RFK, Jr.: Anti-vax HHS Secretary

[Bamabuzzard]

Actually, researchers at the CDC are glad that the number of autistic children is ticking up.

Because it means that we are doing a better job of diagnosing autism - rather than autism is increasing.

In spite of what RFK's nutcase namesake son wants us to believe.

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/16/nx-s1-5366676/autism-cdc-rates-rfk-research

They say rising rates have to with improved screening and that years of research point to a wide variety of causes for the condition, including genetic, biological and environmental factors.

It's very unlikely that autism is caused by "one thing," said Catherine Lord, a professor of human development and psychology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA via email.

Zachary Warren, a pediatric psychiatrist and autism researcher at Vanderbilt University agrees. "We may have hundreds, if not thousands, of different neurogenetic factors that in combination with complicated environmental interactions influence presentations of autism," he said via email.

I've always wondered, much like ADD and ADHD, if this has always been around and we're just now identifying what it is, or are things like ADD/ADHD and autism actually "new"?

 

[Its On A Slab]

I've always wondered, much like ADD and ADHD, if this has always been around and we're just now identifying what it is, or are things like ADD/ADHD and autism actually "new"?

I started school way too early. In those days, you could start 1st grade when you were 5 years old.

I have often wondered if the school would have labeled me ADHD because I didn't want to stay in my seat and kept running my mouth. Would they have badgered my folks to get me on Ridalin or Adderall when I was just a young snot?

 

[stlimprov]

My terminally useless autistic spectrum kid just walked in and nailed a 34 on her ACT on her first try, without any outside prep/aid, and with a diagnosed issue with math processing which clearly impacted her performance in that area (only hit 96th percentile there). Too bad she'll never possibly be of any benefit to society.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I started school way too early. In those days, you could start 1st grade when you were 5 years old.

I have often wondered if the school would have labeled me ADHD because I didn't want to stay in my seat and kept running my mouth. Would they have badgered my folks to get me on Ridalin or Adderall when I was just a young snot?

I was recently diagnosed with a "low level" of ADD and started medication. It has dang near changed my life. I asked my doctor why it has taken this long to be noticed and why didn't my teachers or anyone in my family notice it. He said that back in the 80's we didn't know as much about it, and only kids who were behavior problems were considered. He said, I was probably not a classroom behavioral problem (which I wasn't), my grades were probably good (they were, but I struggled to get them) so there was no reason to consider me. So I fell through the cracks.

But since I've been on some meds for it, good lord! I told my wife if I would have had this as a kid there's no telling how much better in school I would have done and probably been something better than an accountant. But though I made good grades, I struggled to make them. It took me two to three times the effort to get the grades the other students were because my thoughts were always scattered and all over the place.

 

[stlimprov]

I've always wondered, much like ADD and ADHD, if this has always been around and we're just now identifying what it is, or are things like ADD/ADHD and autism actually "new"?

I think one significant environmental factor that we don't like to talk about is that an awful lot of educational and work environments just aren't designed for actual humans. We're far more likely to focus on the individual, and do so in a way that pathologizes the individual.

There's an axiom in user interface design that if (multiple) users keep making the same error, it might not be so much "user error" as it is poor interface.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I think one significant environmental factor that we don't like to talk about is that an awful lot of educational and work environments just aren't designed for actual humans. We're far more likely to focus on the individual, and do so in a way that pathologizes the individual.

There's an axiom in user interface design that if (multiple) users keep making the same error, it might not be so much "user error" as it is poor interface.

There's no doubt our "one size fits all" education model has been a topic for years. There are some very smart kids who simply do not learn in the model we've set. But when you're dealing with public education and the mass number of kids in it, it is tough to think about having individualized learning environments for each type of child and the resources it would take to accomplish it.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I started school way too early. In those days, you could start 1st grade when you were 5 years old.

I have often wondered if the school would have labeled me ADHD because I didn't want to stay in my seat and kept running my mouth. Would they have badgered my folks to get me on Ridalin or Adderall when I was just a young snot?

So your teachers were trying to get your parents to get you on some medicine, or did I not read that right?

 

[CrimsonJazz]

There's no doubt our "one size fits all" education model has been a topic for years. There are some very smart kids who simply do not learn in the model we've set. But when you're dealing with public education and the mass number of kids in it, it is tough to think about having individualized learning environments for each type of child and the resources it would take to accomplish it.

