but not all material on genes is coding, the rest is dependent on environmental triggers. Meaning, some things are a sure bet, like cystic fibrosis. If you inherit genes from both parents, you get it, EOD. ASD's are more likely to be dependent on genetic predisposition. I've heard from a psychologist that the stats with identical twins are in the 90th percentile that if one identical twin has autism, the other is 90% likely to be on the SPECTRUM, but it may not be at the same level of severity. So ASD's can't be a sure thing like cystic fibrosis. One may be genetically predisposed but it may take exposure to something in the environment to trigger it. (I recommend you read the great book Monkeyluv to get more info about this in layperson language). Also complicating this is that most experts in the field suspect multiple genes, which makes sense considering the huge variation in the spectrum.
Now, if one is genetically predisposed and is raised by parents with an ASD, then I guess the liklihood is increased that the ASD may be triggered. Myself, (suspected but not diagnosed) and my husband who I also suspect to at least have shadow symptoms have gone to great lengths to use extremely early intervention at home to give our son a boost toward being higher functioning if he is predisposed genetically. I work in the field so I have just always "treated" him from infancy. When I saw a symptom, I jumped on it. He had a speech delay so I started sign language. he was having trouble with transitioning and hyperfocus so we started first/then and using transition cues. We may end up doing a picture schedule as he hates changes in routine. He wasn't looking at people who held him so I jumped on that. Not to "change" him but to give him the alternate path to skills. That's the real goal of treatment, getting a person skills while using different pathways than a NT would use. But he isn't 2 yet. So whether he'll present as a person on the spectrum when he's older, I don't know.
22 Sep 2008, 10:33 pm
