Boy Wonder: A Family's Story of Autism (page 2 of 3)

A Rise of About 1,000 Percent

While scientists can't say definitively what causes autism -- genetic and environmental factors are both suspected of playing a role -- the incidence of the disorder has seemingly exploded overnight in this country. It's now estimated that 1 in 166 children are diagnosed somewhere along the autistic spectrum -- a rise of about 1,000 percent since 1990. The cause of the increase is a hot topic of debate. Lately, that debate has focused on the possible role of thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative. Thimerosal was first added to vaccines in the 1930s, but children's exposure to it rose sharply in the early 1990s, when the mandatory vaccine schedule included more shots at an earlier age. (Most, but not all, vaccines given here are now thimerosal-free.) The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health agencies have so far ruled out a vaccine-autism link, but some doctors and many parents believe one exists. More studies are planned.

It's hard for anyone coping with autism not to be drawn into the debate. But for us, agonizing over what may have caused Ethan's autism was far less critical than researching the daunting array of therapies, all bearing the same urgent caveat: The sooner you start, the better the outcome; the more you do now, the further your child will go later in life. With autism, "wait and see" is not an option. And so the battle begins.

Some doctors estimate that up to half of autistic children like Ethan have gastrointestinal problems because they can't digest common proteins found in wheat and dairy. An aggravated, permeable intestine may allow these proteins to seep into the bloodstream and onto the brain, where they have an opiate effect. There are no extensive scientific studies yet to back this theory, but anecdotal evidence is so strong that many parents at least try a gluten- and casein-free diet to see if it will help. In Ethan's case, diet changes have made a big impact on his ability to digest and absorb food, grow properly and function better.

Other therapies we've tried have helped too. At three, Ethan had few words and even fewer play skills, so we started with a modified form of applied behavioral analysis (ABA), a one-on-one approach in which vocabulary, games and compliance are taught by a therapist who breaks down learning into basic components. Words are taught in a simple format without distractions. Three pictures are laid out. "Point to truck," the therapist says. Later, the words get more abstract: "Point to big," or "Point to long." Eventually the child says them himself.

The approach baffles some parents. How can it help a child learn play skills or how to relate to other children? In the end, there are arguments for and against any therapy. The answer, always, is that each child is different. You try what you can and see what works. For Ethan, the ABA format helped his brain start to organize itself. He began to learn how to learn.

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