1. Learn About Differences Between an Autistic Brain and a Healthy Brain
For reasons science can not fully explain, people with autism have larger, heavier brains than those without this disorder. The difference in size and weight can be seen in an MRI and can be used to confirm a diagnosis of autism (though not to make an initial diagnosis). Medical scans of the brains of people with autism have also shown that areas of the brain associated with language and empathy do not light up when stimulated, as they do in people without the disorder. The cause of this failure of certain areas of the brain to engage when stimulated is not known, but it corresponds to the lack of language and social skills in autism patients.
2. Understand Possible Causes of Autism and How They Affect the Brain
While no one knows exactly what causes autism, many of the changes seen in an autistic brain can be explained by a variety of medical theories. For example, it has been noted that premature babies have a greater risk of developing autism than those who were carried to term. Early births could mean that certain areas of the brain were not given enough time to fully develop, which results in symptoms of autism when the baby is still an infant. Some people believe that diet or gastrointestinal disorders play a role in autism. Subtle allergies, such as a gluten intolerance or a sensitivity to dairy, may cause the creation of antibodies that affect the areas of the brain that are involved in autism. Gastrointestinal disturbances, such as leaky gut syndrome, can produce the same changes and symptoms in the brain.
3. Know About the Vaccine Theory
There is a large group of people who are convinced that childhood vaccines cause autism. While this has not been proven, it is easy to see how this could be the case. Vaccines bombard a developing immune system with pathogens that may overwhelm it in its tender state. These pathogens could also cause the developing immune system to go haywire, attacking parts of the brain in the process. This would make autism an autoimmune disorder, in which the body's defenses start to recognize certain parts of the brain as foreign invaders that need to be removed. Other people believe that the mercury preservative used in many vaccines is the culprit. According to this theory, the mercury (of which there is no safe clinical dose) poisons the parts of the brain involved in autism, leading to lifelong disability. Like the other theories, there is no proof of this as of yet, but current studies are being conducted to determine if there is a link.
