Autism Research Breakthrough
Published: May 6, 2005
Researchers have made some breakthroughs in autism research — they might have discovered a biological basis for the disease.
Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States. This finding might explain very subtle differences in children’s brains.
Most importantly, it could lead to a simple blood test to detect the disorder in newborns.
Ben Butlers 6 years old. He’s not in school, yet, but he can read.
He can run, but hardly talks at all.
Four years ago, Ben’s dad learned his son is autistic.
“It’s okay for him to be kind of different as long as people understand that he’s different, and he’s able to sort of meet them halfway,” said Jim Butler, Ben’s father.
Although we know the symptoms — poor eye contact, loss or failure of speech, repetitive or tantrum-like behavior — we don’t know what causes it.
It’s often not diagnosed until the toddler years. But his research could change that.
Early results from a study by the University of California’s MIND Institute in Davis found the immune systems of autistic children react differently.
“There’s strong indication that we have immune dysfunction in these kids, and that’s what we’re working on,” said Judy Van de Water, of the UC-Davis MIND Institute.
A second study by the same group found higher levels of certain cells in blood samples from autistic kids, and more than 100 different proteins.
Scientists hope to one day use what they’ve learned to develop a blood test to detect autism at birth.
“If we can identify that they have autism at birth, we can begin to intervene using behavioral therapies and eventually as newer innovative therapies are developed, we can use those therapies right from the beginning of life,” said David Amaral, research director at the MIND Institute.
Until that day, every child should be screened in their first, second and third year of life. We know the earlier we diagnose autism, the more difference we can make.
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