We’ve all heard of autism but many have little understanding of what autism really is. Therefore, I turned to the Autism Society for a definition:

Autism is a complex, lifelong developmental disability that typically appears during early childhood and can impact a person’s social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a “spectrum condition” that affects people differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause of autism. Early diagnosis helps a person receive the support and services that they need, which can lead to an improved quality of life. In 2012 professionals in the United States stopped using previous labels of autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and considered all of these diagnoses to fit under the broader diagnosis of autism. 

How prevalent is autism today? According to Autism Speaks:

Prevalence 

• In 2018 the CDC determined that approximately 1 in 59 children is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). 

• 1 in 37 boys

• 1 in 151 girls

• Boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls.

• Most children were still being diagnosed after age 4, though autism can be reliably diagnosed as early as age 2.

• 31% of children with ASD have an intellectual disability (intelligence quotient [IQ] <70), 25% are in the borderline range (IQ 71–85), and 44% have IQ scores in the average to above average range (i.e., IQ >85).

• Autism affects all ethnic and socioeconomic groups.

• Minority groups tend to be diagnosed later and less often.

There are many different degrees and types of autism, making it difficult to treat or work with those with autism. In some cases, the autism is mild and easily overcome while in more severe cases, it can be very decapacitating and disabling.

However, for some, there is hope with the use of a drug that appears to have very few, if any side effects, as reported:

Summary: A drug commonly prescribed for edema improves the symptoms for young children on the autism spectrum with no significant side effects. The drug, bumetanide, decreases the ratio of GABA to glutamate in the brain.

Source: University of Cambridge

Bumetanide – a prescription drug for edema (the build-up of fluid in the body) – improves some of the symptoms in young children with autism spectrum disorders and has no significant side effects, according to a new study from researchers in China and the UK.

Published today in Translational Psychiatry, the study demonstrates for the first time that the drug improves the symptoms by decreasing the ratio of the GABA to glutamate in the brain. GABA and glutamate are both neurotransmitters – chemical messengers that help nerve cells in the brain communicate.

This drug could well be the wonder drug for many a young person and their families and is worth following if you are one of those families. If you have an autistic child, relative or friend, you may want to print out the study referenced above and see if it can help you or them. Hopefully, this will help bring many an autistic child out of their shell and into the world and help them function in life. If only….