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Mxtyplk's avatar

The problem is that autism is not a medical condition, it’s a medicalization of problem behavior and in general of the situation of being a “weird” kid. You cannot just throw a ton of data at the situation and get a real understanding of it when the underlying conceptual and diagnostic categories are so confused.

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Tina C's avatar

I disagree. When one states "problem behavior" I think a child whose parents are not enforcing rules and discipline in a consistent fashion. Children with autism are born with relationship difficulties and or language pathologies and that is a medical condition IMO.

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Mxtyplk's avatar

I think that is just a factually incorrect statement about many or even most kids diagnosed with autism today

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Tina C's avatar

Not sure what is factually incorrect statement.

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Mary Kathleen's avatar

Perhaps the range of qualifying symptoms is overly broad, but a child who is non-verbal and easily overwhelmed by ordinary stimuli beyond the age of toddlerhood is not just a "weird kid."

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Mxtyplk's avatar

The number of autistic kids who are nonverbal and clearly disabled is now just a small fraction of the total diagnosed though

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Mary Kathleen's avatar

How small a fraction -- do we know?

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