Autism link to immigration - BBC

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Interesting - I hadn't realised there was a higher incidence of autism among migrant populations, quite surprising.

It makes sense surely? Having to assimulate into two cultures and languages is a lot harder than one.

It might explain why I'm so much weirder than my brother. Okay, I didn't emigrate from the caribbean, but I did grow up in a non English speaking culture and have to emigrate to a place where I was treated very badly for having an accent. I had quite a few early childhood traumas that bypassed my brother, because he was simply a baby when our lives went up in smoke.

I've read that there is a link between autism and vitamin D, in which case it would make perfect sense that someone born in a tropical location, then moving much farther north would experience autism effects due to the lower levels of sunshine.

A weak link topic



Here is another subtly racist bit of so-called evidence.

Other countries would have to consuct similar studies for this to be even possible.

Where's the racism, it's obviously too subtle for me? The implication is that it's the act of moving home that's the trigger, but even if it were not, it isn't racist to highlight real differences between general populations (like, say, sickle cell or lactose intolerance) provided you acknowledge the (blindingly... huh, guess that's why so many people find it so hard...) obvious limitations on arbitrarily assigning people to "racial" and "ethnic" groups. It certainly would be interesting to see results for, say, UK emigrants (regardless of ethnicity) to the Caribbean, etc.

Regardless, it doesn't sound right to me. As far as I know I came out "different", environment didn't get a look in. That's why I find it surprising that there is - or at least that they're saying there is - a higher rate. It's odd. Though I do now remember trying and failing to find any good analysis of autism incidence across the UK (it's a very, very thin patchwork of studies using different methodologies, sample sizes, and so on) so really the "increased incidence" can probably be treated with great suspicion.

I work in a large town in the UK with the NHS autism team, so I am aware of a lot of the diagnosed autistics in the area. Despite this town having a large immigrant population I can state fairly confidently that none of the people I work with are "ethnic minorities", or immigrants, or anything other than local. Certainly from a racial perspective they are almost exclusively white rather than afro-carribbean etc. This is based on a fairly broad cross-section of the population from quite a large borough. In other words this study looks like a load of toss. If there is a large immigrant group of autistics hiding here they are certainly well-camouflaged from the health authorities.

It depends on the study itself - if someone has a link to the paper then I could properly analyse it.

Though there is a clear problem recognised well outside of this in terms of people who are of ethnic minorities getting Autism recognised in their children, something which the NAS a while back pointed out. I would need to see the conduct of the study to decide either way...

That's been pointed out as a problem here in the States as well: more white children get diagnosed than african-american, native american, or hispanic even though scientifically-based speculation says that the rates are the same among all ethnicities.

Isn't that exactly what an Autistic person does? We not only have to learn how to be Autistic but NT as well . . .

No, because its not as if we have to learn to be autistic - we start that way for the most part. Nor does society expect anyone to learn to be autistic (though it would be fairer if they did!)

I don't understand what you mean be 'we don't have to learn to be Autistic'. I certainly did. I knew absolutely nothing about it until I found out I was one.

Thanks for the info. The only area I know first-hand well enough to comment on is where I live, and the population here is totally "native."

What rubbish!

Countries like the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are composed almost entirely of immigrants.

As for it being traumatic, I can't imagine anything more traumatic than being shipped out in chains as a slave or a convict.

So where were all the autistic people in "the old days"?

Largely unrecognized as such.

I don't think so. We here are on the top end of the spectrum or we wouldn't be debating on the internet.

If there was a plague of "severely dysfunctional" people in colonial days then it would be remembered.

Anyway what is this "stress" that causes autistic babies?

Your parents divorce. Isn't that stress? You move house, or change schools. Isn't that stress?

Your parents have the family home repossessed and you have to live in a tent or a trailer park. Isn't that stress?

If that was the case then more than half the population would be autistic.