And this is one reason why home-schooling has exploded recently. Yeah, it's easy to stereotype these people and assume these kids are mostly learning about doomsday prepping, but my observations do not back this up. Our former deacon's daughter was homeschooled after struggling with public schools. (She had some breathtaking personality disorders.) Nevertheless, she learned everything she was supposed to and quite a few things that she never would have gotten in public schools. For instance, she is very fluent in Latin and even if she hadn't gone to college, she could still easily sit and talk with you about history, art, politics, religion, etc. Personality-wise, she's still an ass, but nevertheless a highly-educated ass.

 

[stlimprov]

There's no doubt our "one size fits all" education model has been a topic for years. There are some very smart kids who simply do not learn in the model we've set. But when you're dealing with public education and the mass number of kids in it, it is tough to think about having individualized learning environments for each type of child and the resources it would take to accomplish it.

I hear you. But I'm always amazed at the frequency with which we actively put up obstacles to engagement and then act mystified when people aren't engaged.

I'll just say that we often fail to teach people to navigate the dynamic balance of being an individual within an environment (of other individuals). And I think there are plenty of examples of that from every angle of the proverbial aisle.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

And this is one reason why home-schooling has exploded recently. Yeah, it's easy to stereotype these people and assume these kids are mostly learning about doomsday prepping, but my observations do not back this up. Our former deacon's daughter was homeschooled after struggling with public schools. (She had some breathtaking personality disorders.) Nevertheless, she learned everything she was supposed to and quite a few things that she never would have gotten in public schools. For instance, she is very fluent in Latin and even if she hadn't gone to college, she could still easily sit and talk with you about history, art, politics, religion, etc. Personality-wise, she's still an ass, but nevertheless a highly-educated ass.

Yeah, this sounds like a family member on my wife's side of the family. He is on the spectrum, but smart as all get out. However, homeschool was the best route for him because his social skills are so bad when it comes to dealing with other people; there's just no way he would make it at a public school. So they homeschooled him, and he'll be going to college next year. His college is basically paid for due to his dang near perfect ACT score. But they're not sure if they're going to make him live at home and go to a local college or allow him to move off. We're almost certain they're going to make him stay home and go to the local college. He'd end up getting the hell beaten out of him if he went off on his own. He has next to zero social skills and social etiquette when it comes to dealing with other people.

 

[stlimprov]

Personality-wise, she's still an ass, but nevertheless a highly-educated ass.

Somebody send her the link to our forum; she's our people!

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I hear you. But I'm always amazed at the frequency with which we actively put up obstacles to engagement and then act mystified when people aren't engaged.

I'll just say that we often fail to teach people to navigate the dynamic balance of being an individual within an environment (of other individuals). And I think there are plenty of examples of that from every angle of the proverbial aisle.

It's a tough balance to allow individually while trying to keep corporate order. I imagine it is a lot like coaching a team, in that you have 12-15 players and all of them are different and unique. The coach has to find a healthy balance of allowing individuality while ensuring the team ultimately functions as a whole.

 

[Its On A Slab]

So your teachers were trying to get your parents to get you on some medicine, or did I not read that right?

Oh, heck no. I was in 1st grade when LBJ was President. Back when corporal punishment was the rule of the day. Back when we could run with scissors and ride bikes without helmets, and if you were hurt in football practice, you just rubbed dirt on it. (Actually tried that a couple of times with limited results. )

Nobody had ever heard of ADHD.

 

[CrimsonJazz]

Nobody had ever heard of ADHD.

Meh, it's just ADD with a much higher resolution.

 

[Its On A Slab]

Meh, it's just ADD with a much higher resolution.

In the words of Italian sage, Furio Gigante. :

 

[Bamaro]

I was recently diagnosed with a "low level" of ADD and started medication. It has dang near changed my life. I asked my doctor why it has taken this long to be noticed and why didn't my teachers or anyone in my family notice it. He said that back in the 80's we didn't know as much about it, and only kids who were behavior problems were considered. He said, I was probably not a classroom behavioral problem (which I wasn't), my grades were probably good (they were, but I struggled to get them) so there was no reason to consider me. So I fell through the cracks.

But since I've been on some meds for it, good lord! I told my wife if I would have had this as a kid there's no telling how much better in school I would have done and probably been something better than an accountant. But though I made good grades, I struggled to make them. It took me two to three times the effort to get the grades the other students were because my thoughts were always scattered and all over the place.

What are the drug side effects

 

[Bamabuzzard]

What are the drug side effects

The only one I have is appetite suppressant. I'm not as hungry.

 

[Bodhisattva]

The only one I have is appetite suppressant. I'm not as hungry.

Is that code for "shrinkage"?

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Is that code for "shrinkage"?

Naw, thank goodness that still works just fine, LOL!

 

[Bamaro]

Naw, thank goodness that still works just fine, LOL!

TMI