IS THE AUTISM EPIDEMIC JUST AN OUTBREAK OF DIAGNOSES? “Autism’s apparent explosion cannot be understood without first clarifying what the term now encompasses. What was once a rare, severe neurodevelopmental condition, often accompanied by intellectual disability and institutionalization, has expanded into a broad diagnostic spectrum that includes many individuals with normal or exceptional cognition and minimal functional impairment. This diagnostic elasticity, combined with deinstitutionalization, shifting social expectations, and powerful policy incentives such as mental health parity, has dramatically altered who is counted and why.”

And don’t forget the role played by Somali scammers.