Newspaper today (autism article & ad)

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2003
Newspaper today (autism article & ad)
7
Tue, 09-05-2006 - 1:10pm

The front page of "The Washington Post" newspaper had this in today's paper: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/04/AR2006090400513.html

Then, in the health section of the paper, I ran across an ad for this place: http://autismrepairinstitute.com/

Besides being prohibitively expensive, do you have any thoughts on their claims?

Avatar for littleroses
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Tue, 09-05-2006 - 7:44pm
They could then say the trend was due to people today living longer and choosing to have children later in life. Or, perhaps the "geek" types mature more slowly and don't find partners as quickly. Maybe they are too focused on careers first, for example. So it could still be genetic although it looks environmental. Or it could just be environmental, with pollutants, less quality sperm, the feminization of modern males, etc. There's a lot of interesting ways this data could be interpreted. I had my 1st dd at 22, my dh was 21 so we don't fit that theory.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Tue, 09-05-2006 - 8:02pm

About that article...


Hmmm.

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-19-2005
Tue, 09-05-2006 - 8:14pm

Well, I don't know either. It is true the data can be interpreted many ways.

However, our son is adopted. B-dad was in his 50's when DS was born. DS has two other b-sibs, both on the spectrum. B-Mom is second wife to B-dad, was in late 20's early 30's when all 3 were born.

The unknown: DS's b-dad had a previous marriage with children, now adult. We don't know anything about them.

But in our case, it does make us go hmmm. Not that it matters. We'd do everything the same again in a heartbeat.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2003
Tue, 09-05-2006 - 8:51pm

Another way to look at it is that genetics are at play. And possible the older dads were the complete "nerds" of their times and took longer to find their mates. Also this was done in Israel. so many of those questioned were well jewish. And for what it is worth ( I am jewish so do realize it is not meant to be well bad) but we tend to have alot of nebbishes(nerds) And maybe it is just one more genetic cross/star of david for us to bear. maybe that is why we have such fasinating people in our world Albert Einstein was jewish. And when josh was a toddler my parents would joke around at the way josh walked around with a puss on his face and his hands behind his back like he was having deep thoughts, they would tell me he looked like a little old jewish rabbi.
I was 29 when i had Josh, Dh was 34. but based on what was said my youngest really should have been the so called screwed one I was 35 and Dh was 40 when we had him. And Jeremy at age 5 right now entering Kindergarten is defintitly not autistic. Clown yes tough guy yup, smart but defintitly not Asperger

At this point i am not surre if i am interested in the whys of how Josh's eneded up with Asperger's, right there with the clubfoot, etc. i think for me right now i just want to learn how to deal with it, handle itGet him the right education so he can become the best Joshua he can be. To dwell on the whys are well he whys. They may never have the right answers for me. it may very well have been genetics, general ansthiesa 4x under the age of 2, other birth defects, being delievered by forceps etc. Any one of these could have been our trigger. Or just plan luck of the draw.
Rina

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 09-05-2006 - 11:18pm

Thanks for posting this article......I saw a blip on the bottom of my screen the other day but did not catch the whole article.

Christie

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 09-05-2006 - 11:59pm

Heard about that article. Not sure.

I think it is funny that it was brought up on a board with lots of adult folks with AS and they made the same comment. Dads who may be a bit on the spectrum themselves are likely to marry older. There for it may be more of a genetic thing than an age thing.

For us it doesn't work. DH was 27 and 29 when the ASD kids were born, he was 31 and 33 for the others. My BIL was mid 30's when his ASD son was born but that is mostly because BIL is a surfing kind a dude and didn't slow down until his mid 30's to have kids.

On the ad, I don't buy it. I think it is like 1001 other autism treatments out there that insist they are THE thing and guarentee great results as long as you pay them 3 arms and 2 legs. Many different approaches are starting to focus on similar stuff with the neurodevelopmental type exercises, but I really don't think they have found one yet that is 100%. Some of the more popular ones (and with more research) are neurofeedback, interactive metronome, and I think the last one is called sensory learning? They are on the right path but not quite there and while it is all unproven and out of pocket I am afraid it is last on my list of priorities.

Renee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Wed, 09-06-2006 - 10:33am

Rina,


Please could you e-mail me through my profile? I may have some ideas for research for you on the aspergers/ clubfoot thing.


-Paula

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com