Autisms Origins?

A provocative article was published in the January/February Stanford Magazine called "Breaking Through". The article zeroes in on research being done to answer the fundamental question: what is the underlying biology of autism? (http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2011/janfeb/features/autism.html) Rather than focusing on the rapid increase in the numbers, blaming vaccines, genetics, or even the environment, these researchers believe that only by understanding the biology of this perplexing disorder, will we ever have breakthroughs.

It has only been in the last few years that we have heard autism being referred to not as one disorder, but instead, a host of distinct disorders with the catchall name of autism. People talk about 'autisms' rather than the singular autism alone. With the idea of teasing out the many possible differences in the basic biology causing the symptoms, it would logically follow that treatments for each distinctive manifestation would not be the same. And the idea that you could possibly reverse the symptoms of such a profound disorder is extremely exciting. Note in the article the research being done on mice with fragile-X. It seems that the drugs they are experimenting with are actually reversing some neurological symptoms. This is very promising, though likely a long way off. But when the only current effective intervention is educational, this gives us all hope that someday this will not be seen as a lifetime disorder.

Feeling solitary with autism

Over the holidays, I asked a widowed mom and her grown autistic son, John, to join my family for dinner. John is in our adult program and she and I frequently meet for coffee. When we meet, I usually bring John with me from our program, so we don't have the confusion of waiting for his ride home. And since my kids spent their formative years working in the after school program, they know John well, too. So, it seemed like it would be nice to get together. Unfortunately, the mom had another commitment and couldn't make it. But she said wistfully, "You don't know how much it means to me to have both John and I invited to a family affair - people rarely include John in any invitations." This statement reminded me of the solitary lives that are sometimes lived by families isolated by autism. And while it made me feel sad, it also reminded me how much others are missing. Being with a person with autism is a slice of our human nature that can be at once revealing, baffling, mysterious - but that's all part of being human. Just a view from another side.

So, if you know a family with a child with autism - no matter how old that child may be - take the trouble to invite them to participate with you and your family. It will be good for everyone involved!!

Hopes for the New Year

Here are some of my hopes for the new year:

1) We will discover the cause of autisms in so many children.

2) The discoveries will lead to more effective treatments and perhaps even prevention of autisms developing.

3) In the meantime, people will go beyond the acceptance of people with significant differences, embrace their uniqueness, and indeed delight in their quirky personalities.

4) Recognize that just because we can measure something, doesn't mean it necessarily matters. For how can we measure quality of life events, art and music, the enchantment of sharing a smile, and connections we have without words?

So, just a few thoughts for the new year. Here's hoping!