The Foundation, Kinera's Journey: Genetics, Environment, and Statistics, Oh My

A short walk down Blame Me Ln.

A good friend sent an article to me recently, actually she sent it two weeks ago, via email, and like the great friend that I am, I didn't respond! It wasn't because I was too busy, it isn't that I am not interested, it isn't even that I wanted to ignore her, the fact that she sought out this article and took time out of her work day to send it to me, means more than she probably realizes. What she doesn't know, what no one really knows is that I don't want to address the underlying meaning of the article (or my interpretation of the article at least).

The beef of the article is that there is increased evidence that the environment may have a much larger contribution to the rise of Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis', than we previously believed. The article, as I interpret it, implicates me as the direct cause of my son's diagnosis. By exposing myself to air pollution, pesticides, even iron, I may have unknowingly played a role in C's diagnosis. I have spent the last two years avoiding this concept. I know that if I even take a short stroll down Blame Me Ln., I am sure to find myself coming back to visit. Maybe just a few short visits at first, but I know that part of me longs to stay, and let's be honest, there is nothing good down that Lane.

Now in saying I don't wish to allow myself to be blamed for whatever I may have exposed myself, and my then, unborn baby to, it does not mean that I am not a full believer that there must be something environmental sparking the surge in Autism Diagnosis' in the last decade. Absolutely there is more information, more awareness, more early intervention, and that may contribute to a percentage of the rise in cases diagnosed, but we would be fools to believe that 20 years ago doctor's were told they may never encounter a child with Autism, and now statistics show that 1 in 50 US children will be diagnosed. There has to be something going on, around us, to us, that is boosting the statistics, don't you think?

After reading this article, allowing myself to briefly feel guilty, I did a quick search on research for the cause of Autism. There were 111,000,000 results. Guess what the common theory is for the cause of Autism... a combination of genetic and environmental components. There is no definitive data that confirms the cause of Autism.

For those, who like me, try at all costs to dodge this topic of conversation simply because of my lack of real data vs. rumor mill information, the lack of a known cause can be considered both a blessing and a curse. I would love to know the cause of Autism, so that it can be prevented in the future, so that no parent has to endure the struggle that goes hand and hand with raising a child on the spectrum. At the same time, I am unsure that I would ever want to "cure" C. If we are able to completely wipe out all his symptoms, habits, tendencies, to conform him to our "norm"... I fear I would lose the essence of the child whom I so dearly adore.

So friends, I for now, will choose blissful ignorance... that is, until someone sends me down Blame Me Ln., yet again, and I take another cold hard look at the why, the what if, and maybe resolve the underlying fear of what the end of that Lane has in store for me, and for my precious family.

Evidence continues to mount that environmental exposures prior to pregnancy are contributing to rising autism rates. - See more at: http://www.emagazine.com/daily-news/more-evidence-environment-impacting-autism-risk/#sthash.SXn4Try3.dpuf

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Genetics, Environment, and Statistics, Oh My

A short walk down Blame Me Ln.

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