While one cannot be absolutely sure about what the causes of autism could be, one can begin surmising what the possible ones can be, There has not been enough research to date about the specific causes that could lead to this disorder though there have been many theories put forward as to what might cause it. No, these are not conclusive but they could point the way in the directions where the answers could lie.
What is clear is that this disorder is due to a different functioning of the brain or the neural area of the brain. There are countless neurons in our brain and all of them are connectors, carrying messages from one part to the other – these messages are called neurotransmissions. In an autistic brain, the neurons that deal with the emotional and the sensual side of a person are not developed as much as the regular person’s. There is ongoing research to try and understand why these cells do not develop like they should and there have been many possible reasons that have been listed – here are some of them.
Researchers are of the opinion that genetics plays a huge role in this disorder and the chances of autistic children in the same family are high. However, others seem to feel that it could be a result of environmental factors and diet or maybe even the ingestion of toxic substances in foods. In some cases, it could be infections that result in this disorder or as some believe, vaccines that could be the cause. The rampant use of pesticides in farming, the use of chemicals in foods as additives and preservatives, the use of hormones, the addition of colors which are not natural but synthetic – all these could have a bearing on this disorder. Very often, when parents have switched to a more natural, wholesome diet for their children, there has been improvement.
The other possible causes could be bacterial infections which cause problems in the development of the brain, the phenols that leech out of plastic containers, the pollution in the air thanks to vehicle emission, the effects of high voltage power lines and lead poisoning through water pipes or utensils.
Unfortunately, there is no conclusive proof about any of these possible causes so parents are still in the dark, having to cope with their child’s disorder, learning to manage it rather than hope for a cure. If there were specific causes that could be proved to be harmful, adequate precautions can be taken. If the cause is found, who knows, in a small child’s developing brain, the effects could even be reversed. One can only hope that the future ushers in an era when autism is something that can be prevented and in the rare event of it surfacing, that it can be cured. When the causes of autism progresses from ‘likely’ to ‘sure’, autism will be well on its way to being a disorder that can be cured.