One theory currently being discussed by experts about the increase in autism rates in the United States is that older parents are giving birth to these children. However, based on my observations over the past nineteen years, I have reservations about this theory.

I must first acknowledge that older women have been giving birth since the dawn of time.

While caring for my nineteen-year-old grandson taking him to various programs and schools in California and New York, I did not observe a significant number of older mothers dropping off their children.

Recently, I assisted a young mother in taking her child to an ABA program, which has reached its capacity of forty children. Among the forty children enrolled, whether it is the mother or father dropping off or picking up, I have not seen many (if any at all) older parents. Most appear to be in their early twenties to early thirties. This trend is also evident in the speech therapy program he attended in a nearby city, where, similar to the ABA program, older parents are not prominently present.

In the past, when Jayden participated in a program in a predominantly white neighborhood in New York City, he was the only child of color present. I noticed a significantly larger number of older mothers in attendance. This observation raises questions about whether research is being conducted in predominantly white communities.

The previous statement is not intended to convey any racial bias and should not be interpreted as such. I am simply sharing my observations to provide a clearer understanding of why researchers and medical professionals consider older parents as a relevant factor in exploring the increase in autism cases.