Autism is a "disease"?

[Kayla55]

I don't really care if someone calls it a disease or what they call it, as it is best not to get ourselves offended over words if they aren't written deliberately to aggravate people.

Its not a heart disease, it's sometimes referred to as chamber between and can or may be reason emotions can drive our pulse up more than others.
Diabetes but type 2 may be affected by diet or sensory with food.
Relation between epilepsy and autism ....unsolved, but it's probably because it can be fatal that it's noted.
Use of many drugs can affect digestive system which in turn causes myriad of issues.
Some schools in UK refuse to intervene with ABA (I mean ABA to fix issue not all time for everything) so some never learn to eat solid foods, drink bottles in creche.

Because of neuro-behaviour symptoms autism became classified as a neurological issue, and may hence as medical be termed a disease.
It seems a bit unfair as we viewed as sick, but delayed speech for other neuro reasons is why groups under functions of frontal cortex

 

[DaisyRose]

I think autism is not a disease more of a misunderstanding. People chose to believe norms and beliefs without taking the time to do their research. One thing I hate is when people think you have to look a certain way to be classified with a disability. There is such a thing as having a hidden disability. I’ve seen someone post this before.

 

[jsilver256]

Well, to add some clarity here, if your autism variant is associated with anxiety, then this can, but not always, increase your risk of hypertension. If your autism variant is associated with a lack of sleep, this can, but not always increase your risk of hypertension, as well. Persistent anxiety and a lack of reparative sleep can also diminish one's immune system. If your autism variant is associated with a hyper-responsive cytokine response, it can enhance and prolong illnesses, as well as, prolong tissue repair after exercise or injuries, surgical interventions, etc. If your autism variant is associated with depression, it can, but not always, lead to poor eating habits, increasing one's risk of weight gain, metabolic syndromes, and diabetes. Furthermore, the effects of depression and social isolation, if that pertains to you, can lead to other things like drug abuse, or worse. Not to mention the GI issues that definitely effect many systems throughout the body.

I say this not to "trigger" anyone. Autism needs to STOP being treated as a psychological condition only. For those with autism, our loved ones, our physicians, they need to consider autism a genetic, anatomical, physiological, immunological condition with secondary psychological signs and symptoms. Depending upon the specific autism variant, it can have both primary and secondary physical health effects. Knowing this is useful. It gives one the opportunity to make some informed decisions and lifestyle changes.

I respect the feelings associated with this topic, but knowledge is a powerful thing if put to positive thought and use. When it comes to my physical well-being, I must push the feelings aside and use my logic centers. Furthermore, do understand that statistical analysis rarely results in 100%, but rather 20%, 40%, or whatever in terms of associated increase in risk factors. In other words, 80% or 60% may not be associated with that risk. Those statistics can be flipped around. Context and perspective. I plan on living to 100+ years just to piss people off, so that means using this knowledge and making better decisions.

I was blown away when researching and finding all my minor physical conditions (TMJ, scoliosis, asthma, etc) was associated with autism. Even the rare disease which caused my deafness is more prevalent in autistic children (immune system, maybe). Pretty cool to have an unified explanation rather than "just screwed up in a million little ways."

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

Another puzzle no interest to me.

 

[Dagan]

I would call for these medical "professionals" to be barred and their licenses stripped. In actual, baseline medical terminology a real physician / doctor would know with ease and simplicity that Autism doesn't fit the definition of a disease, rather it better fits the definition of a syndrome. How do supposedly very well educated doctors not know this?

 

[Neonatal RRT]

I would call for these medical "professionals" to be barred and their licenses stripped. In actual, baseline medical terminology a real physician / doctor would know with ease and simplicity that Autism doesn't fit the definition of a disease, rather it better fits the definition of a syndrome. How do supposedly very well educated doctors not know this?

It certainly seems a bit nebulous depending upon one's definition of disease, abnormality, illness, or condition. It could be that for most definitions of medical syndromes, there must be a disease, abnormality, or condition present. The term syndrome is more of a descriptor of the signs and symptoms, taken together.

For example, Trisomy 21 has a group of signs and symptoms associated with that abnormality. Taken together, it is called Down's syndrome.

Now, obviously, looking at the literature, there is more nuance here where, over time, autism has transitioned from a form of mental illness, to a disorder, to more recently, a condition, with the language softening. Clearly, autism is a result of genetic and epigenetic differences from the norm, and that said, some may call this a genetic, neurodevelopmental disease. That said, autism is associated with resultant changes in brain anatomy, resultant neurotransmitter differences, as well as, differences in conductivity and connectivity. Furthermore, it can also effect immune, gastrointestinal, and neuro-motor functioning. I see where one would surmise that autism better fits the definition of a syndrome, a result of all the signs and symptoms taken together, rather than a disease, per se.

At this point in the discussion, it seems less clear, even when you review the medical definitions. Either way, probably best not to dwell on medical terminology, nor the people who want to weaponize the terminology, but rather how we are going to empower ourselves with knowledge to live our best lives and rise above being "triggered".

 

[Misty Avich]

If Downs syndrome is a syndrome and not called a disease then autism should definitely not be called a disease.

 

[Dagan]

I can imagine having a humorous conversation with someone about all of this and telling them that the difference is, they need to remember that diseases are cured by vaccines...and that vaccines "cause" autism. It would both be a horrible joke but possibly one of the best ever.

 

[Jenisautistic]

To me autism is not a disease. It is just bing born different


For me the definition of a disease is that if untreated or somtimes even treated could end in death or just get porgressivlty worse over time.

A disorder on the other hand is a conbnaiton of symptoms that are stable and not progressive that will last a lifetime.

I consider things like autism and down syndrome are genetivc differences. One that needs understanding pancince but no cure is required, at least not for everyone.

 

[Xinyta]

I think autism is not a disease more of a misunderstanding. People chose to believe norms and beliefs without taking the time to do their research. One thing I hate is when people think you have to look a certain way to be classified with a disability. There is such a thing as having a hidden disability. I’ve seen someone post this before.

View attachment 128465

I agree with this. This whole "you don't look disabled" thing, needs to be nipped in the bud once and for all. Instead of questioning the person. Study them. Look at how they respond and act.

Though that takes effort and no one wants to do that anymore.

Humanity is a disease.

I agree. Though not in the cynical, nihilistic sense.

Life in general, rather, is a disease. A terminal one. You are dying the moment you are born. It just so happens you can get sick, cripple your body, cripple your emotions, mentally break, and other things. These can accelerate the process of death, if left untreated. Sometimes it cannot be helped. Life is strange and wonderful like that.

 

[Fino]

I agree with this. This whole "you don't look disabled" thing, needs to be nipped in the bud once and for all. Instead of questioning the person. Study them. Look at how they respond and act.

Though that takes effort and no one wants to do that anymore.



I agree. Though not in the cynical, nihilistic sense.

Life in general, rather, is a disease. A terminal one. You are dying the moment you are born. It just so happens you can get sick, cripple your body, cripple your emotions, mentally break, and other things. These can accelerate the process of death, if left untreated. Sometimes it cannot be helped. Life is strange and wonderful like that.

I was referring primarily to sin.