Can Autism be cured?

[perla75]

I am no fan of Jenny McCarthy but I think what she is saying has merit. My child started experiencing Autistic-like symptoms after a round of vaccinations when she was two. She has been in speech therapy and occupational therapy for two years now and her "recovery" has been amazing. She most definitely is not autistic but we are still working to overcome her lingering speech issues.
I am convinced that vaccinations caused my daughter's "illness" and think something similar may have happened to McCarthy's son.

Just out of curiosity, if you feel comfortable answering, did the doctors give your child an "autism" diagnosis?

I used to work with a child who had a similar background as to what you described. The doctors at first diagnosed this child as "PDD" but changed it to "language delays" after a year and a half when the child was re-tested by a neuropsych. The child made such rapid gains in certain areas and they labeled the child as being "on the cusp." They no longer felt comfortable giving the child a PDD diagnosis. Mom actually asked for the diagnosis anyways to ensure the child was eligible for ABA services at school.

 

[Cindyluwho]

SO has anyone read her book?

She accepted his diagnosis. She just refused to accept, "Well, this is it."

I read her first book, and it was actually very touching and smart. I haven't read the second one yet, but as far as I can tell she isn't claiming to own any special cure- she just found what worked for her kid and is encouraging other parents to do the same.

Just exactly who do you think you are? You actually read the book and made an informed decision, I'm not sure that's allowed on these boards! kudos to you for forming your opinion after you have all the facts and not just jumping on the entertainer+blonde=bimbo train.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I think an even bigger question is "should all autism be cured?". As the mother of a DD with HFA I think it would be very sad for the world to not recognise the unique creative gifts she has to offer. If we cured Aspergers who will devote themselves to some of the lab sciences where absolute devotion to a single area of study is necessary ?
Surely the world is better off with the diversity of non typical people.

Of course i am also a huge advocate for early intervention and treatment to maximise every child's potential.

 

[debbi801]

I don't buy it. I don't think true ASD dx can be cured. I think there are therapies that help, I think that the earlier you start these therapies, the more the child learns to compensate. But, no way do I believe that it can be cured.

My son was dx right around his 6th birthday. This was after days of testing (by a variety of specialists), evaluations completed by everyone in contact with him, etc. It was not a simple task.

I will say that our ped-psychiatrist told us that frequently, people are given a dx of asperger's and much of the time, they have some asperger's symptoms but truly shouldn't get an autism dx. DS is in between high functioning Autism or Asperger's. Plus, he had signs pretty much from birth.

 

[Scurvy]

I think an even bigger question is "should all autism be cured?". As the mother of a DD with HFA I think it would be very sad for the world to not recognise the unique creative gifts she has to offer. If we cured Aspergers who will devote themselves to some of the lab sciences where absolute devotion to a single area of study is necessary ?
Surely the world is better off with the diversity of non typical people.

Of course i am also a huge advocate for early intervention and treatment to maximise every child's potential.

You have a good point. There is a woman on another forum I visit who is autistic, and she is horribly offended by the suggestion that she needs to be cured. She sometimes posts about times that she has meltdowns in public and about how hard it is for her to function sometimes, but she still says she would never want to be cured because then she would no longer be herself. Still, I know that her life would likely be much easier if there was a cure that would work for her. I imagine a choice like that would be very difficult to make, if it ever came to that.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I have asked my DD if there was a pill that could safely "cure" her would she want it ? She has emphatically said no. ( she is almost 18 ). Of course again, I am not making light of people who are much more involved who would welcome it as a miracle.

 

[perla75]

You have a good point. There is a woman on another forum I visit who is autistic, and she is horribly offended by the suggestion that she needs to be cured. She sometimes posts about times that she has meltdowns in public and about how hard it is for her to function sometimes, but she still says she would never want to be cured because then she would no longer be herself. Still, I know that her life would likely be much easier if there was a cure that would work for her. I imagine a choice like that would be very difficult to make, if it ever came to that.

