Part 2 - Clinical Updates on Autism

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>COMING UP ON TIME FOR HOPE:
>. AND WHAT I WOULD SAY TO PARENTS IS TO GET YOUR CHILD
EVALUATED EARLY ON. DON'T WAIT TOO LONG BECAUSE FOR ONE THING
IT IS CLEAR IS THAT THE SOONER YOU INTERVENE, THE BETTER THE
PROGNOSIS.
>JOIN DR. FREDA CREWS, LICENSED PROFESSIONAL
COUNSELOR AND HER GUESTS AS THEY PROVIDE PRACTICAL
SOLUTIONS TO REAL LIFE PROBLEMS ON TIME FOR HOPE.
>WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US FOR ANOTHER EDITION OF TIME
FOR HOPE, A FAITH-BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM. I'M DR. FREDA
CREWS, YOUR HOST, AND TODAY I'M JOINED FOR THE SECOND WEEK
BY PSYCHIATRIST DR. GLENN HAVENS, MD. LAST WEEK WE
DISCUSSED CURRENT TRENDS AND TREATMENTS OF VARIOUS MENTAL
HEALTH DISORDERS. THIS WEEK, WE ARE FOCUSING ON WHAT IS
REFERRED TO AS ASD, ARTISTIC SPECTRUM DISORDERS. AGAIN, YOU
WILL FIND DR. HAVENS, WHO PRACTICES AT THE ARK
PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES IN ROSWELL, GEORGIA, TO HAVE THE
KNOWLEDGE EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE NEEDED TO GIVE US A
COMPREHENSIVE CLINICAL UPDATE RELATED TO THESE MYSTERIOUS,
ELUSIVE AND FOR SOME CHILDREN AND FAMILIES DEBILITATING,
EMBARRASSING AND RESTRICTIVE MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. AS
DR. HAVENS SHARES WITH US, YOU WILL FIND THERE IS HOPE, IN
SPITE OF WHAT YOU HEAR ON NEWSCASTS AND OTHER NEWS
RELATED TO AUTISM AND ITS SPECTRUM OF DISORDERS. STAY
WITH US.
>AND DR. HAVENS, IT'S GREAT HAVING YOU AGAIN FOR THE
SECOND WEEK ON TIME FOR HOPE. I ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO PIN YOU
DOWN AND KEEP YOU TO GET THIS SECOND WEEK OUT OF YOU. I
APPRECIATE IT. AND WE DID SAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE
FOCUSING ON THE AUTISTIC SPECTRUM SYNDROME. BUT THERE
WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS LAST WEEK THAT WE DIDN'T GET IN
THAT YOU FELT WOULD BE BETTER IF WE DID GET THEM IN, SO
LET'S DO THAT RIGHT UP FRONT BEFORE WE START WITH THE
AUTISM.
>THE FIRST ONE WAS GENERIC MEDICATIONS VERSUS BRAND. THE
TRUTH IS THAT THE GENERIC FORMULATIONS DO NOT HAVE TO BE
AS GOOD AS THE BRAND IN ORDER TO BE PUT ON THE MARKET. ONE
STUDY I READ SAID THEY ONLY HAD TO BE 70% AS EFFECTIVE.
THEY'RE ALSO NOT PREPARED, YOU MAY HAVE THE SAME BASIC
INGREDIENT, BUT THEY'RE NOT PUT TOGETHER THE SAME WAY AND
SO YOU COULD HAVE INERT INGREDIENTS THAT PEOPLE
RESPOND TO. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T RESPOND AS WELL TO THE
GENERICS AS THEY DO THE BRAND AND THAT'S A HUGE
MISUNDERSTANDING. OFTEN TIMES I HAVE TO INCREASE THE DOSE OF
A GENERIC IF WE'RE STUCK WITH IT IN ORDER TO GET THE
EQUIVALENT OF A BRAND.
>MANY PHYSICIANS ARE VERY TRUTHFUL AND VERY AWARE OF
THAT. I KNOW THERE WAS A PRESCRIPTION THAT I RECEIVED
RECENTLY AND I CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A REACTION TO SOME
GENERIC DRUGS, AND I'VE CALLED IN AND TOLD THEM THAT I'VE HAD
A REACTION TO THE GENERIC, AND THEY IMMEDIATELY YOU KNOW
PRESCRIBED THE BRAND FOR ME, AND IT WORKED.
