autism and genius - how 'neurotypicals' can benefit

Its not often you find an article espousing the virtues of having aspects of autism- and furthermore suggesting an understanding of autism might be utilized to release 'flashes of genius' in those of us who are 'neurotypical'. Yet that is exactly what I discovered while reading the latest edition of The Economist (April, 18 -24th) in the article "Genius Locus". In a study published last week by Dr. Patricia Howlin in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, Dr. Howlin addresses this idea. Because one of the characteristics of people with autism is their restricted, repetitive interests and activities, they can have savant-like skills in certain areas. Dr. Howlin suggests that these obsessional interests and repetitive behaviors allow them to practice excessively the particular skill of their interest, thus sometimes attaining  superior ability. So, to follow that logic, if one practiced  mathematical puzzles or a musical instrument for hours each day, one could conceivably achieve expertise such as might be seen in an individual with autism. There is much more to the article than genius and savants and well worth exploring further. Check it out!

What to do when the school bus stops coming at 22 years

What options do families have for their adult children with autism after they turn twenty-two? Support services for adults with autism are few and far between, if they exist in some places at all - so scarce, that school districts are usually very little help in offering guidance to parents of what to expect for their child. Will the student be able to work independently, through supported living, or need an adult day program? And what are the housing options, - besides very limited?

Consider that autism is a lifelong disorder requiring careful treatment specific to people with ASD.  And that the wave of people with autism about to age out of the California school system is only a few short years away. What to do? I think we may have a problem here! 

As this is Autism Awareness month, it is increasingly important to remember that autism doesn't go away after 'early intervention', which has been the focus of attention in recent years. Although most children do get better over the course of their lives with intense services, the autism remains, however it may manifest itself. I was very heartened to learn of a senate bill introduced by Senators Durbin (D-Il) Casey (D-PA ), and Menendez (D-NJ): the Autism Treatment and Acceleration Act 2009 (ATAA) http://www.autism-society.org/site/news2?page=NewsArticle&id=13301.  ATAA would create many services for adults with autism- vocational, employment, housing and transportation to name a few. This is something for all of us to get behind!

Autism Awareness Day

Today is worldwide Autism Awareness Day, and perhaps a time to reflect on how far we have come in understanding autism - and how far we have yet to go. There is so much we need to know to understand why there is such an increase in the incidence of autism. And so much planning to be done as the crest of the wave of young people with autism ages out of the school systems and still require services. 

This month, the April edition of the  magazine "The Advocate" of the Autism Society of America focuses on the lives and perspectives of people with ASD. One article "Accepting and Valuing Difference" deals with the mundane activities that are rarely mundane for persons with autism, work, families, and what is referred to as the "culture of autism."   The authors state that their hope is to offer information that might help the greater community to discover new ways to "integrate the information and perspectives we offer into their daily life and work, with the common purpose of building bridges of understanding across all segments of our autism community."

Because so many more people with autism are mainstreamed and/or participating in many more ways in their communities, it is incredibly worthwhile to hear from those who write of their own experiences with ASD. We all have much to learn as we try to be more inclusive of our differences, because in many ways, this will be how we, as a community, will best manage the huge numbers of people with autism.

Life, death, and autism

Last month, two of our adult clients lost their parents. Joey's lovely mom died after a long decline, and Vanessa's very kind step-father also passed away. Both were elderly, and while their passing was not unexpected, it is still sad and gives us pause. It  brings to mind a constant, consuming thought always present for parents of people with  autism - worries about their inevitable death and what will become of their child when the parent dies. Who will care for them? And more specifically, who will care for them the way the parents do? Will others delight in their peculiar proclivities or will they find them frustrating? Will their unique interests and obsessions be allowed or will they be considered too narrow, irritating, and therefore something to be changed or eliminated? 

Because of the many behavioral challenges of people with autism, (which family members are accustomed to and usually know how to get around) parents worry about how accommodating others will be when their kids do something that might be annoying, let alone destructive. Will others still find that darling little boy cute after he has poured laundry soap all over the living room couch? What about the young woman who will absolutely refuse to leave her home without her backpack of special items regardless of where she is going or if you are in a hurry? Or the man who screams frightfully whenever someone coughs? What about the woman who wants to photograph every activity in which she participates, taking up considerable time, while insisting people pose in seemingly unending combinations? Will people still be nice to them, even when understandably exasperated by these behaviors?

