Some distinction needs to be made between autism in markedly disabling forms and higher functioning or Asperger's Syndrome.
My understanding from reading into this is that the progressive increase in cases of marked autism is much greater than the rate of increased diagnisis of aspergers. The latter may have something to do with greater success in diagnosing it. But marked autism appears to be increasing much more sharply. So there are arguments around whether asperger's is more genetic, but other factors are contributing to full autism.
One text on this is Richard Lathe's "Autism, Brain & Environment" Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2006, which looks at environmental factors.
Agreed it is all around academic debate, but there do seem to be differing rates of increase in diagnoses for different parts of the spectrum
Some distinction needs to be made between autism in markedly disabling forms and higher functioning or Asperger's Syndrome.
My understanding from reading into this is that the progressive increase in cases of marked autism is much greater than the rate of increased diagnisis of aspergers. The latter may have something to do with greater success in diagnosing it. But marked autism appears to be increasing much more sharply. So there are arguments around whether asperger's is more genetic, but other factors are contributing to full autism.
One text on this is Richard Lathe's "Autism, Brain & Environment" Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2006, which looks at environmental factors.
Agreed it is all around academic debate, but there do seem to be differing rates of increase in diagnoses for different parts of the spectrum
