By Christina Reinwald
Most children do not grasp the idea of genetics research easily. However, some are forced into it when a sibling is diagnosed with Autism.
In a study at Boston Children’s Hospital, genetic counselors collect blood samples, details of family history and capture 3D images of patients to add to the Autism Consortium database of research information.
In the hospital, Joanna Reinwald, C.G.C., a genetic counselor, drew blood from a boy without Autism. He refused the blood draw until his mother took him aside to explain what this research was for.
“You’re a hero,” the mother said. “You’re saving your brother.” Even though he did not have Autism, his brother had the disorder. His blood sample was added to a database of autistic family history to attempt to answer one of the biggest questions in medicine today: What causes Autism?
According to The American Heritage Science Dictionary autism is defined as “a developmental disorder characterized by severe deficits in social interaction and communication and by abnormal behavior patterns, such as the repetition of specific movements or a tendency to focus on certain objects.”
The Autism Society estimated that 1.5 million Americans deal with effects of the Autism spectrum, or varying symptoms of the disorder from minor to severe. Many families have difficulty dealing with and understanding the disease, and others that do not have Autism in the family fear a child getting it in the future.
Harvard Medical School hosted the Autism Consortium 2010 Symposium on Oct. 26. Leaders in autistic studies presented in sessions including: Informatics in Autism Research, New Advances in Early Screening and Diagnostics, The Promise of Translational Medicine in ASDs, and Autism Genetics.
