Disease model versus the natural autism spectrum

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It's known that autism is primarily genetic, but it's only half of it has been accredited to autism, it's unclear how what genes have been found to be correlated contribute to autism, and what environmental factors contribute is even less well known. I think one of the main factors that is keeping autism so "mysterious" and keeping research from getting anywhere is the use of the disease model. By only seeing autism as autism when it's impairing, it's causing what would be obvious information to be ignored. I believe that if subclinical siblings weren't treated as being vastly different than their diagnosed siblings and whatnot and common traits aside from clinical autistic traits were looked for, than BAP and by extension autism would be extended, and then a more clear genetic basis could be established. Now, there is still something differentiating the two groups, but by looking as the two groups as having one being more severely affected by autism rather than only one being autistic, than it paves way for wide range of factors which could make autism have a more severe effect other than the autism itself. Looking into the variety of things which make autism more severe rather than trying to pinpoint a cause of autism is much more promising for looking for treatments that actually make a difference. What points me to this track is the fact that higher functioning autism has been found to be more clearly genetic than lower functioning autism, and likewise lower functioning autism has more comorbids like gastronomical illnesses which could make autism more severe. This leads to my other point, I think the disease model has made many people think autism is brain damage, when brain scans have made it quite clear it isn't, the brain is undamaged, just atypical, which leads people to look for poison-sounding causes of autism like mercury, drugs, viruses, or lack of oxygen, even genetic factors like poisony sounding proteins, over softer, psychological factors. Just because "refrigerator moms" don't cause autism doesn't mean all contributing environmental factors must be chemical in nature. In fact it doesn't just have to be environmental factors which have a psychological effect, for example genetic gastronomical problems could cause persistent and severe enough distress to worsen symptoms. Now, I'm not saying chemicals or brain damage can't make autism more severe, in many severe cases they likely factor in, but that is not the same thing as saying autism is caused by chemicals or brain damage. It is my believe that moving away from the disease model of autism and moving towards a psych-bio-social model would be much more effective at providing treatment.

I agree.
I think the core of autism is genetic, but I think that most of the visible symptoms in aspies are effects of all the psychological disorders that aspies commonly get within certain environments.

What we know about the phenotypic expression of autism is that 90% of children later diagnosed with autism were found to have brain volumes larger than the normal average. More specifically the amount of white and gray matter in the cerebrum was significantly larger in children with autism which includes enlarged frontal lobes. This has been referred to as the lack of nueral pruning in the autistic brain that occurs in NT brains. So rather than comorbids it's my guess (I'm surprised nobody has done this study) that if you are "very high functioning" then your brain volume will be closer to normal than "very severe" where the brain might be largest.

I personally dislike the association of "low functioning" with low IQ (< 70) as those with the most severe autism probably have the largest brains which means they have the potential to be very very intelligent. No surprise that many genius savants were originally diagnosed with fairly severe autism.

Autism, partly on the low functioning end, has no single pathology, so while certainly some of those who are low functioning are actually quite intelligent, likely some are actually mentally disabled.

This is true but my point was i) the labels are far too simple to capture the variety of differences exhibited in the spectrum and ii) even those who exhibit intellectual disability despite not being able to function/communicate may still have untapped potential to use their minds.

From an ethical standpoint you cant have it both ways; on the one hand NTs use criteria of social disfunction to label Aspies as "mentally handicapped" which (quite rightly) are unreasonable and narrow in their focus.
see this article for an example of how NTs label Aspies
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympi ... Games.html
Ironically by the same criteria Aspies also (rather unfortunately) use same criteria labels to distinguish themselves from their fellow autists whom they (conveniently) label LFA. The latter labels are also unreasonable and narrow in their focus.

I realise many of you will roll your eyes and rely on your above average IQ as evidence that I'm wrong. But as demonstrated on numerous occasions IQ is not a great indicator of intelligence nor potential to utilise brain power.

Just going to point out Applegates wasn't allowed in just because she had aspergers; they aren't calling aspergers an intellectual disability, that's the name of the bracket and how you qualify for it. Technically she shouldn't be in if she has aspergers as it technically precludes intellectual disability, but reality is more complex than the technicalities.

Anyway, I agree the labels are too restrictive, but it's what other people used who found the trends, it's the data I have. I don't think of LFA as being intellectually disabled, but having problems that cause more severe impairment than just mild autism would.

You are correct re: Applegates, the problem is one of perception, not reality

There are some things that are very clearly neurological I think. Tics, for example. Differences in speech development. Stuff like that.

Most of the truly negative impacts of autism are related to difficulties fitting in. A little bit more love and compassion in this world might help.