Can you guess why Malaysia has seen a 700% increase in kids being diagnosed with autism?
I’ll give you a hint – it has nothing to do with vaccines!
Why Has Malaysia Seen a 700% Increase in Kids Being Diagnosed With Autism?
So why has Malaysia seen a 700% increase in kids being diagnosed with autism?
“THE number of individuals registered with autism under Malaysia’s Social Welfare Department (JKM) has increased eightfold over the past decade, reflecting what authorities describe as growing public awareness and stronger support systems for children with autism spectrum disorder.”
Autism registrations surge eightfold as awareness and support services expand
As in the United States, the increase was caused by:
- growing public awareness, and
- stronger support systems, including access to public education
It’s not because there are more autistic children and adults, but rather that more autistic children and adults are now getting diagnosed!
“Possibly in 2015, many children already had autism, but many people still did not fully understand or realise what autism was until awareness increased through the many programmes implemented.”
Autism registrations surge eightfold as awareness and support services expand
And vaccines?
There has been no major changes to the childhood immunization in Malaysia since Hib was added to the schedule in 2002.
Instead, you can likely thank the Persons with Disabilities Act 2008, which guaranteed the support necessary for children with special education needs to fully participate in education. And the 2018 Zero Reject Policy, which actually enforced their right to receive an education suited to their abilities, with parents being able to choose the school and type of class for their child.
Sound familiar?
It should, because we have seen the same pattern in the United States and many other countries.
“A rise in diagnoses loops backs to increased awareness, which impacts on how people identify themselves, which leads to a call for more assessment centres, which has led to a greater rise in diagnoses. As awareness and diagnoses increase, those with less severe symptoms come forward with their own stories of how autism affects them. The diagnostic criteria is widened to take these accounts onboard, which loops back again to another increase in diagnoses.”
What’s behind the UK’s increase in autism diagnoses?
Patterns that have even been seen in countries that give fewer vaccines and where vaccination rates have dropped…
“Changes in reporting practices can account for most (60%) of the increase in the observed prevalence of ASDs in children born from 1980 through 1991 in Denmark. Hence, the study supports the argument that the apparent increase in ASDs in recent years is in large part attributable to changes in reporting practices.”
Explaining the Increase in the Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Patterns that are best explained by increased awareness, better support systems, and changes to diagnostic criteria.
“With improved awareness that autism spectrum conditions in adulthood might have been missed owing to previous diagnostic restrictions, increasing numbers of adults are now receiving appropriate and timely diagnoses.”
Identifying the lost generation of adults with autism spectrum conditions
Patterns that we now need to see in older adults, as they are a lost generation that wasn’t diagnosed when they were kids, because there was less awareness, fewer support systems, and tighter diagnostic criteria.
It’s not vaccines.
It was never vaccines.
More on Autism
- Let’s Talk about The Autism-Vaccine Timing Connection
- How Anti-Vaccine Influencers Observe Autism Acceptance Month
- Why Are Anti-Vaccine Influencers Obsessed With the Movie Rain Man?
- Three Reasons You Should Avoid Going to Anti-Vaccine Autism Conferences
- Autism registrations surge eightfold as awareness and support services expand
- National Autism Society of Malaysia (NASOM)
- Understanding Inclusive Education for Students with Autism in Malaysia
- What’s behind the UK’s increase in autism diagnoses?
- Explaining the Increase in the Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Identifying the lost generation of adults with autism spectrum conditions
- Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among School-Age Children in Malaysia: Analysis by Age and States
- Autism Rates Are Now 1 in 36. Here’s Why That Is a Good Thing.
- A Lost Generation: Growing Up With Autism Before The “Epidemic”