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Tuchman speaks at Hampshire College
Elizabeth Hawley
Issue date: 10/22/07 Section: News
Dr. Roberto Tuchman gave a lecture titled "Autism: What does it mean to be a spectrum disorder?" as a part of the Culture Brain and Development Program, the final installment of the semester on Thursday night at Hampshire College.
Dr. Tuchman is an acclaimed expert in the autism field, a Hampshire graduate and the director of Developmental and Behavioral Neurology at Miami Children's Hospital.
Dr. Tuchman described autism as a disorder historically treated by psychiatrists. As a neurology resident, he said, "when I talked to my fellow residents…they would say, 'well it's an interesting topic, but where's the neurology?'"
It was not until the 1990s, when autism was linked to Rhett's syndrome, that autism was even considered a neurological disorder.
Now, however, he said neurologists are involved in a number of aspects of treating autism; they are coming up with medications and treatments to help autistic children, as well as finding new ways to diagnose autism earlier.
Some researchers are trying to isolate the genes that lead to autism, a feat which is proving difficult, according to Dr. Tuchman, because of autism's status as a spectrum disorder.
"Autism isn't one thing," said Dr. Tuchman.
One child with autism may have trouble holding a conversation, while another may have trouble responding to something another person in the room is doing. Some patients with autism may not exhibit many signs at all.
"There are individuals who fall within the autism spectrum who are better than us," Dr. Tuchman said. "They have a better understanding of what it is to be good."
There are also those patients who can't function in society, suffering from severe aggression and other symptoms which stop them from participating in the world as a "normal" person would. These are the patients for whom Dr. Tuchman would recommend medication, to treat the symptoms so that behavioral and educational therapy could have more of an effect.
Dr. Tuchman explained some of the neurology behind autism and discussed different therapy options. He also spoke of the idea that autism rates have rapidly increased in recent years.
"I suspect that there is no epidemic of autism," he said, explaining that the methods for recognizing autism have changed over time, as has the overall awareness of autism.
Throughout the lecture, Dr. Tuchman described autism not as a disease to be cured but as a disorder which, in some cases, is better off not being cured.
Elizabeth Hawley can be reached at ehawley@student.umass.edu.
Dr. Tuchman is an acclaimed expert in the autism field, a Hampshire graduate and the director of Developmental and Behavioral Neurology at Miami Children's Hospital.
Dr. Tuchman described autism as a disorder historically treated by psychiatrists. As a neurology resident, he said, "when I talked to my fellow residents…they would say, 'well it's an interesting topic, but where's the neurology?'"
It was not until the 1990s, when autism was linked to Rhett's syndrome, that autism was even considered a neurological disorder.
Now, however, he said neurologists are involved in a number of aspects of treating autism; they are coming up with medications and treatments to help autistic children, as well as finding new ways to diagnose autism earlier.
Some researchers are trying to isolate the genes that lead to autism, a feat which is proving difficult, according to Dr. Tuchman, because of autism's status as a spectrum disorder.
"Autism isn't one thing," said Dr. Tuchman.
One child with autism may have trouble holding a conversation, while another may have trouble responding to something another person in the room is doing. Some patients with autism may not exhibit many signs at all.
"There are individuals who fall within the autism spectrum who are better than us," Dr. Tuchman said. "They have a better understanding of what it is to be good."
There are also those patients who can't function in society, suffering from severe aggression and other symptoms which stop them from participating in the world as a "normal" person would. These are the patients for whom Dr. Tuchman would recommend medication, to treat the symptoms so that behavioral and educational therapy could have more of an effect.
Dr. Tuchman explained some of the neurology behind autism and discussed different therapy options. He also spoke of the idea that autism rates have rapidly increased in recent years.
"I suspect that there is no epidemic of autism," he said, explaining that the methods for recognizing autism have changed over time, as has the overall awareness of autism.
Throughout the lecture, Dr. Tuchman described autism not as a disease to be cured but as a disorder which, in some cases, is better off not being cured.
Elizabeth Hawley can be reached at ehawley@student.umass.edu.
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