Being autistic and random stuff

US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has pledged "a massive testing and research effort" to determine the cause of autism in five months.

Are there any folk that will wager real money that he will be successful?
He has a touching faith that there is an actual cause - singular. I'd be willing to bet it takes a mix of genetics, and environmental factors for it to occur. My suspicion is that the latter may be the more important factor given that ASD has been increasingly diagnosed in the last 35 years.
 
He has a touching faith that there is an actual cause - singular. I'd be willing to bet it takes a mix of genetics, and environmental factors for it to occur. My suspicion is that the latter may be the more important factor given that ASD has been increasingly diagnosed in the last 35 years.
Mostly genetic, some environmental. That much is known. The researchers will gladly take the money to research the genes better - there are several, and that's why they have not really been pinpiinred.

The reason for increase in diagnosis is past underdiagnosing due to lack of understanding. In my childhood almost no girls got diagnosed with autism - so of course those are now diagnosed late for many generations. Girls are STILL not diagnosed enough. Especially if you can manage school.
 
Mostly genetic, some environmental. That much is known. The researchers will gladly take the money to research the genes better - there are several, and that's why they have not really been pinpiinred.

The reason for increase in diagnosis is past underdiagnosing due to lack of understanding. In my childhood almost no girls got diagnosed with autism - so of course those are now diagnosed late for many generations. Girls are STILL not diagnosed enough. Especially if you can manage school.
BAF was missed because she's a she, and she functions well academically, and like most woman, she is a pro at masking. I think she will eventually have some sort of catastrophic situation where she ends up being diagnosed formally, and I just hope I am there for her when that happens even if all I can do is let her lie on couch, sleep, read, and bring her tea.

I think one of the reasons I was missed is that I grew up in the 70s and 80s, I functioned well academically (other kids were a trial, though,) and no-one was really looking. I was just a slightly weird kid, who hung out with the other slightly weird kids if I could be bothered to hang out with anyone at all.

I sometimes wonder if the overstimulating modern world is specifically designed to be ASD hostile. Everything these days seems to flash or make noise, and if you have not got three or things running, flashing, and making noise, you ain't living.
 
BAF was missed because she's a she, and she functions well academically, and like most woman, she is a pro at masking. I think she will eventually have some sort of catastrophic situation where she ends up being diagnosed formally, and I just hope I am there for her when that happens even if all I can do is let her lie on couch, sleep, read, and bring her tea.

I think one of the reasons I was missed is that I grew up in the 70s and 80s, I functioned well academically (other kids were a trial, though,) and no-one was really looking. I was just a slightly weird kid, who hung out with the other slightly weird kids if I could be bothered to hang out with anyone at all.
I'm like your BAF. Woman, and did well academically (had extra brain power to spare for masking most of the time). I also had a very autistic-friendly home growing up (without anyone realising), and parents who helped understand how NTs function... Also grew up 70s-90s.

And I am probably ADHD too, which some of the time helps to balance autism. (Some of the time it totally messes up with it.)

I have also had the catastrophies happening. Repeated depression/burnout episodes, altogether I've spent years outside the workforce that way. That didn't help anyone notice. Well, if I get one more, then I'll be demanding it, but probably doesn't help unless I pay it out of my own pocket.

I sometimes wonder if the overstimulating modern world is specifically designed to be ASD hostile. Everything these days seems to flash or make noise, and if you have not got three or things running, flashing, and making noise, you ain't living.
They don't care enough to even think about ASD, either way. But there's definitely a horrible competition for attention that it's getting ever worse.
 
I'm like your BAF. Woman, and did well academically (had extra brain power to spare for masking most of the time). I also had a very autistic-friendly home growing up (without anyone realising), and parents who helped understand how NTs function... Also grew up 70s-90s.

And I am probably ADHD too, which some of the time helps to balance autism. (Some of the time it totally messes up with it.)

