{"id":14480,"date":"2022-01-23T12:20:10","date_gmt":"2022-01-23T17:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/last-drum.flywheelsites.com\/?p=14480"},"modified":"2024-09-11T10:13:07","modified_gmt":"2024-09-11T15:13:07","slug":"planning-for-the-future-of-autism-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/autism.org\/planning-for-the-future-of-autism-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Editorial – Planning for the Future of Autism Research"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

This editorial originally appeared in ARI\u2019s Autism Research Review International \u2013 <\/em>now available online. Visit the ARRI Online to continue reading this issue and more.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

<\/i>Visit the ARRI Online<\/span><\/a><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div>

\"\"As a result of the slowdown in autism research over the past two years due to the pandemic, we have an opportunity to reevaluate our current understanding of autism and decide where we want to go in the future. This is our chance to construct a roadmap that will allow us to reach two crucial goals: completing our understanding of autism, and determining how best to help individuals on the autism spectrum. But to create this roadmap, we will need to change the status quo.<\/p>\n

Moving from the past to the future: <\/strong>Why we need an \u201cend game\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Over the past decades\u2014beginning with the revolutionary work of Dr. Bernard Rimland\u2014the history of autism research has been one of temporary leaps forward, followed by periods where little or no progress has been made.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Doctor<\/span><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div>

Before the 1960s, there was little real research into autism. Most clinicians had accepted the prevailing theory that \u201crefrigerator mothers\u201d caused autism, despite the absence of any evidence for this. In 1964, Dr. Rimland turned the entire autism field topsy-turvy by arguing, based on previously published research as well as clinical and parent reports, that autism was the result of an underlying biological condition as opposed to parental emotional neglect.<\/p>\n

This new paradigm galvanized the autism research field, and soon afterward, acclaimed research centers in Los Angeles, New York, and London began publishing papers. Researchers initially focused their attention on genetics, neurology, and challenging behaviors. However, over the next five decades, their focus expanded to include metabolism, immunology, and the gastrointestinal system in addition to anxiety, cognition, sensory processing, sleep disturbances, and social interaction.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, with few exceptions, all of these fields have remained independent from one another. This lack of a coordinated plan has led to dead ends, U-turns, and even reckless directions.<\/p>\n

Rather than coordinating its efforts, the autism community seems to be waiting for a point in time when a single incredible finding solves all of the riddles of autism, or when all of the findings will magically interconnect with one another to form a complete picture. We have waited far too many years for this miraculous moment in time. Because of this, only a handful of evidenced-based treatments are currently available to help individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Sadly, this has led to a less than optimal quality of life for most of these individuals.<\/p>\n

What the autism research community needs now is a strategy for reaching an endgame. In other words, we need a coordinated plan for moving research forward in a manner that will produce real results in the near future\u2014results that will make a true difference in the lives of individuals with ASD and their families.<\/p>\n

The basics of a strategic plan<\/strong><\/p>\n

A strategic plan does not need to be complex. Its goal could be as straightforward as “to understand the autism spectrum and determine a standard of care.”<\/p>\n

A strategic plan for autism research should address individuals from childhood to old age, and individuals on every part of the autism spectrum. Furthermore, it should include realistic goals and practical timelines, be they 20, 30, or possibly 50 years from now. If we do not establish such goals and timelines, research on autism could continue well into the next century without making significant progress.<\/p>\n

Rather than “reinventing the wheel,” a strategic plan could be based on issues already identified by two respected groups:<\/p>\n