Quote:Originally posted by Jimmy's mom:
[b]I thought this is very interesting:
[url="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-06/yu-kte062006.php"]http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-06/yu-kte062006.php[/url] [/b]
quote:
[i]"However, if the check engine light is on and there is nothing obviously wrong, then the car should be carefully checked."[/i]
My field is healthcare. We have a saying. "[b]Keep looking, and you're bound to find something wrong with everyone.[/b]"
[img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/tongue.gif[/img]
quote:
[i]"These results are consistent with studies by others who have shown that ASD has a clear genetic basis." [/i]
well [b]duh[/b]. Don't we all have some "genetic basis" for who we are?

Some comments about the thread...
I have worked with kids with ASD (as well as a variety of other disorders) for 12+ years. I have had the same experience that a lot of the families *I have worked with* eat a lot of peanut foods to the extent that I have to wash up after work. I have worked in only *1* peanut free home, and have known of only 2-3 others in my agency (that serves scores of families).
There have been a handful of PA kids with autism I have known, I don't always know a lot about the siblings, but the families where I DO know about the siblings, I have known of only 1 where they had a FA and it was not PA.
It would be interesting to see a study that shows the rates of FA and autism. Esp with the GFCF diet theory...
As far as severity:
A child/adult with ASD, regardless of how many symptoms they have (ie they may be very rigid, have stims, etc) who can function normally would be considered mild or high-functioning. IE a person who can be mainstreamed in school, get a job, maintain friendships.
Severe or profound autism would be a person who cannot communicate, doesn't talk, doesn't make eye contact, can't follow one-step directions, etc. Many times kids who are considered severely autistic at 3 can gain these skills by adulthood, but there are people who don't! There are adults with autism who will never have a job, will never speak, etc. (Whether they *could* with certain treatments or if they had had certain treatments as a child is up for debate!)
Autism is "developmental" because the symptoms change as the person develops/ages, and is a spectrum disorder because there is a wide range of severity and a wide range of symptoms- two people with ASD can appear completely different.
Not every disorder has genetic links... many cancers do, schizophrenia does... but polio doesn't! Lots of things can affect ANYONE with no regards to genetic predisposition.
So... the fact that ASD has a genetic basis is significant. To get ASD, it is very likely that a person needs to have that genetic predisposition as well as some environmental trigger.
Unfortunately there is more UNKNOWN about ASD (and FA!) than is KNOWN.
Tara P

hmmmmmm I find this topic intersting... I have a 3.5 year old who we think will get an Asperger's diagnosis when he is older (private child psych gave him a PDD-NOS diagnosis but children's hospital says no) and a 13 month old so far typically developing son who has a PA. Don't know that there is really a connection but I agree that both are auto-immune issues so I can see how they can be loosely related. Interesting!!
My 3.5 year old is very high functioning. He is completely verbal... rates average for his age in both expressive and receptive language. He's an amazing little boy with an outstanding IQ but he definitely struggles socially. I think when people say "mildy/severely" effected they are really talking about how functional the child is in the world. Autism is a HUGE spectrum ranging from completely non-verbal children who do not interact at all to people who you meet everyday on teh streets and would never know they had any issues unless you dug deeper (many college professors and engineers, etc). Over in Europe they consider ADD/ADHD to be on the autistic spectrum to give you an idea of how wide of a spectrum it is.

Variegated RB - Thank you for your post!
In another thread I recently asked a question - but no takers - any experience with Brain Gym?
The thread is:
[url="http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/Forum22/HTML/003176.html"]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/Forum22/HTML/003176.html[/url]
Question is on page 6.
[This message has been edited by PurpleCat (edited June 29, 2006).]

Quote:Originally posted by VariegatedRB:
[b]
As far as severity:
A child/adult with ASD, regardless of how many symptoms they have (ie they may be very rigid, have stims, etc) who can function normally would be considered mild or high-functioning. IE a person who can be mainstreamed in school, get a job, maintain friendships.
[/b]
There are a great deal of [i]profoundly[/i] neurotypical people that despite being "mainstreamed", can't get a job, maintain friendships, persevere through life's tasks, or [i]do right by others[/i].
KWIM? I think the world [i]needs[/i] more "high functioning" persons on the "Autism Spectrum. Or more specifically, "high functioning" persons in general.

Quote:Originally posted by VariegatedRB:
[b]Autism is "developmental" because the symptoms change as the person develops/ages, [/b]
yup. the "autism spectrum" is littered with [i]late bloomers[/i]. beautiful human beings.
Quote:[b]not every disorder has genetic links... many cancers do, schizophrenia does... but polio doesn't! [/b]
really?:
[url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=214687&dopt=Abstract"]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=214687&dopt=Abstract[/url]
[url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=690580&dopt=Abstract"]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=690580&dopt=Abstract[/url]
General Disclaimer: i am not offering advice in any manner or form. i do not guarantee the accuracy, currentness, applicability, or content of the links in this post. i am not capitalizing either.

Quote:Originally posted by MommaBear:
yup. the "autism spectrum" is littered with late bloomers. beautiful human beings.KWIM?
And
Quote:
I think the world needs more "high functioning" persons on the "Autism Spectrum. Or more specifically, "high functioning" persons in general.
Amen and Amen!
If we can figure out WHY, though, some people with autism are profoundly affected as children, but grow up to be highly functioning, maybe we can find a way to help ALL children with autism to grow into happy, productive adults.
Tara P

bumping for another new member.

Interesting thread. My daughter has NKFAs, but boy! does she have that sensory integration disorder. It took us until this year to put a name to it.
The whole "takes an hour to get dressed because nothing feels right" thing used to annoy me - but now I just take it in stride.
Perhaps there is a link between the two things. Never thought about it before.

Quote:Originally posted by booandbrimom:
[b]Interesting thread. My daughter has NKFAs, but boy! does she have that sensory integration disorder. It took us until this year to put a name to it.
The whole "takes an hour to get dressed because nothing feels right" thing used to annoy me - but now I just take it in stride.
Perhaps there is a link between the two things. Never thought about it before.[/b]
[url="http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/Forum1/HTML/005564.html"]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/Forum1/HTML/005564.html[/url]
?