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Dillogic
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05 Dec 2021, 7:55 pm

Autism can better be described as a systemic condition, even if most of the obvious signs/symptoms are from the brain (there's a good chance the stuff from the brain is due to either local or systemic chronic inflammation). The altered immune system and favored pro-inflammatory cytokine response may be beneficial in some situations (much like the hyperfocus/hypersensitivity can be), but not in others (much like the hyperfocus/hypersensitivity can be). A skewed pro-inflammatory response appears detrimental with COVID-19, so maybe autism will be similar to other autoimmune conditions when it comes to a slight increase in severe infection, though I'm sure it wouldn't be much higher, just as most of those autoimmune conditions don't confer a large increase in severe outcome. If it was much higher, they would have seen that signal by now. Cormorbid conditions from the autism itself or any medications, might also be an issue. The Risperidone they like putting people with autism on can lead to metabolic issues; on the other side, many of the medications, including Riseridone, might have anti-COVID-19 effects, whether direct antiviral and/or anti-inflammatory. Vitamin D deficiency seems to be far more common than it should be, which can lead to a dysrergulated immune response on its own. It's quite a complex issue, and I should stop lecturing.

It'll be fine for a long time, though. You're young and female (females are a bit better at fighting off viruses). I wouldn't worry about it for myself, but yeah, I know how worry goes.



Joe90
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05 Dec 2021, 9:06 pm

My immune system is strong. Whenever I get an infection it always goes away on its own.
When I had the flu back in 2019 I was only sick for a week (the illest I had ever been).
I've cut my leg on a sharp piece of rusty metal before and never got an infection. The cut healed fine and rather quickly.

I'm already extremely insecure about having autism so hearing that autistic people are 'more likely' to get ill or die from covid just rubs salt in the wound.

I preferred it when autism was just a neurological developmental disorder, not all these physical disease correlations. It's like this site is full of scaremongering and increases my anxiety levels to the roof.


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Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
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05 Dec 2021, 9:41 pm

Have you thought of trying to find ways to relieve the anxiety? I'm only telling you this because I get really bad anxiety attacks, so I feel for you and I think (although I'm not a doc) that you might be having one. They suck and they hurt, but they eventually go away.