Autism Research: Funding Needed

Autism is a neurological disorder that affects how a person develops -- it affects how the individual's brain stores, processes, and interprets information.  Experts who study the disorder don't really know what causes autism, though several theories exist.  Currently, there is no cure for the disorder but autism research will hopefully give us a way to eradicate the disorder altogether in the future.  What research has done for us, however, is help us find better treatments for the disorder. 

Many Theories Exist

Through autism research, experts have come up with a few theories as to what causes the disorder.  Some experts think that genetics plays an important role.  This theory appears valid since parents with an autistic child have a better chance of birthing additional autistic children.  However, not all experts support this theory.

Some experts believe that brain damage is the culprit.  It is true that autistic boys have fewer neurons in their amygdala, the part of the brain that affects emotion and memory, though autism research has yet to determine if this is caused by any kind of brain damage.

Still others believe that environmental factors are to blame in a person developing autism.  Autism research has shown us, however, that autism knows no social, racial, or ethnic boundaries.  Also, there is no evidence that income or lifestyle has any bearing on whether a person develops the disorder.

Donate What You Can

The point is, we still have a lot to learn about autism and we are no closer to a cure.  Autism research must be done, however, if we hope to ever have one.  But funding is needed in order to conduct as much research as possible.  Donating to your local autism society or autism charity can ensure that the funding goes to the right places.  We need to support scientists who are racing to find a cure that afflicts so many people.

It is important to note, however, that many autistic people and families don't want a cure.  They are happy with who they are and consider being autistic an important part of their makeup.  Many people with autism find that the disorder actually helps them in many fields of science, math, and engineering. 

Still, even if many autistics don't want a cure, they would still benefit from autism research.  By learning as much as we can, we can hope to educate others about the disease.  Many people consider individuals with autism to be weird or odd because they aren't as socially competent as normal people.  Those suffering from autism are still people, however, and have a right to life just like everyone else.