I would assume it is similar to the argument that many people in the deaf community have against cochlear implants.

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

My best friend was visiting this weekend with her son, who is nearly 4 and is autistic. He has what you would consider "classic autism", meaning that he fits the profile of the most typical of autistic children.

He has been in ABA therapy for two years, and while the improvements are extremely slow, they are marked. For example, at age 2, he couldn't walk...but now he runs. He has a vocabulary of about 4 words he uses consistently, he understands much of what you say, and he will occasionally come to you for a hug.

When the environment is calm, quiet, and comfortable, he will occasionally turn to you, look into your eyes, and smile. It's at just that time that you know he's in there...and that he loves you.

What's difficult is when autism spectrum disorders co-exist with other mental disorders such as bi-polar disorder. My sister's son was originally diagnosed with PDD as a young child, with speech delays, motor-skill delays, Tourettes, and general mental function problems. It was not until later that he developed an explosive temper. Every day is such a huge challenge for her...because when you look at my nephew, you think he's 100% normal. And he is capable of doing normal on a limited basis. But man, the simplest problems to fix become an absolute explosion.

 

[lulugirl]

Just exactly who do you think you are? You actually read the book and made an informed decision, I'm not sure that's allowed on these boards! kudos to you for forming your opinion after you have all the facts and not just jumping on the entertainer+blonde=bimbo train.

I read the book which is why I think she's an idiot.

 

[jodifla]

I really don't know. I read a very compelling book by Karen Seroussi who's son Miles was autistic. She radically changed his diet, and he really came out of the autism fog he had been in. I don't remember if she claimed he was cured, but she made a strong case for trying a gluten and casein free diet. One thing I've learned about autism, in dealing with this with dd, is, what works for one child doesn't work for another. Many kids with autism have digestive issues, like Miles Seroussi.

Our daughter will eat anything under the sun, and has no food issues.

Some children developed the regressive form of autism around 18 mths old. Then again, some kids have been different from day 1. Then you have Hannah Pohling, who's autism was caused by vaccines triggering a rare mitochondrial condition.

Bottom line, I think autism is WAY too complex for Jenny McCarthy, or any other person to talk about someone being cured. It sounds like her son Evan has come a long way, and that's wonderful. That's all I want for our dd too.

I haven't read the book, but is that true austism, or food allergies?

Autism is the go-to Dx for so many conditions that are actually something else.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I don't think it can ever be cured. I think it can be controlled by help, and people with autism can lead perfectly normal lives, but no, I don't think it can go away.

 

[Scurvy]

I would assume it is similar to the argument that many people in the deaf community have against cochlear implants.

I suspect you are right, in many cases. I think if an individual wants to forego a cure - such as the implants - they are well within their rights to do so. I admit, though, that I have a problem with many of the deaf parents who prefer that their children also remain deaf and who view Deafness as some form of a community that is actually preferable to not being deaf. I also think there's a significant difference between autism and deafness. . . I have known some mildly autistic people who were able to function quite well and were just a little different than others around them, while deafness is guaranteed to make a person's life much more difficult.

 

[karynnix]

I don't think it can ever be cured. I think it can be controlled by help, and people with autism can lead perfectly normal lives, but no, I don't think it can go away.

Exactly. You can mask, or disguise, the tendencies, but they are still present.

 

[stacyp9]

What does everyone think about Jenny McCarthy's claim that her son has been "cured" of Autism? I am not a dr. but was under the impression that there is no cure for autism. Do you believe she is helping or hurting the cause? I believe she is hurting it. If her son is "cured" isn't it more likely that he was misdiagnosed?

My answer is I don't know. I don't know if JM's son really had autism, I don't know if what she did caused it's cure or something else did and I don't know what causes autism, let alone if anything cures it.