>AND IT'S VERY CONFUSING BECAUSE IF YOU GO TO THE
PHARMACY, AND YOU DON'T REALLY CHECK YOU MAY VERY WELL GET
THE GENERIC GIVEN TO YOU AND YOU HAVE TO ACTUALLY CHECK AND
ASK FOR THE BRAND IF THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED.
>AND BUT IF YOU DO WELL WITH THE GENERIC AS A GENERAL RULE,
AREN'T THEY CHEAPER?
>THEY ARE GENERALLY CHEAPER, AND THERE'S A LIST OF THEM
THAT YOU CAN GET FROM WAL-MART AND KMART AND CVS OF DRUGS
THAT ARE LIKE FOUR DOLLARS APIECE. NOW ONE THING I DID
WANT TO SAY FOR THE VIEWERS IS THERE IS SUCH A THING AS THE
PATIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
>I WANTED YOU TO MENTION THAT BECAUSE YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT
TO ME.
>AND IF YOU HAVE NO INSURANCE, NOW IF YOU HAVE SOME NO MATTER
HOW BAD IT IS, IT DOESN'T COUNT, BUT IF YOU HAVE NO
INSURANCE AT ALL YOU CAN GO IN AND APPLY TO THE DRUG COMPANY
AND THEY WILL PROVIDE YOUR MEDICATION AT NO CHARGE. AS
LONG AS YOUR INCOME IS I THINK LESS THAN $40,000 A YEAR. WE
DO THAT WITH A LOT OF OUR PATIENTS.
>AND I KNOW.
>AND THAT'S BRAND, AND THAT'S BRAND THAT THEY GET.
>HAPPY TO HEAR THAT THERE ARE SUCH SERVICES. AND THEN YOU
WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE OFF LABEL MEDICATIONS.
>YES, BECAUSE THAT'S VERY CONFUSING. THE FDA MARKETS,
ALLOWS MARKETING ONLY FOR VERY LIMITED REASONS. SO A DRUG MAY
BE APPROVED FOR ONE OR TWO INDICATIONS. WE HAVE THE RIGHT
AS PHYSICIANS, AS LONG AS WE CAN JUSTIFY IT, TO USE ANY
MEDICATION FOR ANY REASON THAT WE THINK JUSTIFIED. AND THAT'S
CALLED OFF LABEL, AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS PEOPLE GO TO THE
INTERNET, THEY LOOK UP THE MEDICATION, AND THEY GO WELL
IT'S NOT INDICATED FOR THIS. OR THEY GO OH NO THIS IS
INDICATED FOR BIPOLAR AND I'M NOT BIPOLAR. AND I MAY BE
USING SOMETHING FOR A MOOD STABILIZATION, BUT IT DOESN'T
HAVE THE FDA INDICATION. BUT AS I SAY, THE PHYSICIANS USE
MEDICATION ANYWAY THEY WANT TO AS LONG AS THEY CAN JUSTIFY IT.
>I THINK DEPAKOTE, YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THAT IS ONE OF
THOSE MEDICATIONS, ISN'T IT?
>DEPAKOTE, FLAMICTAL, SERAQUOTE, WHICH IS
TECHNICALLY AN ANTIPSYCHOTIC AND YET IT'S VERY USEFUL FOR
SLEEP. I USE IT AND A LOT OF THE PRIMARY CARE PEOPLE USE IT
FOR THAT. THAT'S USING IT OFF LABEL.
>WELL, THEN, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU THINK WE NEED TO ADD
ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT A LOT OF
MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. PANIC ATTACKS IS A COMMON EXPERIENCE
FOR MANY PEOPLE. VERY SCARY TOO.
>THEY ARE VERY SCARY, AND THE THING IS, THEY ARE USUALLY
TIME-LIMITED. THEY FEEL LIKE THEY LAST FOREVER, BUT MOST OF
THE TIME THEY ARE GOING TO BE LESS THAN 10 MINUTES. AS FAR
AS I KNOW, NOBODY HAS EVER DIED FROM A PANIC ATTACK.
>THEY THINK THEY ARE.
>YOU FEEL LIKE IT AND YOU MAY FEEL LIKE YOU'RE HAVING A
HEART ATTACK, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE END UP IN THE EMERGENCY
ROOM. THERE IS ONE MEDICATION CALLED XANAX THAT IS VERY
SHORT ACTING IN VERY, THE ONSET OF ACTION IS RAPID THAT
WORKS GREAT WITH PANIC ATTACKS AND TO ABORT A PANIC ATTACK,
TAKING A XANAX. AND MOST PEOPLE CAN TELL WHEN THEIR
PANIC ATTACK IS ABOUT TO OCCUR SO THEY CAN PREEMPT IT. IT'S
VERY TREATABLE.
