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Utah's Autism

The Thriller

The Thriller

Well-Known Member
So does anyone know why our rate is so high? Are there any theories? We have the highest rate in the USA. Is it because of all the inbreeding? Or is it the crappy air? The high mercury concentration in our water?
 
The Thriller said:
So does anyone know why our rate is so high? Are there any theories? We have the highest rate in the USA. Is it because of all the inbreeding? Or is it the crappy air? The high mercury concentration in our water?
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Probably all of the above.
 
Probably the damn mormons fault!

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I've wondered... do we have a higher occurrence of autism, or just a higher rate of diagnosis?

Is the stigma of autism stronger on other parts of the country, causing fewer autistic kids to actually be diagnosed?

I don't know. I'm talking out my ***, completely. But I have thought about this question.
 
Bronco70 said:
I've wondered... do we have a higher occurrence of autism, or just a higher rate of diagnosis?

Is the stigma of autism stronger on other parts of the country, causing fewer autistic kids to actually be diagnosed?

I don't know. I'm talking out my ***, completely. But I have thought about this question.
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Diagnosis is the driving factor, imo. My son has been diagnosed with everything from bi-polar to mild autism (actually Aspergers) to now back to the good old standby ADD. Interesting side note, his Utah doctors all went first thing to Autism,including the neurologist, but his doctor here in Reno went first to ADD then sent him to a neurologist who backed up the ADD diagnosis.
 
I do volunteer work with autistic children and I can tell you that in NJ if your child is diagnosed with autism he/she automatically becomes eligible to a wide array of state aid like early intervention programs where they send professionals to your house to work with your child to try to get them ready for kindergarten. I would imagine Utah has a similar set up. So if you have a child who is showing a developmental delay some pediatricians will diagnosis them with autism so they become eligible for these programs.

While overall this is a great thing, the downside is it gives fuel to idiots who think autism is an imaginary condition.
 
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candrew said:
I do volunteer work with autistic children and I can tell you that in NJ if your child is diagnosed with autism he/she automatically becomes eligible to a wide array of state aid like early intervention programs where they send professionals to our house to work with your child to try to get them ready for kindergarten. I would imagine Utah has a similar set up. So if you have a child who is showing a developmental delay some pediatricians will diagnosis them with autism so they become eligible for these programs.

While overall this is a great thing, the downside is it gives fuel to idiots who think autism is an imaginary condition.
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Nothing like that existed when my son was getting ready for kindergarten 11 years ago. Unfortunately. It probably would have helped him.
 
LogGrad98 said:
Diagnosis is the driving factor, imo. My son has been diagnosed with everything from bi-polar to mild autism (actually Aspergers) to now back to the good old standby ADD. Interesting side note, his Utah doctors all went first thing to Autism,including the neurologist, but his doctor here in Reno went first to ADD then sent him to a neurologist who backed up the ADD diagnosis.
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Here in NZ it actually is more beneficial for the patient if they are diagnosed autistic; over things such as aspergers, ADD etc; as there is more support and funding for autism; kids get better outcomes. I remember a mother of a patient coming in one day complaining that their child had been diagnosed autistic but saw another paediatrician that diagnosed him as Aspergers; after letting her know about the support for autism she ended up preffering the autism diagnoses
 
candrew said:
I do volunteer work with autistic children and I can tell you that in NJ if your child is diagnosed with autism he/she automatically becomes eligible to a wide array of state aid like early intervention programs where they send professionals to our house to work with your child to try to get them ready for kindergarten. I would imagine Utah has a similar set up. So if you have a child who is showing a developmental delay some pediatricians will diagnosis them with autism so they become eligible for these programs.

While overall this is a great thing, the downside is it gives fuel to idiots who think autism is an imaginary condition.
Click to expand...

Sorry didnt read this post before I posted. Same story in NZ.
 
Special Ed teacher here (actually former now Social Studies). Anyway, it's way over-diagnosed. Plus the spectrum is so big now it's like we are all autistic to some degree. But yeah in my experience kids get over-diagnosed.
 
We actually had a Dr. tell us that our youngest had mild autism... without ever seeing/meeting/talking to her. Needless to say, we ran with it and now we get all sorts of free monies from the tribe and the drugs..? Oh man, they're awesome.
 
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Could be radon.

I've fielded several calls from the Alpine area where the parents are real worried about the high rate of child autism, leukemia, brain cancer, and the nasty like in a small area. As far as I've found, they haven't been finding radon or anything in the water, and are searching for a solution.

What I don't get is why these worried parents don't move. They're convinced their environment is causing problems in their children but do nothing about it.
 
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