Stutzka1

ProfessorSchulz
Speech06
January2016
Summary:
"RisingAutismStatisticsLikelyReflectImprovedDiagnostics."byEmilyWillingham
Autism has been said to be caused by numerous, unrelated factors throughout history
due to improper presentation of its data. Ourenvironmentisbecomingmore andmorepolluted
with toxins, that is a fact. Wehavealsohadariseinautismdiagnoses,thishasbeentruesince
autism was officially accepted into the medical community in 1981. Something that isnt known
to the general public is that autism was first introduced over 70 years ago, before fossil fuels
and pollution could be considered a factor in autism. Emily Willingham is a member of the
autismcommunityandinherarticleshearguesthattheriseinstatisticsisnotenvironmentalbut
only a direct result of successful research. The definitionofwhatidentifiesautisminachildhas
beenexpandedovertime,allowingformorechildrentobediagnosed.
Many parents felt lost when they received their results back in the beginning of the rise
of autism, leading them to naturally search for answers. Autism was a mystery and didnthave
much media coverage, so it was an alien term to parents atthistime.Thisobsessionofhowor
why led to moneytobefloodedintoresearchoverthenextdecades.Thisinfluxofresearchled
to a discovery of different characteristics of autism, opening up for more diagnoses. But the
definition is ready to be revised again, the community is predicting that thiswillcauseadropin
diagnoses. Willingham concludes her article with,
The data suggest that autistic people have
always been here, whether diagnosed or not. I personally agree withthisstatement.Myfamily
is personally affected by this as my brother is autistic. I have met many families that have
multiple family members with autism and others where only one, like mine, is diagnosed. I
believe that autism has always been in ourcommunitiesandthereisntacauseorreasonforit.
Thereisnoepidemic.

Stutzka2
ProfessorSchulz
Speech06
January2016

SourceCitation
Willingham, Emily. "Rising Autism Statistics Likely Reflect Improved Diagnostics."
Why Is Autism
on the Rise? Ed. ClayFarrisNaff.FarmingtonHills,MI:GreenhavenPress,2014.AtIssue.Rpt.
from "Is Autism an 'Epidemic' or Are We Just Noticing More People Who Have It?"
Discover
MagazineBlogs
11July2012.
OpposingViewpointsinContext.
Web.18Jan.2016.
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