>SO MANY THINGS THAT THERE AT ONE TIME THERE WAS NO
TREATMENT FOR AS FAR AS MEDICATION, THERE IS NOW.
>WE CAN TREAT THE WHOLE SPECTRUM, THAT'S RIGHT.
> SO THAT'S ENCOURAGING, ISN'T IT? THAT'S GIVING HOPE FOR
MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE SUFFERING.
>WERE MUCH MORE ABLE TO CHOOSE DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS AND GIVE
A COMBINATION THAT GETS THE SYMPTOMS. AND REALLY THE WAY I
FOCUS ON THIS, I DON'T EVER TREAT A DISORDER, I TREAT THE
SYMPTOM.
>IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY TIMES WE GET PEOPLE ASKING FOR
PRAYER FOR BIPOLAR, WE MENTIONED THAT LAST WEEK, THE
BIPOLAR DISORDER. AND THEN THERE ARE AGAIN, THE PANIC
ATTACKS AND THE ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND SO ON AND SO
FORTH. NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO FOCUS ON THE AUTISTIC
SPECTRUM AS WE HAVE PROMISED. AND THE FIRST QUESTION I'M
GOING TO ASK IS WHAT IS AUTISM?
> AND THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW
FOR SURE. IT'S PROBABLY MUCH MORE ACCURATE TO SAY THAT
THERE ARE THE AUTISMS. THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT CAUSES THAT PRODUCE THE SAME SYMPTOMS IN PEOPLE.
THEY HAVE A HEADING CALLED THE AUTISTIC SPECTRUM DISORDER,
AND THE TWO THAT ARE THE MOST FAMILIAR ARE AUTISM AND
ASPERGERS. THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER
ASPERGERS IS A HIGH FUNCTIONING FORM OF AUTISM OR
WHETHER IT'S A DISORDER OF ITS OWN IN ITS CLASS. THE PROBLEM
WITH AUTISM IN THAT SPECTRUM IS THE HALLMARK IS VARYING
ABILITY. SO WHEN YOU TRY TO PIN IT DOWN AT A CERTAIN SET
OF DIAGNOSES, IT'S REALLY HARD TO DO. THERE'S THREE GENERAL
AREAS. ONE IS COMMUNICATION OR SOCIAL INTERACTION, READING
SOCIAL CUES LIKE IF I SAY SOMETHING WRONG, I CAN USUALLY
SEE ON YOUR FACE THAT I SAID THE WRONG THING. SO I PICK
THAT UP. PEOPLE WITH THIS KIND OF A DISORDER, IT DOESN'T
REGISTER ON THEM. THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NUANCES OF
SOCIAL INTERACTIONS. COMMUNICATION OR LANGUAGE
SKILLS IS ANOTHER ONE. AND THEN REPETITIVE OR
STEREOTYPICAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS. SO WHEN YOU HAVE
THAT GROUPING OF THOSE THREE AND ITS TREMENDOUS VARIABILITY
IN THEM. AND IT TAKES A TEAM TO ACTUALLY MAKE A GOOD SOLID
DIAGNOSIS. IT'S A DIAGNOSIS THAT'S NOT MADE ON A ONE TIME
BASIS YOU HAVE TO DO IT OVER TIME. YOU HAVE SEVERAL
DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITH EXPERTISE DOING THE
EVALUATION. AND IT ALMOST ALWAYS SHOWS UP BEFORE THE AGE
OF THREE. AND I WOULD SAY TO PARENTS, ESPECIALLY MOTHERS,
BECAUSE I LEARNED THIS THE HARD WAY, ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION
TO A MOTHER'S GUT, BECAUSE THE MOTHER WILL COME IN AND SAY
SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT. AND YOU KNOW WHAT, SHE'S RIGHT. AND
SHE MAY NOT BE RIGHT ABOUT WHAT IS OFF, BUT IF YOU LOOK
YOU'LL FIND THAT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT. SO PARENTS HAVE A
GUT RESPONSE TO THESE CHILDREN IN THEIR SENSE OF SOCIAL
INTERACTION, IN THE EYE CONTACT, THE SENSE OF TOUCH,
CUDDLING RESPONSIVENESS AND THEY'LL GO, THIS ISN'T RIGHT.
