Comments about ‘Autism on the rise in nation, more likely among boys’

From the reports I have read and watched on CNN, these numbers are skewed because many of the information was taken through telephone surveys and not from a doctor. Autism is terrible and I have compassion for those dealing with this problem. I have to say, though, that it seems Autism is today's ADHD. Just like every child who had any type of "oddness" to them in the 1990s they were labeled ADHD. Today, it seems everyone has autism. I am not trying to be mean, but I am disappointed that we can rely on this study.

@just-a-fan

I agree, especially considering its a spectrum. Working in technology, probably the majority of people I've met would be defined as having some kind of mild, but high-functioning, autism or Asperger's. Most of them make more than the national average, so I wouldn't worry too much about them.

I there's always been people who could have been defined this way, but modern psychology has come up with a bunch of neat words for it. It's been suggested that several historical figures may have had autism, including Newton, Tesla, Einstein, Michelangelo, Mozart, Swift, Carrol, and Joyce.

The real question is, what is the rate of non-functioning autism?