I have also had the catastrophies happening. Repeated depression/burnout episodes, altogether I've spent years outside the workforce that way. That didn't help anyone notice. Well, if I get one more, then I'll be demanding it, but probably doesn't help unless I pay it out of my own pocket.


They don't care enough to even think about ASD, either way. But there's definitely a horrible competition for attention that it's getting ever worse.
I think BAF's parents, who are my age, probably did not pick up on the signs of ASD and saw only the unique and creative side of her personality. She is also the first-born, so they would not have had a yardstick by which to measure her. I am also pretty sure that one of her parents is ASD - trouble is, I am not sure which one. Certainly, their home would be ASD-friendly. I have weathered a few of her special interests such as The Square Deal, Flat Tax, etc., and she has survived a few of mine.

My most recent burnout was basically a delayed reaction to my best friend's death just over a year ago. A contributory factor is that I have finally had to admit to myself that I am in some sort of love with BAF which lacks any sort of significant erotic component but does cause me to care about her profoundly, crave her presence, look forward to her info dumps, and appreciate her cock-eyed take on the world. Another link is that my best friend was a grandfather figure to her. It gets a bit overwhelming.
 
I think BAF's parents, who are my age, probably did not pick up on the signs of ASD and saw only the unique and creative side of her personality. She is also the first-born, so they would not have had a yardstick by which to measure her. I am also pretty sure that one of her parents is ASD - trouble is, I am not sure which one. Certainly, their home would be ASD-friendly. I have weathered a few of her special interests such as The Square Deal, Flat Tax, etc., and she has survived a few of mine.
Also, it is likely that at least one of her parents is an undiagnosed autistic, and thus they consider ASD traits as normal compared to themselves. Which happened to me. Mom is the only one in our family who doesn't have much traits to my knowledge, but we all the rest do. Dad most of all, without any signs of ADHD. He doesn't admit it I think, snorts at even nine, but we others talk about it these days.

My most recent burnout was basically a delayed reaction to my best friend's death just over a year ago. A contributory factor is that I have finally had to admit to myself that I am in some sort of love with BAF which lacks any sort of significant erotic component but does cause me to care about her profoundly, crave her presence, look forward to her info dumps, and appreciate her cock-eyed take on the world. Another link is that my best friend was a grandfather figure to her. It gets a bit overwhelming.
🫂

Sorrow and stress make us need more ASD-compatible company.
 
Also, it is likely that at least one of her parents is an undiagnosed autistic, and thus they consider ASD traits as normal compared to themselves. Which happened to me. Mom is the only one in our family who doesn't have much traits to my knowledge, but we all the rest do. Dad most of all, without any signs of ADHD. He doesn't admit it I think, snorts at even nine, but we others talk about it these days.


🫂

Sorrow and stress make us need more ASD-compatible company.
The more I think about it, it is likely that both her parents have ASD traits. I think her mother is more obviously ASD than her dad. She eventually warmed up to me, and she has become a definite friend. One thing I have observed is that the more stressed I become the more I pull towards the whole family, but especially BAF who is especially temperamental compatible to me - we have the Gemini-Aquarius thing going on.
 
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Reconnected with BAF yesterday. 🥰 We tip-toed around each other a bit, but the connection was there. I just need to be patient, and not get anxious.
 
US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has pledged "a massive testing and research effort" to determine the cause of autism in five months.

Are there any folk that will wager real money that he will be successful?
Kennedy's brain was destroyed with childhood trauma, heroin, and parasitic worms.

His tenure will likely result in the mishandling of another pandemic.
 
I have seen comments about the correlation of gut flora with autism, and reducing the severity with probiotics, kombucha, fermented food, etc.
 
I have seen comments about the correlation of gut flora with autism, and reducing the severity with probiotics, kombucha, fermented food, etc.
I’ve seen stuff about Martians and using bleach enemas too.

Cite your source: “I’ve seen comments” is the language of Trump telling people to swallow lightbulbs and drink hydrochloroquinine
 
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