AND WHAT I WOULD SAY TO PARENTS IS TO GET YOUR CHILD
EVALUATED EARLY ON. DON'T WAIT TOO LONG BECAUSE FOR ONE THING
IT IS CLEAR IS THAT THE SOONER YOU INTERVENE, THE BETTER THE
PROGNOSIS.
>THAT'S TRUE OF ANYTHING ISN'T IT? WE CAN GO FROM CANCER,
RIGHT ON DOWN, AND THE SOONER SOMETHING IS DIAGNOSED THE
EARLIER IT CAN BE TREATED, THE BETTER THE PROGNOSIS. AND YOU
DID SAY, USUALLY BY THREE AND ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS IS THE
LANGUAGES ISN'T IT?
>IS THE LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION. SO THEY MAY NOT
BABBLE PROPERLY. THERE'S A CERTAIN AGE BY WHICH A BABY
SHOULD BE BABBLING. SOMETIMES THEY DON'T, LIKE INSTEAD OF
POINTING AT AN OBJECT, IF YOU'RE POINTING THEN THEY LOOK
AT YOUR HAND INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT THE OBJECT. SO
THERE'S A DIFFICULTY RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT THE WAY
MOST OF US RELATE. AND THEY MAY BE VERY ECCENTRIC. THEY
MAY LINE UP TOYS INSTEAD OF PLAYING WITH TOYS, THEY MAY
LINE THEM UP, THAT'S ONE OF THE MORE FAMILIAR ONES. OR GET
VERY FOCUSED ON ONE AREA, LIKE WASHING MACHINES OR VACUUM
CLEANERS OR TRAINS, AND BE SO OVER FOCUSED ON THAT, THAT IT
TAKES UP THEIR WHOLE TIME.
> AND WHEN WE THINK OF INTERACTION, EVEN FROM AN
EARLY AGE. DON'T THEY PREFER TO BE ALONE?
>THEY ATTACH, BUT THEIR ATTACHMENT IS MORE DIFFICULT.
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT IT'S PROBABLY DIFFICULT FOR THE
PARENTS AS WELL BECAUSE WE EXPECT A GIVE AND TAKE FROM
OUR CHILDREN. AND IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING THAT THEN IT'S
HARD FOR YOU TO FEEL LIKE YOU CAN EXTEND YOURSELF
>WHAT ABOUT THEIR BEING ABLE TO WALK, IT DOESN'T USUALLY
AFFECT THAT.
>IT DOESN'T USUALLY AFFECT THAT, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE A LOT
OF MOTOR SKILL ABNORMALITIES. THEY MAY BE CLUMSY. TOE
WALKING IS VERY FREQUENT. SO YOU SEE A KID, WHO DOES A LOT
OF TOE WALKING. IT'S NEUROLOGIC; IT'S SOFT SIGNS,
WHAT WE CALL THEM. THEY DON'T PROVE ANYTHING, BUT THEY OFTEN
GO ALONG WITH IT.
>NOW IN THINKING ABOUT DIAGNOSING, DO YOU MOSTLY HAVE
TO GO BY SYMPTOMS?
>YES YOU DO YOU GO BY SYMPTOMS, AND YOU GET A TEAM.
NOW, MAYBE, YOU GET A PSYCHOLOGIST, A PEDIATRICIAN,
PROBABLY A DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICIAN AND A
PSYCHIATRIST AS A TEAM AND THEY OBSERVE THE CHILD. THERE
ARE A LOT OF GOOD SCREENING EXAMS OUT THERE FOR THE
PROFESSIONALS AND FOR THE PARENTS. AND SO YOU CAN GET
THESE SCREENING EXAMS AND GO THROUGH THE CHECKLIST, AND
THAT HELPS YOU PULL IT TOGETHER BECAUSE IT'S SO
VARIABLE, I MEAN THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THIS CAN
PRESENT THAT'S VERY CONFUSING FOR PEOPLE.
>THEN I NOTICED THAT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT DIAGNOSING. I'VE
GOT A NOTE HERE THAT SAYS IT FALLS UNDER THE CATEGORY OF
PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER.
>THAT'S JUST AN ATTEMPT TO HAVE A CATEGORY THAT WE CAN
GROUP THINGS IN. THE THIRD ONE, IF YOU DON'T MEET THE
FULL CRITERIA, BUT YOU HAVE SOME OF IT THEN THEY'RE
RELIABLE TO CALL IT A PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL
DISORDER NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED. BUT WHAT WE CAN SAY
IS IT'S A NEUROLOGIC DISORDER, AND IT PROBABLY OCCURS IN
UTERO. THE GROUNDWORK IS LAID, SOMEHOW THE NEURO CONNECTIONS
IN THE BRAIN DON'T GROW RIGHT AND THEY DON'T CONNECT
TOGETHER PROPERLY.
