The closeness of marriages in Saudi Arabia—the ‘preferred’ marriage being between first cousins—is known to concentrate the incidence of genetic diseases. That’s a disaster for the families formed by those marriages, but it turns out to be a boon for medical researchers… and potentially others around the world suffering from those diseases.
The Washington Post reports on a new study into the causes of Autism which find that there may be a ‘fix’, at least for some. The study looked into cases of autism in families in Saudi Arabia and other countries that follow the closely intermarried custom. Their findings, which strongly supported the genetic etiology of Autism, also suggested ways in which some children can have parts of their brains turned back on. Interesting piece.
Genes from Middle East families yield autism clues
LAURAN NEERGAARDWASHINGTON (AP) — Harvard researchers have discovered half a dozen new genes involved in autism that suggest the disorder strikes in a brain that can’t properly form new connections.
The findings also may help explain why intense education programs do help some autistic children _ because certain genes that respond to experience weren’t missing, they were just stuck in the “off” position.
“The circuits are there but you have to give it an extra push,” said Dr. Gary Goldstein of the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, which wasn’t involved in the gene hunt but is well-known for its autism behavioral therapy.
ad_iconThe genetics suggest that “what we’re doing makes sense when we work with these little kids _ and work and work and work _ and suddenly get through,” he said.
But the study’s bigger message is that autism is too strikingly individual to envision an easy gene test for it. Instead, patients are turning out to have a wide variety, almost a custom set, of gene defects.
…
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
July:11:2008 - 09:58
Thanks for the article. As a child with Autism it is great knowing this woork is going on.
The intense process usually used is called ABA, the problem with it is that most insurance companies do not cover it and paying for it privately can cost over $50,000 a year.
Some states have passed laws requiring insurance companies to fund it, but not many. What is needed is a national law requiring the funding of ABA.
In the long run it is cost effective. If you can get these kids functioning at a certain level it will be much cheaper than group homes or other locations where they will remain for life.
As it stands only those lucky enough to have insurance that covers it, or those that are rich, can afford the things that are talked about in this article.
The other 90% of kids with Autism face this all on their own with little or no help.
People talk about the charitible works of people like Bin Talal. Founding or funding an organisation that provided such care to kids with Autism would be the best thing he could do with the tens of billions of dollars he hsa. Certainly better than diamond encrusted Mercedes.
July:11:2008 - 11:00
You make good points.
You err, though, on the ‘Alwaleed diamond encrusted Mercedes’.
The only thing accurate in that is that the car is, indeed, a Mercedes.
Alwaleed doesn’t own it and it’s not diamonds. Here’s a link to Snopes.com, a site that debunks Urban Legends.
July:12:2008 - 00:28
Either way John, you know what I mean. His daughter’s wedding could have paid for a couple of years of ABA for probably a couple of dozen children, and that was pocket change to him.
Him, and those like him out there, do not do enough good with their money. A few hundred million here and there for someone worth tens of billions of dollars is like me giving $10.
When you have a child with a special need who cannot get what he needs because the insurance companies are too cheap, the law makers dont want to worry about upsetting their big money donors and those with money would rather hoard it or spend it on nonsense, then you’ll know where I am coming from.
July:12:2008 - 00:54
No, I do agree with you. I was only trying to kill a rumor that plays on stereotypes falsely. There’s plenty that one could say about how he spends his money, whether it’s the best way to do so, etc. Ultimately, though, it is his money, to do with as he chooses.
July:12:2008 - 04:02
About diamonds in the hubcaps there are people in the royal family who have it but it is not for general public use. Also there are princesses who have their cell phones dotted in real diamonds as well.
I got this information from a very reliable source.
July:12:2008 - 04:05
Also let me say Saudi Arabia will never catch up with America in this lifetime in terms of social insurance and caring for children with special needs. NEVER! This is based on personal experiences of friends of mine who have had children with special needs and lived in both places and compared. No comparison.
July:12:2008 - 15:20
Prince Bandr had his private jet fly to Paris once to pick up ice cream for his daughter. The trip cost tens of thousands of dollars. This is the same man who REFUSED to guarantee my MIL’s pension. Her husband having worked for Bandr for 25 years and her brother being the man who taught Bandr how to fly jets.
After her pension was cut in half and stopped altogether for one year after my FIL died I went and tried to ask him to make sure she got the meagre 50%, he refused. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH!
Yes John, it is his money. However, he CLAIMS to be a religious man. He must then know that for every penny he spends he will have to account for it in the afterlife.
Better him than me that has to explain a $1 million dollar plus wedding for his daughter whilst some of his own people go without.
July:13:2008 - 14:54
Islam And The West Accelerated Links…
Crossroads Arabia on Saudis helping to find a cure for autism….
July:20:2008 - 01:02
Abu Sinan: The reality is we shouldn’t look to blame our problems on others and we certainly shouldn’t feel entitled to the wealth of others. If you look at it, here you are living in America in a comfortable home. You’d probably have to get in line behind the MILLIONS of starving children in Africa if your claims of entitlement were correct.
You should really be pushing for reforms of the medical insurance policies, especially since there are plenty of wealthy people in America.
This is not a defense of any particular person but while I feel every person should give some of their wealth to the poor in sadaqah outside of zakah, I also feel so long as the wealthy person were to give the obligatory zakah, they have met the bare minimum and are as entitled to spend their wealth in a manner pleasing to them just as we are.
October:07:2008 - 13:18
I am a child Mental Health consultant working in KSA in EL-Taif Region, as i am in contact with autstic pt, i would like to try to help as much as possible.