ABC News just proved that the mainstream media still has a long way to go when it comes to covering autism.  This past week they put out a report inappropriately titled "Rethinking Autism" based on the new study that suggests environmental factors may play a role in causing autism.  Part of the study claims that pregnant women who take SSRI inhibitors (anti-depressants), are subjected to pesticides, and/or eat tuna are more likely to have an autistic child.

Again, I like to leave science to the scientists.  However, I get annoyed when lay people interpret the data to create a dramatic news report.  Just because there is a higher rate of autism in babies born to mothers who take Prozac does not mean that the drug they ingest while pregnant is making their unborn baby autistic.  There is always the possibility that mother-to-be might be on the spectrum herself--just misdiagnosed as depressed.  If that was the case, wouldn't this strengthen the genetic argument? Just throwing it out there.

I don't pretend to be an expert when it comes to causation and cure.  I care more about the quality of life of autistic individuals. However when you have parents discussing the horrors of a diagnosis or how all their dreams and expectations have been destroyed, it is hard to make an argument for equality.  

Although I am sure the mother in this report loves her child and wants the best for him, she doesn't seem to think his life has much value--or at least that is what everyone is telling her. The reporter, Barbara Pinto states "the Worth Family is desperate for answers".  The mother claims "it [autism diagnosis] was devastating.  I felt like someone had died.  Everyone would tell us 'oh he's a future football player he's gonna get a scholarship to college' and then you are told he has autism and his future becomes so uncertain." Isn't everyone's future uncertain?  Does her typically developing child have a more certain future?  Can I get someone to vacuum my home?  Okay, I admit that was petty.  

At one point in the report they suggest that environmental factors play a huge role and show a bottle of Windex turned around so you don't know it is Windex.  SC Johnson should be annoyed with that.  Pinto breezed over the fact that "researchers warned their results showed a large margin of error" and pounced all over the fact that SSRIs taken during pregnancy doubles your chance of having an autistic baby.  

I started Rethinking Autism to change the media conversation.  I guess I'm not doing a very good job.  It is time to work harder and hope to change the devastation that seems to take place when a child is diagnosed autistic.  After all, is it about the parents or the child?  How does a child feel when he hears how desperate and devastated his parents are when that child is autistic.  I would imagine that child feels like a problem and a burden.  Sad, right? Gotta go stim with my boy now.  I'll be back soon.