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Everyone Is On The Autistic Spectrum ~ To Differing Extents And Degrees.

Deepthought

From the 'Daily Mail' for less specialised readers:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3502928/EVERY-one-autistic-spectrum-experience-key-symptoms-just-varying-degrees.html

With 1 one scientifically accredited source, as being from the scientific journal 'Nature' ~ for more specialised readers:

https://www.nature.com/articles/nrg.2017.4

With 177 scientifically accredited reference sources.

[Updated with the second source at approximately 18:07 ~ on Friday the 30th March, 2018.]

Parents

  • I wish they wouldn't tout it as a "genetic risk" on the same lines as the gene for cancer or Huntingtons. Those are both very negative conditions and cannot be positive, whereas there are very positive things that could come out of being on the spectrum. Also, the claim about "disturbed" biological processes in children puts a very negative slant on it. Certainly, the biological processes in the brain of a child on the autistic spectrum are different from those in other brains, but it would be a very different news report if 99%, instead of 1%, of humans were on the spectrum.

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  • I wish they wouldn't tout it as a "genetic risk" on the same lines as the gene for cancer or Huntingtons. Those are both very negative conditions and cannot be positive, whereas there are very positive things that could come out of being on the spectrum. Also, the claim about "disturbed" biological processes in children puts a very negative slant on it. Certainly, the biological processes in the brain of a child on the autistic spectrum are different from those in other brains, but it would be a very different news report if 99%, instead of 1%, of humans were on the spectrum.

Children
  • in reply to DragonCat16
    DragonCat16 said:
    I wish they wouldn't tout it as a "genetic risk" on the same lines as the gene for cancer or Huntingtons. Those are both very negative conditions and cannot be positive, whereas there are very positive things that could come out of being on the spectrum.

    I think it useful to keep in mind that knowing "genetic risk" factors are present allows parents or potential parents, doctors, teachers and so fourth to know what they might have to deal with, or how to lesson or even prevent difficulties from arising.

    Incidentally, the genetic system is in part a record of previous generations interactions in the environment, and therefore in not receiving the most compatible means and  influences from the environment physically 'and' socially, certain deficiencies and extremities of behaviour or functioning can and do result.  

    Also recall that the research mentioned in the article is medical or therapeutic information, regarding the treatment of the most "severe" aspects of Autism, and the only health conditions mentioned were complex neuro-developmental and psychiatric disorders, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and schizophrenia, respectively.

    Rather than focusing so much upon your addition of Huntingdon's disease and cancer to the discussion of autism, the more positive aspects of including everyone on the Autistic spectrum, with non-autistic people being as such by degree, and autistic people by extent, the article as such by means of scientific evidence, lays common ground to consider and discuss all aspects of Autism, for anyone so inclined to do so.

    DragonCat16 said:
    Also, the claim about "disturbed" biological processes in children puts a very negative slant on it.

    When Dr Beate St Pourcain from University of Bristol and the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics gave their medical opinion that:

    "Based on the genetic link between population-based social-communication difficulties and clinical ASD, we may now gain further insight into a defined set of genetically-influenced ASD symptoms. This may help us to identify and investigate biological processes in typically-developing children, which are disturbed in children with ASD."

    The only "claim" then involved the potential direction for new and old research, whereas hormonal and bacterial irregularities do cause disturbed biological processes in children, and adults, with ASD and otherwise, and these do involve some extremely negative experiences. 

    DragonCat16 said:
    Certainly, the biological processes in the brain of a child on the autistic spectrum are different from those in other brains, but it would be a very different news report if 99%, instead of 1%, of humans were on the spectrum.

    The article does though state that to various degrees all humans are in fact on the spectrum, and the only difference is how far along the spectrum that is in diagnostic terms ~ so being on the spectrum or not in terms of percentile is beside the point, or outdated thinking.

    Basically then the article is about a very positive scientific step forward in terms of treating the negative aspects of Autism. :-)