A breakthrough in autism treatment

Editorial Team | Updated: October 8, 2014 10:26 am

The hormone oxytocin aids in many important physiological functions of the body. Elevated levels of this hormone is said to reduce levels of stress, induce labour etc. Now the hormone has show to be helpful in treating developmental disorders as well. A recent study has found that oxytocin helps autistic kids improve social skills. Researchers from Stanford University have found that oxytocin has a tremendous effect on such kids’ ability to function socially. ‘Children blessed with naturally high levels of oxytocin are more savvy at communicating with others and interpreting social signals or situations,’ said Karen Parker, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Stanford.

The higher your oxytocin levels, the better your social functioning, Parker added. During the study, researchers examined 79 children with autism, 52 of their unaffected siblings and 62 unrelated children without autism. ‘All children with autism have social deficits but these deficits were worst in those with the lowest blood oxytocin levels and mildest in those with the highest oxytocin levels,’ Parker said. The findings also showed that oxytocin levels are influenced by genes. The study appeared in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Here are some misconceptions about children with autism busted

Autism misconception #1: All children with autism have savant-like abilities

Some children with autism have savant-like abilities. Most do not. Some people who don’t have autism have savant-like abilities. Most do not. Savants are rare, period. Many parents of children with autism resign themselves to fighting this fallacy with weary humour. When asked yet again about their child’s ‘special gift,’ they reply, ‘Eating toilet paper’ or ‘Hoarding batteries.’

Autism misconception #2: A child’s meltdowns and anxiety attacks are intentional or manipulative

Sensory overload, frustration, anger, persecution, fear, sleep deprivation, hunger, pain—for the child with autism, meltdowns always have a physiological or emotional source, and never come ‘out of the blue.’ Not only are there numerous organic reasons why he might melt down, but the notion that he manufactures such distress to ‘get’ the adults around him assumes a level of intent unlikely to be present in a child with autism.

Autism misconception #3: A child who is non-verbal has nothing to say

If someone taped your mouth shut and took away your communication devices, would that mean you have nothing to say? Or would you have your same thoughts, needs, wants and fears—but no way to express them? All humans need a functional means of communication. We’ve designated speech as our gold standard of interpersonal communication, the emphasis on ‘using our words’ so dominant that when children attempt to communicate nonverbally, we often don’t heed it. Yet words are only a small part of interpersonal communication. We communicate through the nuance , tone, inflection, pitch, speed and volume of our speech, through body language, facial expressions and emotional responses. It’s incumbent on us to listen to all the ways our kids are trying to communicate. Read more about 10 misconceptions about children with autism busted!

With inputs from IANS

Photo source: Getty images

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Published: August 10, 2014 3:21 pm | Updated:October 8, 2014 10:26 am

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