Could Autism and Schizophrenia be connected?!
Question: my Son has Autism, and I keep wondering why it has happened, i had a very normal and healthy pregnancy, and i am perfectly well myself...
But I have two relatives in my family with mental health problems, one with Schizophrenia, and one with Bi-Polar depression.
Could the two be connected?
(ps. in case it has any bearing on the situation, i did not drink or take drugs in pregnancy, nor did i have any accidents, it was a textbook pregnancy)
Thank you for your answers xx
Answers: my Son has Autism, and I keep wondering why it has happened, i had a very normal and healthy pregnancy, and i am perfectly well myself...
But I have two relatives in my family with mental health problems, one with Schizophrenia, and one with Bi-Polar depression.
Could the two be connected?
(ps. in case it has any bearing on the situation, i did not drink or take drugs in pregnancy, nor did i have any accidents, it was a textbook pregnancy)
Thank you for your answers xx
There may be a biological link -- autism and schizophrenia (which is more than just hearing voices) can affect very simliar areas of the brain, so it shouldn't be surprising that this research is being done. However, it is far from proven.
Further, autism can happen even with very normal, safe, healthy pregnancies. Don't blame yourself -- autism is nobody's "fault." Focus your energy on finding the best possible life for your child.
Behavioral therapies have the best success rate - but there are literally hundreds of options out there. Check out www.autismspeaks.org or find a local advocacy group.
The only definite consensus is that time is important -- the earlier the intervention, the higher the success rate in helping children with autism live normal lives.
I dont know too much about Autism or Schizophrenia, But i do have an idea that Schizophrenia is related to having hallucinations and also hearing voices that arent there. Autism is more of a brain development disorder that impairs social interaction and communication.
Although Autism is known to be highly heritable, I do not think that it is connected to any of your relatives' problems. I dont know much about the scientific aspect of autism, but i sincerely wish you and your son the best :D
My son has an Autism Spectrum Disorder as well. Having Autism has nothing to do with anything YOU may have done. It is a neurological disorder of the brain. Now there are some similar symptoms of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia. This is not to be mistaken with your standard Paranoid Schizophrenia, though. Also, Childhood Schizophrenia is very rare. Here are a ton of articles in the subject...
personally i have Autism and have done research to learn more about it and from what i have read I don't think that Schizophrenia and autism are connected in any way but I think that Bi-Polar Depression and Autism could potentially be connected. If you are interested in learning more about autism CNN is going to be talking about autism all day on april 2, 2008, they may talk about autism and potential connections to other mental health disorders.
Vaccines and environmental toxins, either to the child or the pregnant mother, cause most autism.
http://www.generationrescue.org/
Hello,
The specialist who diagnosed my autistic son told me that bi polar, and schizophrenia as well as add/adhd, depression,turrets, seizures, and I think there is one or two more on the scale to look for.
One thing to keep in mind is that those family members if they were checked out as children may have been diagnosed autistic too.
Don't we have more to do then think of who to blame for the way our children are? I think so.
I think we need to quite blaming and take that time and energy and spend it on our kids (s). If your child is like mine, he/she needs all the love and acceptance we can give them.
Wish you and yours well.