Causes of autism
As such a prevalent condition, the question on many people’s minds is: what causes autism? So far, the answer is unknown. ASD does seem to run in families so a genetic link is likely, although the rise in ASD cases may point to an environmental trigger as well.
But speculation around the cause or causes runs rampant. In the 1960s and 70s there was speculation that an emotionally distant mother produced an autistic child. Vaccinations have also been a suspected cause, particularly those containing the mercury-based preservative thimerosal (no longer present in most vaccines in Canada). Children were observed to develop signs of ASD after receiving the vaccines – but because symptoms of ASD frequently appear at those ages, it could be coincidental, and the scientific research has not generally backed up this belief.
Television has also been put forward as a potential trigger, as a Cornell study in 2006 found a correlation between increases in autism rates and the influx of cable television. And one columnist suggested that the entry of women and men into the “geek workplace” world of information technology also is a factor, as women and men with autistic-spectrum tendencies meet, marry, and reproduce.
But these remain largely speculations. Canadian researchers are on the forefront of the scientific research, and have potentially identified a DNA marker for autism, which may prove that there truly is a strong genetic factor. But so far the jury is out on what causes ASD.
Another perspective is that autism rates are not actually rising – but that diagnosis is becoming more common, accounting for the rise in reported cases. If so, it seems less likely that there is a “new” environmental trigger impacting on autism rates. Regardless of the root cause, it seems certain that autism is a serious and prevalent disorder.
Treatment
Although not required by every person with ASD, intervention, treatments and services are necessary for many, if not most, people with ASD to help them to reach their full potential. The range of therapy is large: special diets, behaviour analysis and intervention, social and play related interventions, speech and language therapy, sensory integration and motor skills therapy, and other counselling approaches.
What seems fairly certain is that early and intense intervention is critical. This week, the Ontario government announced that it would increase funding for Applied Behavioural Analysis Therapy in order to make it widely available across the province. But parents believe they are not receiving enough support for the level of therapy needed. Many extended families are struggling to work together and provide the intense one-on-one, daily work that seems most likely to reach their autistic family member.
Perspectives
Not everyone who has an Autism Spectrum Disorder believes that they need treatment – or even that it is a disorder. For example, some adults who have Asperger’s Syndrome, or “aspies” as they sometimes call themselves, believe that they are fine just as they are – even if perceived as odd by “neurotypicals,” or people who don’t have an ASD. They perceive their quirks as a difference in culture rather than a disease. Aspergia.com (http://www.aspergia.com/) looks at the question of what evolutionary purpose Asperger’s might meet, and what society would look like if everyone thought in the way that those who have Asperger’s do.