>SO WHEN YOU SAY, NEUROLOGICAL YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE BRAIN.
IT IS A BRAIN DISORDER.
>IT IS A BRAIN DISORDER THAT'S RIGHT. AND HOW THE NEURONS
CONNECT, BECAUSE AS THE BRAIN GROWS, THE NEURONS GROW
BRANCHES OR EXTENSIONS, AND THEY CONNECT AND INFORMATION
GETS PASSED THAT WAY, AND SOMETHING GOES AWRY IN THESE
PEOPLE AND THE CONNECTIONS DON'T TRANSMIT THE INFORMATION
IN THE SAME WAY.
>OR HAS GONE AWRY, AND IT JUST STARTS SHOWING UP. YES, WELL
IT'S TIME FOR A BREAK AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
>I WAS JUST TOLD BY A GRANDDAUGHTER, WHO WAS
EXPECTING A BABY, THAT HER DOCTOR HAD RELATED TO HER
DURING HER LATEST VISIT THAT THE BABY APPEARS TO BE FINE.
OF COURSE THIS WAS GOOD NEWS FOR HER. WHEN I WAS EXPECTING
MY BABIES, MEDICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WAS NOT AVAILABLE
THAT COULD RELIABLY CONFIRM THAT THEY WOULD BE NORMAL AND
HEALTHY, AND I MIGHT ADD NEITHER COULD WE KNOW IN
ADVANCE WHETHER TO EXPECT A BOY OR GIRL. FOR SURE MEDICAL
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HAS COME A LONG WAYS SINCE THEN,
BUT AS YET IT DOES NOT HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS RELATED TO THE
AUTISTIC SPECTRUM DISORDERS WITH AUTISM REPRESENTING THE
MOST SEVERE DISABILITY. SINCE THIS IS TRUE, I AM CHOOSING TO
FOCUS ON WHAT WE DO AND DON'T KNOW RELATED TO THIS DISORDER.
THE FIRST THING I NOTE IS, THAT ALTHOUGH A LOT HAS BEEN
LEARNED ABOUT THIS DEBILITATING DISORDER, THERE
IS CURRENTLY NO KNOWN CURE FOR AUTISM. AUTISTIC SYMPTOMS AND
SEVERITY CAN VARY FROM TRAITS TO DIAGNOSIS THROUGH
ASSESSMENT AND SCREENING CHECK LISTS, AND RECENT BRAIN
STUDIES HAVE REVEALED THAT THE BRAINS OF CHILDREN AND
ADOLESCENTS WITH AUTISM CAN BE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT IN
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE THAN THOSE OF HEALTHY PEOPLE. THIS
DISCOVERY COULD EVENTUALLY HELP MEDICAL SCIENTISTS
PINPOINT THE CAUSES OF THIS PUZZLING DISORDER WHICH
CURRENTLY ESCAPES CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE AS TO ITS ROOTS.
CURRENT CONCLUSIONS ARE THAT MOST RISK FACTORS ARE ROOTED
IN HEREDITY RATHER THAN THE ENVIRONMENT. AND SUSPECTED
CHILDHOOD VACCINES THAT HAVE BEEN TOUTED MORE RECENTLY AS
THE CAUSE, CONTINUES TO BE REFUTED BY RESEARCHERS AND
RESPECTED SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATIONS. ANOTHER DEBATE
RELATED TO AUTISM IS RELATED TO THE SHARP RISE IN THE
NUMBER OF CHILDREN BEING DIAGNOSED WITH THE DISORDER.
