|

Translate/Traduisez/Übersetzen Sie/Traduzca/Traduca/Traduza:

The surprisingly high rate of the condition known as autism is reported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to be one in 166 children. The population finds it frightening, especially those who have never seen the statistics previously, or personally know anyone affected by this condition. The lack of awareness about the overwhelming problem causes trouble toward autism research, as research funds are being diverted to other causes with more publicity and awareness, such as cancer and heart disease. This is not to say that those diseases are not important, it is only that with such a high rate of children affected by autism it should be considered a cause worthy of increased funding for research and the ultimate cure.

Despite the high number of affected children, parents of autistic children righteously voice their concerns about the lack of medical research applied to finding a cure, as compared to other areas. Of the total amount of the National Health Budget, which adds up to $30 million, the part that goes to autism research is as little as two thirds of one percent, according to Mr. Wright of Autism Speaks. That amount is not nearly sufficient for autism research, just as the total of $30 million is not sufficient for the National Health Budget.

The foundation, Autism Speaks, is trying to raise research funds that most people hope will eventually provide a cure for Autism. Such a cure for autism will not only help children escape their trapped worlds, but would undoubtedly ease the burden of taxpayers funding school programs that teach autistic children.

At this time one of the most important factors that are being handled in autism research is determining the cause of that disease. As with any medical problem, finding a cure can be easier if you know what causes the condition.

One of the areas of researchers is the belief that there is a link between exposure to mercury and autism. Autism research focused on environmental factors is good, but of course an adequate funding is necessary in order to reach any hard conclusions in the search of autism’s actual cause.

Some of the projects for autism research concentrate their efforts on analyzing high-functioning autistic toddlers. As these children still can not speak well enough due to their early age, the tests they are given are non-verbal and are made with the use of a computer. The age of the children which are chosen for those tests is 18 months to 2 years, as this is the age when the basis of everybody’s character is formed. The studies are aimed at understanding how the information is assimilated by autistic children and their development during the early years of their lives.

Tests are also made with children who have autistic brothers or sisters. Thus a comparison can be made between an autistic child and his siblings provided that they have had the same living conditions and are exposed to the same environmental conditions and stimuli. Unfortunately, the chance for a child with an autistic brother or sister to become autistic himself is higher and this fact is used by researchers. These researchers are attempting to have a control group of children with autistic siblings which to examine from the moment they were born. From this approach to a cure for Autism, researchers hope that they can gather useful information.

In spite of all the above mentioned efforts there is a long way to go in finding a cure. The cure for Autism can be only reached by doing vast amounts of research and that, of course, will require much larger funding.

Article Keywords: Autism

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Autism... Autism: Is There A Cure In Sight? Autism: What causes it, and can it be cured? Autism is a disorder that is affecting more and more children. But many autistic children have been able to lead normal lives. Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the early stages of development of a child, mostly in the first three years of development. It is a neurological disorder that affects the proper functioning of the brain and affects the development of the social and communication skills of the individual. Early diagnosis of autism is most important for the treatment of this disorder. However, there is no blood or medical test available which will help in the diagnosis of autism. Generally, it is delay in the development of language skills or lack of appropriate social development that causes parents or teachers to seek a medical evaluation. There are no racial or ethnic specifications for the occurrence of this disorder, although boys are three or four times more likely to have autism. Autism is seen to affect each individual in different levels and so is considered a spectrum disorder. Generally, autism is seen to affect the verbal and non-verbal communication skills, leisure activities, and the all-round social interactions of the individual. There is no standard treatment for the cure of autism. Different medical professionals have different philosophies and practices for treating autistic individuals. The results of the treatment of autism will also vary from individual to individual. However, autism cannot be completely cured; there can only be improvements in the abilities of the autistic person. Autistic children are seen to benefit greatly from treatment approaches that include special education and behavioral management. An...