Q & A: Things to know
A lot of new parents don't know what to do with an autism diagnosis. Many people have not been exposed to autism enough to understand what it is or what the diagnosis means. I've compiled a list of questions and answers that I hope will be helpful to you or to someone you know. This list is not intended to diagnose or cure anything. My list is intended to give you a head start in the right direction. I encourage anyone who has serious concerns about whether or not their child has autism to contact their pediatrician immediately.
- Q: Where did autism come from?
- A: Autism has been around for a very long time. The first documented cases that were named autism were done by two men at the same time, only without the knowledge of the other. Their names were Leo Kanner, 1943 and Hans Asperger, 1944. Theses two men described cases of children who acted differently. These children seemed to be detached from reality and some had several other neurological troubles.
- Q: Where does autism come from?
- A: The truth is that we do not know yet. There are many theories available today as to what the origins of autism are. None of these theories are absolute. Some blame genetics. Some blame environmental toxins. Some blame brain development. Old theories placed the blame on parenting. One of the original theories was named "the refrigerator mother" theory. This stated that when mother's withheld affection from their infants the children also withdrew themselves and this resulted in autistic behavior. This type of quackery is no longer believed to be true. We do NOT know the cause of autism yet.
- Q: What do I keep hearing about vaccinations?
- A: One theory about the origins of autism came from vaccinations. Specifically the MMR, or measles, mumps and rubella vaccination. Since the 1930s there was a preservative called thimerosal that was placed in vaccines to prolong the shelf life of the product. This preservative contains mercury. Infants are more susceptible to mercury exposure because it can potentially cause neurological defects. Too much exposure to mercury can cause mercury poisoning, which is characterized by confusion and odd behavior. Many parents became concerned about their children's autism after receiving their immunizations. This is one of the environmental concerns that I previously spoke of. The connection between autism and vaccinations has not been founded. In fact thimerosal was not a preservative used in the MMR vaccination. After the year 2000 drug companies stopped putting thimerosal into many of their vaccinations. After taking this preservative out the number of cases of autism continued to rise, this it seems shows that thimerosal is not a cause of autism.
- Q: My child displays strange behavior, like hand flapping or screaming. What should I do?
- A: Children on the autism spectrum tend to display stereotyped behaviors such as hand flapping, rocking, droning (continuously making the same sound), echolalia (repeating a phrase that was said by another person), or sensory difficulties. The behaviors are compulsions that your child may feel are necessary. While this are not easy behaviors to accept they can be common among many children on the spectrum.
- Q: My child does not look at me, why?
- A: Many children, but not all children, on the spectrum show a marked lack of eye contact with other people. This is also said to be very common. If you think that your child may have autism and you notice such behaviors then you should alert your pediatrician about your concerns.
- Q: My child was just diagnosed with autism. He used to speak but now he doesn't, why?
- A: Some children are born with autistic behaviors, these children we refer to as early onset. Other children do not start displaying autistic symptoms until later sometimes after acquiring some language skills. This situation is referred to as a regression. While both situations can be upsetting, the most important thing to do is to speak to your child's doctor about treatment options. Early diagnosis is the key to a successful treatment plan.
- Q: When will my child start speaking?
- A: Maybe never. Autism is not a flu bug that will be gone in a week. This is a life long disorder. This can be a hard thing to accept for parents. Many parents have trouble dealing with the fact that their child is different than what they expected. Since this can be such a hard thing to accept, some families consider group counseling to help them get acclimated to the situation. It is important to remember that your child is unique and special. The problem is that they need to be reached in a different way.
- Q: How will this affect my family?
- A: As previously mentioned the diagnosis of autism affects the family unit on a huge scale. Parental roles are stretched to their max capacity, family time with other children is strained, and at times marriages are affected in negative ways. These pressures are huge and you should not have to do it alone! Once again I recommend counseling for families who have received a diagnosis of autism. In addition it can be helpful for parents to receive marriage counseling. There are many resources available to families of autistic children.