IT IS GENERALLY AGREED THAT WE CAN'T BE SURE IF THE INCREASED
NUMBERS BEING DIAGNOSED IS BECAUSE OF A GREATER
AWARENESS, ALONG WITH BETTER AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES, OR
IF AUTISM ITSELF IS BECOMING MORE COMMON. FOR THE SAKE OF
BOTH CHILDREN AND PARENTS, AND EVEN ADULTS SUFFERING FROM
AUTISM, LET'S CHOOSE TO GO WITH WHAT WE DO KNOW. WE KNOW
THAT EARLY INTERVENTIONS - INCLUDING EDUCATION AND
INTENTIONAL PSYCHOSOCIAL BEHAVIORAL CHANGES, ENGAGE THE
DEVELOPING BRAIN'S ABILITY TO CHANGE IN RESPONSE TO
EXPERIENCE. THIS DELIVERS THE HOPE THAT AN AUTISTIC PERSON
CAN EXPERIENCE IMPROVEMENT IN COMMUNICATING AND INTERACTING
WITH OTHERS. MY CHALLENGE TO PARENTS IS TO ACCEPT THE
REALITY OF ANY SUSPECTED SYMPTOMS OF AUTISM YOUR CHILD
IS EXHIBITING AND PURSUE APPROPRIATE PROFESSIONAL HELP
IMMEDIATELY. AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BELIEVE THAT GOD WILL
GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH TO HANDLE AN UNWANTED AND FEARED
DIAGNOSIS (PHILIPPIANS 4:13).
>THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH US ON TIME FOR HOPE. OUR GUEST
FOR TODAY, FOR THE SECOND WEEK IS DR. GLENN HAVENS, AND WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT AUTISM AND ITS KISSING COUSINS. AND I'M GLAD
YOU CAME UP WITH THAT. I ALMOST SAID IT IN THE INTRO
AND I THOUGHT WELL, SO YOU DID IT IT'S OKAY.
>THEY'RE VERY CLOSELY RELATED, AND I SAID IT ONCE BEFORE,
THERE'S AUTISM, THERE'S ADD, THERE'S OCD, OBSESSIVE
COMPULSIVE DISORDER, TOURETTES AND SOMETHING THAT WE THINK
THAT MAYBE IS A FORM OF BIPOLAR BUT IT ISN'T CLASSIC
BIPOLAR. AND IN AUTISM AND ASPERGERS ARE VERY CLOSELY
GROUPED GENETICALLY IN FAMILIES.
>NOW, LET'S BACK UP THOUGH AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR VIEWERS
UNDERSTAND. AND WE COULD SAY LISTENERS TOO BECAUSE I'M ON
XM RADIO NOW, XM SIRIUS. THAT IF THEY'RE OCD THEY'RE NOT
ALWAYS AUTISTIC, THOUGH.
>NOT AT ALL.
>NO. YOU CAN BE OCD WITHOUT BEING AUTISTIC.
>THAT'S RIGHT IT CAN HAVE, ADD WHICH MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT
GOING TO BE AUTISTIC WITH THAT. ADD AND OCD ARE VERY
CLOSELY RELATED. TOURETTE'S IS NOT AS FREQUENT, BUT IT'S VERY
FREQUENT IN THAT SPECTRUM. SO NO JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE ONE
OF THOSE DOESN'T MEAN YOU'LL HAVE AUTISM. BUT PEOPLE WITH
AUTISM AND ASPERGERS, VERY OFTEN HAVE PROMINENT SYMPTOMS
OF ADD, OCD, TOURETTES AND A MOOD DISTURBANCE. AND ALL OF
THOSE NEED TO BE TREATED.
>WHAT IT AMOUNTS TO IS THEIR PLATE IS FULL, ISN'T IT? AND
YET THEY'RE NOT, THEY FUNCTION AS A GENERAL RULE THEY
FUNCTION AND SOME TO A HIGHER DEGREE THAN OTHERS.
>A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH HOW EARLY THEY INTERVENE. THE
NEUROLOGIC SYSTEM IS VERY IMMATURE UP UNTIL EARLY
ADULTHOOD, AND SO THERE'S A LOT THAT COULD BE DONE BEFORE
THINGS REALLY GET FIXED.
>I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE EVEN MENTIONED THE CAUSE, AND
I KNOW NO ONE KNOWS FOR SURE WHAT CAUSES AUTISM, AND SOME
OF THESE OTHER THINGS. BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT IT
APPEARS.
>WELL, THERE WAS A BIG SCARE FOR A LONG TIME ABOUT
THIMERISOL, WHICH IS IN INOCULATIONS. AND REALLY
THAT'S NOT PANNED OUT IN RESEARCH AS A CAUSE. I KNOW OF
SOME PEOPLE STILL BELIEVE IN IT. WHAT WE REALLY THINK IS
THAT IT IS A GENETICALLY BASED NEUROLOGIC DISORDER THAT YOU
INHERIT THE PREDISPOSITION FOR. THERE'S A SMALL NUMBER,
MAYBE 15% THAT APPEARS THAT THE MOTHER MAKES ANTIBODIES TO
THE NEURONS THEMSELVES. BUT THAT'S A SMALL PERCENTAGE. THE
REST OF IT IT DOES LOOK LIKE IT HAPPENS IN UTERO, THE
GROUNDWORK IS LAID. BUT THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW, AND NO
WAY TO PREDICT. YOU MAY HAVE ONE CHILD THAT'S FINE, AND
ANOTHER CHILD WITH AUTISM, ALTHOUGH IN IDENTICAL TWINS IF
THERE IS A SUBSTANTIALLY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF BOTH TWINS WILL
HAVE THE SAME DISORDER.
