IOM Workshop on Autism and the Environment
April 18, 2007 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
The Institute of Medicine (IOM)’s workshop on “Autism and the Environment: Challenges and Opportunities for Research” is being held today. This is the agenda, with links to Power Point presentations by the speakers that can be downloaded. I have been listening to some of the webcast. I’m not able to listen to most of it as my classes, and my commute time home to meet the bus are at the same time as most of the workshop. (One wants to be informed, but meeting that school bus is one of the focal points of my day…..). If you’re listening, I’m curious as to what you think.
Laura Bono is the opening speaker (From the NAA National Autism Association). Fist powerpoints mention EPIDEMIC, I’m not getting a warm fuzzy feeling about this…
I have not heard what Bono said but in her slides she mentions that if Autism is enviromental and curable than it is not hopeless. Someone should tell her that a lot of people do not think it is enviromental, curable or hopeless. I am interested in hearing the whole conference when I get the chance.
Livsparents, I agree no warm and fuzzy here either.
Environment is the new “e” word in autism, it seems….
It is the new “e” word. You are right. I personally believe, that like the causes of cancer stemming from environmental exposures to genetics, I believe it is possible for autism too. However, in our family, my husband and I are always pointing out our individual characteristics and traits that we look at combined could have genetically caused Sam’s autism. We do that in a fun loving, light hearted way. My husbands desire to not be around large crowds, my obsessiveness, hubbie’s issues with clothing texture, my need for routine and structure. Of course we have mild examples compared to what Sam’s world is like, but I can really see how when certain genes are aligned, autism could be born. And I am so thankful Sam was. So wish I would have been home early to catch the webcast. Thanks for the link with outlines though!