Benjamming wrote:
Yes, Aspergers is hereditary. I have 2 brothers (one younger, one older) and all of us plus my father have AS - myself and my younger brother officially diagnosed.
We have suspicions that this and other learning disablities in the family stems from genetic damage my paternal Grandfather suffered as a result of being stationed in Japan near Hiroshima after WW2 (part of the occupational force known as J-force). He and others would go digging in the rubble for souvenirs when off duty - those in power who knew about the dangers of radiation failed to mention it to their subordinates (the conspiracy theorist in me wants to think they were used as guinea pigs). He died of cancer in the early 60's. I have also learnt of another AS individual whose father served in J-force. He (her father) died of leukaemia.
I stress that this is only a hypothesis, albeit a pretty strong one in my opinion.
Weird. MY paternal grandfather spent 3 1/2 years in Japanese prison camps after surviving the Bataan Death March, then immediately fell for a young San Francisco socialite when he arrived home and she had his baby. My dad has been screwed up from day one-bipolar, psychosis, various physical ailments. We think it's because grandpa's sperm was damaged from the war. The other son he had was sort of a loner and used up his savings to care for a terminally ill woman he thought was his soulmate, then when she died he killed himself after finding himself destitute. His daughter was normal. My mom's father most likely had AS, and my mom's mother was probably bipolar and anxiety. My mom is largely NT though, but never matured emotionally, she's like a little kid in some ways. My family tree is so screwed up it's not funny. I plan to have myself fixed so that I don't have the chance to bestow this curse on some innocent kid who didn't ask for it. My mom's dad always urged me not to have kids, he said that there's too much wrong with me and it's all genetic.
28 Dec 2008, 9:13 pm
