A new study was released stating that the rise in autism might be linked to "clever parents" and that "couples who are both strong systemisers, for example, those who studied and works in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineerings and maths) and other fields related to systemising, are more likely to have a child with an autism spectrum diagnosis than couples where only one is a strong systemiser, or where neither is".
Right.
So I'm skeptical about this of course. But, assuming there's a grain of truth in it, I'd like to see the autism prevalence numbers here in Huntsville. We have the highest number of PhD's per capita, and the second highest number of engineers in the world last I checked. That's a lot of "strong systemisers" in one area, and I know that a large portion of couples here in this area are dual engineer marriages. If current national autism rates are hovering around 1 in 100, then what is the rate here? I wonder what we'd have to do to find out? I know MANY dual "STEM" couples who do not have kids on the spectrum. I'd have to find out how many of my friends who DO have autistic children have one or both parents in an engineering or related field. Your input would be awesome!
I have no evidence, but I've heard the autism-spectrum rate is pretty high around here. I dunno, though, since I have no proof. But it kind of makes sense to me, in a way. That being said, we're a 2 engineer family with kids not on the spectrum, so obviously it's not a given. But of course, nothing really is.
ReplyDeleteI did find this on the Riley Center Website: "The CDC continues to track and monitor the increasing prevalence of Autism, Pervasive Development Delay and related disorders specifically in Alabama’s northern 32 counties. As suspected in previous CDC reports, the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders in Alabama is higher with an increase of 82% over the same 4-year period. This increase is nearly 1.5 times larger than the national average. "
ReplyDeleteThere is a certain way that some people think that makes them "systemizers". A person's occupation is not as important as the way they think. You might be a systemizer too. I read some of your blog posts and you have your own writing style and you articulate your points well. Language is a form of systemizing too, not just STEM occupations. Maybe you reside in the vast gray area between autistic and neurotypical. I've been friends with several of those people in my life. They are lucky because they can navigate the NT world so well, and also relate well to those of us on the spectrum.
ReplyDeleteAutism has a higher prevalence in Oregon too, but no more STEM jobs than any other place. But Oregon attracts lots of writers and artists and people who systemize in non-science and non-engineering ways too. Creativity is one of the most incredible things about being on the spectrum. I think researchers don't study the creative side of autism as much because..... well, they are scientists themselves, so they are more interested in the scientific side of things and they gravitate toward associating autism with STEM subjects.