I saw this in the Times it looks interesting,but is it a worry?

[sesley]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/s...icle6579371.ece

 

 

A Scottish scientist have found a genetic link to Austim they think they might be able to use some drug thearapy to help,but not cure. I am worried about the drugs, would it be like the ritalin for some people with ADHD? which i am sure has beneficial results,but i hate the idea of drugging him to make him better. He is high functioning and unpredictable,but his characteristics are simular to family traits anyway,so i wonder in what way would drugs help him?

[baddad]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/s...icle6579371.ece

 

 

A Scottish scientist have found a genetic link to Austim they think they might be able to use some drug thearapy to help,but not cure. I am worried about the drugs, would it be like the ritalin for some people with ADHD? which i am sure has beneficial results,but i hate the idea of drugging him to make him better. He is high functioning and unpredictable,but his characteristics are simular to family traits anyway,so i wonder in what way would drugs help him?

 

 

I guess it depends on what the drug 'helps' with - the angle they are looking from. If it helps to overcome some of the negative aspects of autism that impact on autistic people I've gotta say

If it just 'helps' to normalise them for society's benefit with no benefits (or possible negative effects) for the autistic people themselves then they can stick it where the sun don't shine!

Mentioning ritalin etc - I think that's a really good example of the 'double edged sword'... used appropriately it can provide huge benefits for the person taking it. Used as a control mechanism, it's potentially abusive. I've seen similar 'swords' with PRN medication in residential homes, where the line between helpful for the resident and helpful for the staff have definitely been blurred.

 

L&P

 

BD

[Guest featherways]

The genetic possibility was found in only 5 out of 121 children, so that's not much use, and might be sheer coincidence, I'd say.

 

As for 'cure', I wish with all my heart they didn't see all autism as some terrible disease. Yes, there's individuals who truly do wish for a cure, and if that's what they want for themselves, great. But there are many who don't, and if they are non-verbal or young I worry that they are going to have one forced on them whether they like it or not.

 

Things that can make life easier for us, great. But drugs, especially newish ones, tend to have some very interesting side-effects, not all of them pleasant.

 

For me, it's like putting a child with epilepsy in front of a strobe light all day, wondering why they thrash around in a fit so often, and deciding that drugging them to stop the fits is the answer. Why not switch off the bloomin' strobe light! For many (not all) of us, it's the environment and the social expectations that are causing the problematic behaviour. Drugs are not of use if so.

[ian stuart-hamilton]

Genetic causes of ASD are being identified every few months at the moment, it seems. This is not knocking the work of these research teams (finding common genetic links is a lot harder than it probably appears on paper), but each only seems to account for some cases, and often a smallish proportion. I think we've quite a while to wait before there is any chance of a 'cure' being a realistic possibility. Whether people will want this if it's offered is an entirely different matter. I personally would not want to be 'cured' because I think in my case the advantages have outweighed the disadvantages, but equally I would never countenance denying others that possibility.

Edited June 27, 2009 by ian stuart-hamilton

[Sooze2]

I haven't read the article yet but I wanted to say that my son (9) started ritalin well concerta in February and he is so so much happier now than ever before and his tantrums have lessened quite a lot since starting it even though his tantrums were mainly because of lack of understanding others - the consultant was very pleased with this because she felt this was his ASD side. Our whole families quality of life is better because he is happy again through not being told off so much and understanding life a tiny bit better. The consultant wasn't sure if it would make his Autism more apparent so we had to monitor it closely but it has actually made his understanding of the world a little bit better because it slows his thoughts down a little - enough to take things in and assess things before jumping in we like to think.

 

My mum mentioned this Autism injection a while ago and I was a little upset that she thought a jab could make him ok but perhaps I was wrong to think that. Our families don't like to discuss "His illness ( ) " so that is probably why I objected to the injection discussion because I was upset that they think he is ill. Better go and read now eh.

 

Oh, just quickly on the genetic side of things - I beleive in that fully. I am adopted and after I traced my birth parents (who split before he knew she was pregnant) and having written many a letter to and from birth father with him telling me all about his very colourfull and interesting family without me telling him anything about my son or me I can honestly say that I fully beleive in the genetic link. Also having met my sister on my mothers side - freaky is all I can say!!! I find the whole blood family thing facinating, its not untill you have no blood relatives and notice every similarity about other families that you realise how freakily similar some of you non orphans are

Edited June 27, 2009 by Sooze2