Has there really been an increase in autism or just an increase in diagnosing autism?

This seems to be based on what parents were led to believe. The school room is the true indicator. If there are across-the-board standards then the results will be there. What are the results at the end of the 3rd grade?

All three of the previous commentators are correct. Every large population has a multitude of environmental factors, for and against simultaneously.

Then you pile in the crapshoot of genetic complexity and you have a recipe for mass confusion.

Unfortunately there are many fraudulent quacks, bunco artists and anti-science demagogues who prey upon the overwhelmed parents of autistic children.

Those parents of autistic children that I've known, feel guilt and fear of being blamed for the affliction. But genetics is a lot more complicated then the simple-mindeds 'blame game'.

An example is. At my age, I still have a full head of hair. Yet my father (whom I have always strongly resembled) went bald as did the other men in his lineage.

However, my Mother's Father died with a full head of hair. Many genetic quirks such as this example may skip generations. Which leads to the whole dominant and recessive gene mess.