Jul 14 2008
Genetic Research Provides Concrete Reason Why Education Can Work Well for Autistic Kids
This is not exactly a brand new report, but Harvard researchers have some telling findings about the genetics of autism, as reported today in The Phoenixville News. The most interesting part of this for me was a statement about why educational programs seem to have such good results for autistic students:
The findings also may help explain why intense education programs do help some aistic children — because certain genes that respond to experience weren’t missing, they were just stuck in the “off” position.
I’ve been thinking a lot about Gus’s progress and development over the years, and I’ve come to the conclusion that he was at his best when he was getting ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) services with a very competent ABA teacher. He’s done all right with the TEACCH method, but the more emphasis that’s been placed on his academics, it seems the more he loses focus, which they then want to ‘fix’ with medication. I think that if he still had ABA, even if only a couple of times a week, he’d be so much better off. Both methods have their merits, but I think a combination would work the best FOR GUS.
As for the genetic findings, they’ve given me a good deal to think about.
“We have trouble getting through to these children, but with repeated stimulation we can do it,” he said. “These are circuits that have an ability not so much to recover but to work around the problem.”
I’m all for creative solutions!
I too would have to say education and the way it is taught has a lot to do with how kids with autium react.