>NOW DO YOU TAKE THE BIOMEDICAL APPROACH IN
TREATING AUTISM?
>YES, THERE IS THE BEHAVIORAL APPROACH, AND THEN YOU DO
MEDICATION AS WELL. AND THE MEDICATION TARGETS THE
SYMPTOMS. SEE YOU HAVE A KID WHO'S VERY DISTRACTIBLE, CAN'T
STAY ON TASK, IMPULSIVE AND YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO USE
SOMETHING IN THE ADD SPECTRUM. IF YOU'VE GOT A KID WHO'S VERY
OBSESSIVE, YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT SEROTONIN, IF YOU'VE
GOT A KID THAT'S EXPLOSIVE AND ACTING OUT PHYSICALLY YOU MAY
USE A MOOD STABILIZER WHICH COULD BE AN ANTIPSYCHOTIC, IT
COULD BE AN ANTI-EPILEPTIC KIND OF DRUG. IF YOU'VE GOT
SOMEONE WHO'S TOURETTES, ODDLY ENOUGH, THERE'S ONLY TWO
MEDICATIONS THAT SEEM TO WORK FAIRLY WELL WITH THAT. THEY'RE
BOTH ANTIPSYCHOTICS, AND WHY THEY WORK AS WELL IN THE OTHER
CLASS OF THAT MEDICATION DOESN'T, WE DON'T KNOW. BUT
YOU TARGET THE SYMPTOM.
>SO DO YOU TIE INTO THOUGH TO DIET, IN THE ENVIRONMENT,
THINGS LIKE LEAD?
>I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, AND THAT'S NOT PANNED OUT IN
TERMS OF
>BUT THESE ARE THINGS THEY ARE LOOKING AT IN THEIR RESEARCH,
RIGHT?
>WELL THEY LOOK AT IT AND CERTAINLY LEAD AND OTHER
DEPOSITS IN THE BRAIN CAN CAUSE AUTISTIC LIKE SYMPTOMS
BUT THE BROAD MAJORITY YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND THAT. JUST
LIKE WITH ANY CHILD YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THAT FOOD AND
ENVIRONMENT HAS AN IMPACT. BUT IT'S NOT; IT'S VERY
DISAPPOINTING TRYING TO CURE IT THAT WAY. SUPPLEMENTS ARE
ANOTHER EXAMPLE I'M TRYING. A LOT OF THE SUPPLEMENTS, AND WE
WOULD NEED A WHOLE SHOW ON THIS, ARE VERY USEFUL. I USE A
LOT OF SUPPLEMENTS MYSELF. BUT WHEN YOU GET TO A CERTAIN
POINT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO USE MEDICATION.
>ANOTHER THING WE DIDN'T BRING OUT GLENN IS THAT IT'S
INCREASING.
>THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
>IS IT OR ARE WE JUST LEARNING TO DIAGNOSE IT?
>I THINK WE'RE A LOT MORE SOPHISTICATED AT WHAT WE DO.
> BUT THEY ARE SAYING ONE IN 100 CHILDREN, ABOUT ONE IN 110
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>ACTUALLY, THE PERCENTAGE IN THE UNITED STATES IS GREATER
THAN IN THE REST OF THE WORLD FOR SOME REASON. NOW, I THINK
THAT'S JUST BECAUSE WE'RE MORE SOPHISTICATED. INSTEAD OF
SAYING A KID IS JUST SORT OF ODD AND TOLERATING IT, WE GO
LOOKING MORE CLOSELY.
>ALL RIGHT, WE KNOW THERE'S NO CURE. WE DO KNOW THAT AT THIS
POINT, SO FAR NO CURE. BUT WHAT'S THE HOPE, WHAT ARE
PARENTS AND RELATIVES, AND WHO EVER THE CARETAKER IS, WHAT IS
THERE HOPE?
