Autism: Is There A Cure In Sight?
by: Lisa Hyde
Autism: What causes it, and can it be cured?
Autism is a disorder
that is affecting more and more children. But many
autistic children have been able to lead normal
lives.
Autism is a
developmental disorder that appears in the early
stages of development of a child, mostly in the
first three years of development. It is a
neurological disorder that affects the proper
functioning of the brain and affects the development
of the social and communication skills of the
individual.
Early diagnosis of
autism is most important for the treatment of this
disorder. However, there is no blood or medical test
available which will help in the diagnosis of
autism. Generally, it is delay in the development of
language skills or lack of appropriate social
development that causes parents or teachers to seek
a medical evaluation. There are no racial or ethnic
specifications for the occurrence of this disorder,
although boys are three or four times more likely to
have autism.
Autism is seen to
affect each individual in different levels and so is
considered a spectrum disorder. Generally, autism is
seen to affect the verbal and non-verbal
communication skills, leisure activities, and the
all-round social interactions of the individual.
There is no standard
treatment for the cure of autism. Different medical
professionals have different philosophies and
practices for treating autistic individuals. The
results of the treatment of autism will also vary
from individual to individual. However, autism
cannot be completely cured; there can only be
improvements in the abilities of the autistic
person. Autistic children are seen to benefit
greatly from treatment approaches that include
special education and behavioral management.
An important
strategy in the treatment of autism is to keep the
diet of the autistic children gluten- and
casein-free. A gluten- and casein-free autism diet
is seen to produce a marked level of improvement in
autistic children. This is because in their body
system there is incomplete breakdown of the peptides
in the food substances containing gluten and casein.
This leads to an increased absorption of peptides
causing disruption in the biochemical and
neuroregulatory processes in the brain. Adding
vitamin B6 and B12 to the diet is beneficial to the
treatment of autism as it improves digestion,
symptoms of allergy, and sociability in children.
Despite one child in
every thousand being affected by this illness, the
awareness and the number of support groups for this
illness is negligible. Efforts are being undertaken
to create an increased awareness and to generate
funds to support research and treatment of autism.
Autism awareness
bracelets and ribbons help spread awareness about
this disorder. The sale of these bracelets supports
many autism research foundations and also provides
financial assistance to many parents with autistic
children.
‘Autism walk’ is
another novel fundraising effort for the support of
those suffering from autism. The money generated
from registration of the ‘Autism walk’ events is
used to provide financial support to the parents of
autistic children, or to establish support groups to
facilitate their treatment.
