How many people have been officially diagnosed with ASD and have at least 1 parent who is either suspected to be Autistic or is confirmed as such

I imagine they would have had some communication issues to a point the didn't have language like we do now.

Neanderthals more or less became extinct because the first homosapiens killed them off and also because they had children with each other but the genetic mutations that formed Homo sapiens were dominant so even if neanderthals weren't killed off they would've died out over time because of there lower intelligence getting killed as they wouldn't be able to solve problems as fast as Homo sapiens or even have the ability too if there was something that was more complex.

There's a lot of people today that share the genetic code of Neanderthals which proves that theory and when you think about that between us and NT its very similar (except we're not killing them off). We are neurologically built different than NT's and there a lot of situations where that is benefit over the average NT brain.

O said:

we could be something like the beginnings of a new type of human

I do think this too. I saw a presentation where they did a blind observational study of NT and Autistic people communicating then NT and NT and Autistic with Autistic. Outside observers who didn't know the autistic participants diagnoses couldn't tell they were actually autistic when they were communicating with another Autistic person but could when it was an Autistic person communicating with a NT. Maybe Neandertals and Homo sapiens had the same issues? Who knows.

O said:

evolutionary step forwards

Oh I like the sound of that it makes sense when I see how NT people usually behave

There's also a strong genetic component to it too. They say that is the dominating factor over environment but there are no official Autism genes that directly allow it to be inherited. Instead I think there are >= 60 odd that are involved with 20 that are the most connected with it but that still don't quality as the gold Autistic genes. I'd liken it to the mutants in the marvel comics. Some people are naturally born mutants from mutant parents, and others acquire it instead. Metaphorically speaking of course 

I've only really thought about this post-diagnosis but my father was absolutely on the spectrum. He was never diagnosed but looking back a lot of his traits/quirks would be explained by autism. Beyond that - I have no idea. 

Haha that's ok I did a little research as well I wanted to know for sure it can be something that skips multiple generations too. But yeah it must start somewhere I'm sure I read somewhere that there's a theory that autistic people as we know them today depending on person they are and how "high functioning" they can be and the genetic differences we have could be something like an evolutionary step forwards because generally we are more logical and analytical and our emotions don't govern our thought processes as much as it does with NT's but its kind of impossible to tell because you need new people to be born and grow for thousands of years to see clear evolutionary steps. I also read something that to me doesn't seem as plausible but that we could be something like the beginnings of a new type of human like how homosapiens were to homo neanderthalensis but I'm not so sure of that because even though they were very similar there where quite a few differences physically but mainly cognitively. something to think about.

I have to apologise I am apparently incorrect (this got me curious so I did some research) and it is possible for one person to develop mutations and get Autism without any family history. Shows you that you never know as much as you think you do. Thats why I always check. I should do it before I comment though not after

Yes of course I'm only going off of what they remember from there immediate family sorry if I didn't make the clear there maybe someone of my grandparents line all they said to me was "there isn't anyone I can remember that was different or strange" literally is what they said. Which I did think was strange because I know its genetic.

In my family today there isn't anyone that shows anything remotely autistic and there's only 4 people alive I'm a descendant of.

I don't mean that there isn't a chance I just mean there isn't any evidence of anyone even close to my generation that is or could be on the spectrum, is it not possible for autism to skip multiple generations for a long period of time?

www.spectrumnews.org/.../

For me I have nearly a dozen relatives with it. We all live in completely different environments have had little to do with eachother and yet have the same condition. That's the genetic basis of it at work. 

If not in your direct family tree maybe from another branch of it in the past who you don't have access too to speak too?

If it was way back in the day they wouldn't have known it if they saw if because its only recently they have gotten competent and actually diagnosing it properly. I don't know you or your family but I would bet that some people in your family tree had autistic traits that were just not seen as such because they didn't know. This condition doesn't materialise out of thin air its got a genetic basis too. 

perhaps Well there isn't anyone alive now in my family that displays any autistic traits of any kind the eldest member of my family I'm blood related is 80.

I asked my parents and grandparents if they knew of anyone with autism or anyone that may have had it and no-one knew anything asked my grandparents about their siblings and parents and as far as they're concerned there's no one that stands out to them as being "different"

At the very least it looks there's been an 80 year gap not sure about my grandparents, grandparents they don't remember them.

Well it sounds like you are the first diagnosed. It has to come from somewhere though that just hasn't been found out. There is a strong genetic component  (not the same as inherited genes there are none apparently) to autism so there is someone somewhere in your family tree who must have it.

Your family might carry mutations that cause this and perhaps the environmental triggers just haven't occurred to express them until you. 

Well in a nutshell my entire life I've always been 'different' in the way autistic people often are. And I've always had difficulties socialising, understanding social protocol, people in general and what not. I have sensory issues too along with empathy problems being I seem to not always have the right emotions I guess you could say for certain things and not understanding how I feel or why I feel a certain way, a lot of anxiety. I can go on forever with specifics.

I had my assessment done by someone who is very well accredited who specialises in diagnosing ASD & ADHD and along with that every questionnaire possible and also with my mum as part of my diagnosis to talk about my childhood too.

And I guess there has to be first somewhere in family so there's no reason it couldn't be me.

I did think that there could be a possibility of a misdiagnosis for that reason though at the beginning because there hasn't been a case in my family before but I read my report and think about all the research I did whilst I was looking into what was "wrong" with me (I don't think there is something wrong with me now but at the time I was really struggling and didn't know why).

I know that Aspergers isn't an official diagnosis anymore but if it was that's what I'd be diagnosed with, I'm not sure it does but that's why my dr/assessor told me.

So that's a zero then. Theres 9 in mine and I suspect both parents had it. My da definitely had ASD I'm sure of that. If there are no know cases in your family who do you know you haven't been misdiagnosed? 

I'm first generation Autistic in my family, no known cases anywhere. :)