, > > > this child is beautiful, stop traffic, drop dead gorgeous. I do > > > refrain from buying her low rise jeans, however.....> > > > > > > > > KS> > > www.kimstagliano.blogspot.com> > >> >>

[Guest guest]

In 1998 my pediatrician told me he had never heard of a family with

more than one autistic child. He diagnosed my first by

scribbling " PDD " on her chart - but he never bothered to tell ME. I

found it when we moved and I got her records sent directly to me.

Maybe Letterman should have a " Stupid pedatrician tricks " segment?

[Guest guest]

It is interesting what you can find out by requesting your child's

medical records. They can be a wealth of information. Like who

could have guessed that my pediatrican actually considered a vaccine

reaction when I took my son to her 3 days after the mmr vaccine. I

mean right there it shows the pediatrican had written possible

vaccine reaction ??? (Her question marks). Of course to me, she

said oh, yeah, all that steamy diarrhea he has, that's just a " viral

illness " and sent me on my way. I fell for it... duhme (DOT)

Sue

>

> In 1998 my pediatrician told me he had never heard of a family

with

> more than one autistic child. He diagnosed my first by

> scribbling " PDD " on her chart - but he never bothered to tell ME.

I

> found it when we moved and I got her records sent directly to me.

>

> Maybe Letterman should have a " Stupid pedatrician tricks "

segment?

>