I don't think McCarthy is a whack. I think she is a mother that desperately loves her son and was deeply traumatized by his illness. I do not blame her for being suspicious of the medical community after what she has been thru. I also think the natural response to a recovery from something like that would be to shout it from the rooftops. McCarthy may be mistaken about some of her claims, but she still does a service in that she is passionate about keeping autism in the limelight. I cannot slam her for that.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Absolutely it can be cured! A few terms back I did a paper on early intensive behavior intervention or applied behavior analysis. It has amazing results that have been considered a "cure" in some instances. Of course everyone responds differently but most children who are diagnosed early and receive this type of intervention see tremendous benefits from it. I have dealt with a few children who have had other disorders along with autism, they may not benefit as much due to the complicated diagnosis. Behavior and cognitive therapies are the most effective in any area.

It cannot be CUREd per se only the symptoms lessened. As with most neurological disabilities it is a matter of degree and a matter of strategies that help one to function in the everyday world. Cure is a misnomer.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Absolutely it can be cured! A few terms back I did a paper on early intensive behavior intervention or applied behavior analysis. It has amazing results that have been considered a "cure" in some instances. Of course everyone responds differently but most children who are diagnosed early and receive this type of intervention see tremendous benefits from it. I have dealt with a few children who have had other disorders along with autism, they may not benefit as much due to the complicated diagnosis. Behavior and cognitive therapies are the most effective in any area.

Doing a term paper is not the same as being a professional in the field. I have taught in an EIBI room for preschoolers and have been trained by people at one of the foremost autism research schools in the country.

We never use the word cured. Instead, we describe our kids as being indistinguishable from their neurotypical peers. In other words, if you saw them in a class with other children who did not have a disability, you would not see a difference right away. There will always be little things that will mark them as a child with autism. Their brains will always see things differently, and some children have much greater success with this than others. To call it a cure is irresponsible and gives the wrong impression.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

From what I understand JM followed the DAN protocol and used biomedical intervention. It worked for her and it works for many people. Perhaps cure is not the right word but her child came out of the "fog". Maybe he might have some quirks (like all of us do) but it worked for them. It is more than diet. If she found a way to help her son and thinks it might help others than I am glad she is at least giving parents the information. They can do what they chose with it.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Doing a term paper is not the same as being a professional in the field. I have taught in an EIBI room for preschoolers and have been trained by people at one of the foremost autism research schools in the country.

We never use the word cured. Instead, we describe our kids as being indistinguishable from their neurotypical peers. In other words, if you saw them in a class with other children who did not have a disability, you would not see a difference right away. There will always be little things that will mark them as a child with autism. Their brains will always see things differently, and some children have much greater success with this than others. To call it a cure is irresponsible and gives the wrong impression.

I too am a professional and totally agree. A term paper is NOT a STUDY but rather a complilation of selected materials that could or could not be reputable.

 

[Nik's Mom]

I have 2 autistic sons and I know many parents of autistic children. If there were an 100% guaranteed cure, we'd all jump at it. The problem is, each child responds differently. Some respond to the DAN treatments, and others do not. I know that my sons have improved with a lot of treatment, but they still have a long way to go.

 

[perla75]

Doing a term paper is not the same as being a professional in the field. I have taught in an EIBI room for preschoolers and have been trained by people at one of the foremost autism research schools in the country.

We never use the word cured. Instead, we describe our kids as being indistinguishable from their neurotypical peers. In other words, if you saw them in a class with other children who did not have a disability, you would not see a difference right away. There will always be little things that will mark them as a child with autism. Their brains will always see things differently, and some children have much greater success with this than others. To call it a cure is irresponsible and gives the wrong impression.

I think that poster was referring to the very famous Lovaas research. I can't remember if they used the term "cured" in that article but they did mean it exactly as you have defined & I defined earlier. Some people began using that term and it got a little misconstrued. That was a very important study, but there were some flaws in it.

I personally do not like the term cured, when talking about autism. The term "cured" reminds me of a disease and autism is certainly not a disease.