Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Autism and it's Mysteries


In the article I read today, it talks about autism, it's mysteries, and a story of three triplet boys who were diagnosed with it. These three boys, Hunter, Nicholas, and Zachary Gaston, were all born happy and healthy. But then, when the boys were about eighteen months old, something changed. For example, Zachary wouldn't socialize and he always kept to himself. Also, Hunter would roam around the house at night and scream at the top of his lungs. In addition, Nicholas just stopped talking completely. Their parents were very concerned about this condition and notified their pediatrician immediately. However, their doctor said, "she (their mother, Lynn) was overreacting and they should wait and see,". But, doctors say that it is best to find out if children have autism early so they have a better chance of treating it. There was also another question the Gastons kept asking themselves which was, "Where is the trigger?". They've been asking this question because both parents looked through their family history and found no trace of autism. Some parents believe the trigger is from thimerosal which is a preservative in childhood vaccines. They believe this because after their children were given these vaccines they were diagnosed with autism. However, most medical experts highly doubt that is true because this chemical was removed from all vaccines but autism cases are still rising. Fortunately, despite these theories, the Gastons are going to always stay dedicated to their sons care. Both parents even sold their house in order to pay bills for therapies and doctors. Additionally, Randy Gaston, their father, says, "The one thing that he (Zachary) has to know for the rest of his life is that I did everything for him. That's what it comes down to. I love him,". In my opinion, this article is interesting and it helps me become more aware of what people go through with having autistic children and what some parents believe causes it. Both of these parents have struggled with doctors telling them to wait and see what happens when their triplets are older, and it turns out, all three boys were officially diagnosed with autism at the age of four. But, they have kept their heads held high and persevered through what seems like a never ending battle. Now, Nicholas, Zachary, and Hunter are going to therapists and doctors to help them so they can become as capable of things as they can. All in all, this is what I read today in my article and how I feel about it.

I found my article from:
I found my picture from:
http://www.tariareed.com/blog/uploaded_images/AutismPuzzle-703082.gif

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