Joey, who is in his mid-forties, still lives at home, as his parents decided to take care of him as long as they were able. So even as his elderly mother required more and more care, Joey was always at school, neatly dressed, with his lunch made, and ready for the day. Vanessa's parents decided to place her in a group home several years ago. Many of our parents of our adult clients have their children still living with them, and the decision to place their child even when there is no other option, can be heart wrenching. The agony parents go through is excruciating to witness. But even with a group home placement, parents and families are still very involved in the daily activities and general welfare of their children. That will never end  - and neither will the worry.

Vitamin D and Autism

With the dramatic increase in the incidence of autism over the last twenty or so years, there is always much speculation as to causative factors. While researchers focus on genetics and the biomedical causes, others look to the environment for triggers on a genetically vulnerable child. But so many toxic agents have been added to our world in the last few decades, it would seem amazing to be able to single out any one thing as to account for the rise in autism numbers. Nevertheless, this does not slow down the many theories that float about possible causes.

A more recent theory has been the connection between vitamin D, the recommendation for sun avoidance and autism. In the latest quarterly publication of the Autism Research Institute (ARI), there is an article on rainy weather climates and their connection to the autism increase ("Autism prevalence and precipitation rates in California, Oregon, and Washington Counties," Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.) The researchers postulate several reasons for the autism prevalence, among them the lack of outdoor play due to inclement weather and thus, a lack of exposure to vitamin D. ARI is currently funding research to investigate the link between autism and vitamin D.

In a review article of the Alternative Medicine Review,Volume 13, Number 1, 2008, the authors John J. Cannell, MD and Bruce W. Hollis, PhD discuss the significance of vitamin D deficiency as being implicated in "most diseases of civilization." Drs. Cannell and Hollis speculate that the current childhood epidemics of autism, asthma and type 1 diabetes, all of which have increased after sun avoidance became conventional wisdom, might be the unfortunate consequence of gestational or early childhood vitamin deficiencies. It would stand to reason, then, that an increase in sun exposure and/or the intake of vitamin D in a supplement form could have significant implications in the treatment of autism. But that seems to oversimplify the disorder. And many parents have tried increasing the use of vitamin D with their children without dramatic results. Perhaps there is a 'window of opportunity' that once lost, is lost forever. The jury is still out on this one, but certainly, it is worth exploring.

another vaccine case

It seems the jury may still be out on vaccines, as far as many people in the autism world feel. And just when it appeared to be definitively decided that vaccines are not the causation culprit by the federal "Vaccine Court" in Washington on February 12, there is a new report on the Huffington Post about yet another case of the MMR vaccine causing an autism spectrum disorder, PDD-NOS. http://www.huffungtonpost.com/robert-f-kennedy-ir-and-david-kirby/vaccine-court-autism-deba b 169673.html

This is such an emotional debate and not likely to be settled by the "special masters of the court" in Washington. But it does seem that we have to look beyond vaccines to the other possible toxins and infectious agents in our environment that effect all of us, and cause such serious problems for the most susceptible of us. There are so many possibilities and not enough research being done or oversight on the federal level to determine the negative impact of being exposed to such a wide range of toxins. Think about all the antibiotics, anti-depressants, blood pressure drugs, etc. that are being prescribed, consumed, and eliminated into the system that provides our drinking water. Then there are the phalates in plastics, the toxic waste of the computer industry, air pollution and God knows what else. We all need to get serious about searching for the causes of autism because the increase in incidence is growing astronomically and affects the resources of every community.

Fever/Heat: Decrease in Autism Symptoms

At the recent Stanford University Autism Conference, Dr. Andrew Zimmerman from the Kennedy Krieger Institute spoke about fever, immune factors and synaptic function in autism. Most interesting was the validation of reports I've heard over the years from many parents of children with autism who say that their children do indeed show signs of improvement with illness. Many report better eye contact, cognition, language, social interaction while their child's autistic behaviors, ("stimming", hyperactivity) are reduced. And according to Dr. Zimmerman, some of these improvements can be seen with the application of external heat, such as hot tubs or time in a sauna. No wonder we have so many families whose children spend so much time in the family hot tub or bath! Not only does it seem to have a calming effect, but it may, in fact, help manage their behavior and improve communication. There are lots of stories out there about fevers: check out http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyld=16956039.