Having had a brother with Downs Syndrome, the conversations I have had with my parents over the years on their initial reactions after his birth have been very impactful on my life. I have asked them on multiple occasions on what they would have done if my brother had lived longer. Would they have put him in public school? Did they feel responsible at all for his Downs Syndrome condition? Did they treat him differently compared to how they treated me as a baby?
Their response was quite simple.
They would have chosen to enroll him in a public school setting, with help if needed. But they stressed the importance of loving him the same as if he didn’t have Downs Syndrome, showing how proud of him they were, and the fact that he was still their son. They knew they would have had to maintain a continual understanding of his condition and how certain approaches and conversations would be beneficial to his quality of life in the future, but this didn’t negatively affect their outlook.
Only one of the many qualities I am quite proud to recognize in both of my parents is their continued affirmation in how they knew they couldn’t blame themselves for my brother’s condition. They took precautions and did everything they could to bring into the world a healthy baby boy. They made sure I was vaccinated, as they knew having any possible complications with infection would only hurt his chances of survival. And they also put deep trust in the doctoral staff in our hometown. They knew they weren’t experts on this particular condition, and having someone there with answers was something they could take comfort in.
Fast-forward twenty years into the future. What has happened since this time? If a child is born with Downs Syndrome, or turns two or three and is showing signs of Autism, it appears as though many parents want someone or something to blame. WebMD appears to be more informative than a doctor who has received over eight years of schooling…
Particularly in Autism, there are many factors that could contribute to the cause of its appearance.
If the parents are looking for someone to blame, they should maybe first look at themselves.
Contributing factors:
Many retrospective correlational studies have shown how stress experienced by the mother during the end of her second or third trimester can have serious effects on the fetus in regards to autism spectrum disorder. The stress hormones of the mother possess the ability to cross the placenta and negatively affect the HPA axis (hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenals). The HPA axis is a major component of the neuroendocrine system, involved in digestion, the immune system, mood, emotional regulation, as well as how energy is stored and spent. According to Dr. Kinney and Dr. Munir, their published article on prenatal stress and risk for autism, included how autistic children have been shown to have a more hyperactive HPA axis, more than likely due to the mother’s stress hormones.
Further more, if parents want to further evaluate their role in their child’s condition, they should look at the age in which they had their child. If both are of advanced age, studies have shown this tends to have a higher correlation of producing offspring with autism spectrum disorder compared to younger parent generations, as toxins are constantly being built up in the system.
But if parents want true answers, and not just someone or something to blame, the unfortunate fact is, there aren’t many. There seem to be multiple possibilities without any firm confirmations.
It appears there may just be too much activity occurring in the brains of those with autism spectrum disorder. Some of those examples include an overabundance of synapses, with the pruning mechanisms within the brain appearing to be dysfunctional. With this, it appears as though the gene SOS, and the gene SYNGAP1 are in too much supply and not enough supply respectively, causing overactivation particularly in the MAPK pathway (a pathway responsible for regulation of translation and transcription).
But regardless of any form of mental disability, whether that be Autism, or even Downs Syndrome, I must ask some of these parents,
would that really change how you love your child any differently?
I don’t believe the problem lies “within a world with autistic children.” Who are we to blame? Vaccines? No. Doctors. No. I also don’t believe the blame belongs on the shoulders of the parents either. I believe progress starts with individuals, especially parents, getting correctly informed, and making those conscious decisions to do what is best for all children, regardless of their condition.
In a World with Autistic Children…
