I remember asking our doctor about my son Kyle’s hand-flapping and wrist-twisting that accompanied his autism. “Will it ever go away?” I asked.
“It’s the way his brain is wired,” was the response.
It has been a decade since the doctor made that statement, and although “brain wiring” is certainly a factor in autism, new research has provided us with more complete information. The quest to uncover the baffling mysteries of autism continues to move forward. According to TIME magazine in an article posted Sunday, May 7th, Inside the Autistic Mind, here is what we know about autism:
- As is true with cancer, it has a wide range of presentations and levels of severity. This is why doctors to prefer to call it “Autism Spectrum Disorders.” Some children have milder forms, such as Asperger’s Syndrome, where cognitive ability is high, but social awareness is low. Other children might have more severe cases where they are unable to speak or relate meaningfully to other people in any way. Some children are able to function productively in regular classrooms with assistance, and other children need specialized instruction in self-contained learning environments.
- In the past we believed that some of the classically-observed symptoms of autism, like hand-flapping, spinning, and repetitive speech, were hard-wired into the child’s psyche, but we now understand that the behaviors are more like coping tactics. This revelation offers more hope that therapies and early intervention can minimize and redirect these behaviors. (Thus, Kyle’s doctor’s statement was not exactly accurate.)
- We also know that there are two distinct subtypes of autism: one which has an early-onset, and another which starts as late as age two.
- We used to believe that autism was a disease or malfunction of the cerebellum, a region in the brain that plays a major role in the integration of sensory perception and motor output. However, we now believe that autism is more an all-encompassing problem with brain wiring. We are seeing that, in autistic people, nerve fibers which link various parts of the brain are malformed. However, it isn’t clearly understood whether these malformations cause the autism symptoms, or whether the autism, as it limits certain cognitive abilities, causes the malformations.
- The autistic child’s supposed inability to “bond,” show love, or concern for others, can now be explained as a simple byproduct of communication problems. Again, not a hard-wiring problem in the child’s brain which can’t be adapted.
- We have also found a connection between autism and problems with autoimmune functioning. This may help us offer new kinds of medical therapies for treatment of autism in the future.
- We are now certain that early intervention is crucial to the autistic child’s ultimate prognosis. As soon as a child is diagnosed, he or she should be immediately involved in intensive therapies with specialists, and parents should be part of a comprehensive program where they are trained in methods to redirect behaviors and encourage communication skills.
For parents of children recently diagnosed with autism, I would say, have hope. Research is ongoing, and the more we learn, the more we seem to understand that autism, on many levels, can be “tinkered with” using early intervention strategies. Your role as a parent is vital. You must get actively involved in your child’s development, and not leave it entirely to the specialists. Do your own research, and try your own experiments. As is my motto, “Be your child’s greatest advocate.”