08-20-2004, 11:57 AM
I found this news story which is very interesting- are we seeing a genetic cluster possibly?
"MORE than 3400 kids in Scotland have autism, a report has revealed.
But there are massive regional variations in rates of the developmental disorder.
Latest figures show 35 out of every 10,000 children are autistic.
But in Orkney, 22 times more children are diagnosed than in Forth Valley, which has the lowest rate.
Yesterday, autism expert Dr Ken Aitken said it was unclear why there were differences.
He said: 'There are huge variations across Scotland in what sort of measures they use to assess and diagnose kids with autism.
'A lot of families move to rural locations because school sizes tend to be smaller and children are less likely to be teased. But you would expect the Western Isles and Shetland to have similar figures to Orkney if that is the reason. As far as we know, they don't.'
The Executive compiled the report from council and health board figures.
Previously, there was no central register.
Now experts fear the figures could under-estimate the incidence of the disorder, which varies in its severity.
Sufferers can find it hard to make sense of the world.
Their speech may fail to develop and they may display obsessive behaviour.
The exact causes are not known but research has highlighted genetic factors.
Concerns have also been raised over a possible link between autism and the MMR jab - a link denied by health officials.
Anti-MMR campaigners said the new statistics showed an autism 'epidemic'.
Action Against Autism chairman Bill Welsh said: 'This is a national scandal of unbelievable proportions.'
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_obj..._page.html
"MORE than 3400 kids in Scotland have autism, a report has revealed.
But there are massive regional variations in rates of the developmental disorder.
Latest figures show 35 out of every 10,000 children are autistic.
But in Orkney, 22 times more children are diagnosed than in Forth Valley, which has the lowest rate.
Yesterday, autism expert Dr Ken Aitken said it was unclear why there were differences.
He said: 'There are huge variations across Scotland in what sort of measures they use to assess and diagnose kids with autism.
'A lot of families move to rural locations because school sizes tend to be smaller and children are less likely to be teased. But you would expect the Western Isles and Shetland to have similar figures to Orkney if that is the reason. As far as we know, they don't.'
The Executive compiled the report from council and health board figures.
Previously, there was no central register.
Now experts fear the figures could under-estimate the incidence of the disorder, which varies in its severity.
Sufferers can find it hard to make sense of the world.
Their speech may fail to develop and they may display obsessive behaviour.
The exact causes are not known but research has highlighted genetic factors.
Concerns have also been raised over a possible link between autism and the MMR jab - a link denied by health officials.
Anti-MMR campaigners said the new statistics showed an autism 'epidemic'.
Action Against Autism chairman Bill Welsh said: 'This is a national scandal of unbelievable proportions.'
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_obj..._page.html