>HERE'S THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT THE BRAIN, IT'S CALLED
NEUROPLASTICITY. WHICH BASICALLY MEANS THAT THE BRAIN
HAS A REMARKABLE CAPACITY TO REPAIR ITS SELF. SO AS LONG AS
YOU'RE WORKING, DANIEL LEHMAN HAS DONE A LOT TO PROMOTE THIS
IDEA.
>WE WANT TO GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR ALL THE WORK HE HAS DONE.
>THAT THE BRAIN CAN HEAL, SUBSTANTIALLY. AND SO, WHERE
AS WE USED TO SAY, WELL, YOU'RE STUCK WITH IT, NOW WE
CAN GO LET'S TAKE CARE OF THE BRAIN. LET'S DO THE THINGS,
THE DIET, THE EXERCISE, AND THE TRAINING AND THE
MEDICATIONS, AND WE CAN DO A LOT WITH HELPING THINGS TO BE
MUCH BETTER.
>AND THERE ARE PROGRAMS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED,
STRUCTURED AND DESIGNED.
>TO TEACH THEM SOCIAL SKILLS AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND
TO GET THEM INTO A MORE NORMAL SPECTRUM OF BEHAVIOR.
> SO WE WANT TO GIVE PARENTS AND CARETAKERS THAT HOPE.
GLENN IT'S BEEN GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR COMING
AND GIVING US YOUR TIME AND YOUR EXPERTISE AND SHARING
WITH US ON TIME FOR HOPE. I APPRECIATE YOU AND I HAVE
SOMETHING TO SHARE WITH YOU BEFORE YOU GO. AS USUAL, I
WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A NOTE FROM ONE OF OUR VIEWERS
>LETTER FROM VIEWE
R
>
>AND OF COURSE AS YOU HEARD US DISCUSS THE AUTISM; YOU KNOW
THAT THIS PARENT CERTAINLY NEEDS PRAYER. AND WE'VE
ALREADY TAKEN THIS PRAYER REQUEST TO OUR HEAVENLY
FATHER. WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT HE
HEARS OUR PRAYERS. WE MEET HERE AS A GROUP, MY STAFF
DOES, AND I PRAY IN MY OWN PERSONAL DEVOTIONS FOR ALL OF
THE REQUESTS THAT COME IN TO TIME FOR HOPE FOR PRAYER. AND
WE ARE HEARING FROM PEOPLE THAT SAY THAT THEY ARE SENSING
AND KNOWING WE ARE PRAYING FOR THEM AND THEY'RE SEEING
RESULTS AND I AM NOT A BIT SURPRISED WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
GOD HEARS AND ANSWERS PRAYERS. AND THEN I HAVE, I DO HAVE A
NOTE OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR US.
>
>AND WE APPRECIATE THOSE KINDS OF NOTES COMING IN ALSO. I
WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GIVE IT SOME GREAT CONSIDERATION TO
JOIN US AS A TEAM MEMBER IN THIS MINISTRY. AND IT IS A
MINISTRY, THIS FAITH BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM, IT IS A
MINISTRY. WE PUT OUT HOPE, AND PEOPLE THEIR LIVES ARE
IMPACTED, THEIR LIVES ARE CHANGED AS WE SHARE HOPE WITH
THEM. HOPE THAT COMES FROM OUR PROFESSIONALS AND EXPERTS THAT
COME IN, AND THE STORIES THAT WE GET FROM OUR VARIOUS
GUESTS. AND THEY ALL, ALL THAT WE BRING IN, GIVE THE GLORY
AND THE HONOR AND THE PRAISE AND THE CREDIT TO OUR HEAVENLY
FATHER. WON'T YOU CONSIDER HELPING US WITH THIS MINISTRY?
GREAT EXPENSES ARE INVOLVED. GOD PROVIDES, HE HAS ALWAYS
PROVIDED FOR US. HE CONTINUES TO PROVIDE, BUT IT IS ALSO
THROUGH PEOPLE LIKE YOU JOINING US AS TEAM MEMBERS
THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MEET EXPENSES AND ALSO EXPAND THE
MINISTRY OF TIME FOR HOPE. SO TAKE IT UP WITH THE LORD AND
ASK HIM WHAT HE WOULD HAVE YOU DO ABOUT JOINING US AND
HELPING US FINANCIALLY. WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
>TO ORDER FROM OUR RESOURCE LIST, FOLLOW THE INFORMATION
ON THE SCREEN. UNTIL NEXT WEEK, GOD BLESS. .