Bless the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for their careful attention to family records. Utah is a paradise for medical researchers looking for genetic links because of the family records that have been so carefully kept for so many generations.

Who knows what miracles may come to pass aided by this magnificent resource.

I agree.

If I were not autistic, I think I would know how to be evaluated for autism, but I have no clue.

If I were diagnosed as autistic, I think the doctors and nurses that I see, would be a little more helpful in taking care that I understand what they are saying, even when it is: "Strip to the waist, put the gown on with the opening to the front, and ... and... and...." (Sorry, my short-term memory buffer is full, and the message is too slow in passing to long-term memory.)

My Dad was "the strong and silent type" who communicated by rephrasing something someone said to him--a very agreeable conversationalist.

His father was much more vocal than his mother, whose family were all rather backward or "shy."

It may go back another couple of generations, too.

As the granparent of an Autistic child, I know the heartache that parents and grandparents feel Our granddaughter has excelled, even though she is an Autistic Child. She graduated from high School with a 3.7 grade average. She just participated in a special Olympics and won a ribbon, a bronze, a silver and a Gold Medal. She is particulary attracted to her Grandpa on her mothers side, and has always been. She would talk to him when she would not talk to anyone else. We love her deeply, and are grateful that the Lord has chosen us to be a family to this special needs child. We feel the heartache others feel, and want them to know that our Heavenly Father loves them too. We pray that researchers will find a way to treat this, but in the meantime we need to just love them since they are really special.justagrandma

What a well written, heart felt sentiment. You are a blessing to her; as she is to you.
You belong to a special club you did not ask to join, and most of us will never fully understand the stress you feel, but it sounds like progress is being made and the love in your family is managing the frusteration and fear. I wish you peace.

re: Wilma, it sounds more like genes than the 'Lord's choice'.
Life is a lot more random than that. There are PLENTY of special needs children born to families/parents who simply don't care. Is that the 'Lord's choice' as well? If so, Why?

re: interesting

The same reason that "normal" children are born to families/parents who simply don't care.

According to LDS teaching, everyone is sent here to get some kind of experience tailored to them. Some make it, some fail. Everyone is given a fair chance at some point in time.

I have a "special needs" child with a rare genetic syndrome. He has autistic behaviors. He is also one the best things in my life. He is one of the ones whose parents care. I have been places and seen kids whose parents don't care. Such is life.

That still doesn't explain the question.
Between 20,000 and 30,000 children starve to death on a daily basis.
Where they sent for that purpose?
If you answer the question in the affirmative, that is a truly cold and completely uncaring diety who planned that to happen.
How about those who are victims of abuse?
How about those who have genetic problems without any chance of help?
There is no way this is some sort of plan. Wealthy religious Americans may see it as such but they ignore the billions who struggle just to survive.
I also have children with a rare genetic disorder. It's based on GENES, NOT some sort of providence.
There are plenty of kids with the same disorder but have NO access to treatment and who's parents do not care.
No, I do not believe it was a plan.
It's life. It's genetic. It's random.

The heartache isn't with the autism itself, it's with the ignorance of people regarding autism and the burden that places on the autistic person.

An autistic adult can have a successful life ... married for 24 years, two dream jobs (left one for the other and the second to raise a family), be a published writer, raise three children who make a difference on an international scale.

All anyone sees is the diagnosis ... not the person.

That it's genetic, children who grow up will still be autistic - just like an eplileptic who hasn't had a seizure in years.

I've seen people be vilified simply because they have the disorder. Criminalized for being how they were intened to be born. Lied about and harmed. If you don't believe me, I invite you to look at the documentation I've put together.

Autism is the most incredible experience you can imagine. It's time that perceptions caught up to reality and that we stop judging based on circumstance of birth.

To "interesting" and "re: eh", No need to denigrate the perspective of those who see things differently than you. No one said life isn't hard regardless of one's circumstances. Yet, one's perspective can well make things easier to manage. From personal experience, we can say that their perspective gives them far more strength and comfort to manage the situation than going with the fatalist approach that everything is just random and without purpose or reason. It isn't merely a naive approach or viewpoint, as seems was being inferred. It requires more effort, actually.

Whether or not the physical cause of autism comes from random or predictable genetic or environmental factors doesn't change the fact individuals are born with and end up being diagnosed into the autism spectrum of disorders. Same holds true for any physical or mental disability. When people stop looking for and trusting there is a higher purpose in each person's existence, regardless of where they are born and what relative wealth condition they are born into, that is when society determines certain people are nothing more than expendable objects based on their economic value to society.

This article got our family researching because we've always wondered if our autistic family members were somehow linked with polygomy and a gene that an environmental factor may have trigured on my grandfather's side of the family. Autistic family members: cousin (17), my son (12), nephew (8), counsin's son (11) second cousins sons (10 & 3). Our geneology on this side of the family did not record plural marriages. I wish we could be part of the study - but more importantly receive services and find a cure for autism spectrum disorders.