Politicians unite in fight for autism unit

Cases rise 1600% in 10 years

VICKY COLLINS

POLITICIANS from across the political spectrum have backed calls for a new medical unit dedicated to the treatment of autism to be set up in Scotland.

Action Against Autism (AAA) has submitted a petition to the Scottish Parliament requesting the unit as well, as funds for research into the treatment and causes of the condition. It will put its case to the parliament in January.

The charity claims there is not a single hospital or NHS doctor in Scotland with the expertise to help those suffering from autism, forcing parents and carers to travel to England and even the United States for the medical help their charges need.

Tommy Sheridan, leader of the Scottish Socialist party, Lloyd Quinan, the Nationalist MSP who is convener of the cross-party group on autism, and Mary Scanlon, Tory health spokeswoman, have all lent their support to the AAA's campaign and said that better facilities to support autism sufferers were desperately needed in Scotland.

The petition, seen by The Herald, claims that Scotland is facing a crisis in terms of autism care, with the number of cases rising from one per 2500 to one per 166 of the population over the last 10 years, according to Medical Research Council figures. This represents a rise of 1600%.

It claims that autism is not a purely psychological problem, as was believed in the past, but a condition that has serious medical problems associated with it and calls for the parliament to "immediately release funds for crucial research" into these medical problems.

That research would entail full metabolic screening, immunological testing, gastro-enterological investigations and blood tests.

The AAA also wants a central treatment centre set up within a Scottish hospital to ensure that people with autism can "at last be given one of their basic human rights - the right to proper health care".

Steve Law, computing officer at the school of mathematics in Edinburgh University and a director of the AAA, is one of signatories to the petition.

"Autism has traditionally been seen as a psychological disorder which is treatable by behavioural techniques," he said.

"There are a lot of people out there who now believe that the symptoms of some autistic children are caused by or at least made worse by medical problems. We do not have a single doctor in the whole of Scotland who can diagnose and treat these problems. It is a national scandal.:

One parent of an autistic child, Anne Grant, had to fight to have her daughter's condition correctly diagnosed. Doctors had believed that Ashley, 10, merely suffered from behavioural problems.

"When we finally got the diagnosis, the doctor said that it was something she really didn't know much about," said Mrs Grant, 32, from Denny, Stirlingshire.

"We hear that all the time. I have done a lot of my own research, on the internet and through books, and by talking to others who have autistic children. It has got to the point now where I know more about it than the doctors.

"Luckily, my GP is willing to take my research on board and help me try different things with Ashley. A lot of parents don't have doctors that are as understanding as that.

"I think it would be great to have a place where they could research autism. It would just be nice to have professionals who really know about this, know what they are talking about, who could give parents some advice and support."

Mr Quinan said evidence from Europe and the US showed that treatments such as dietary and biochemical intervention could alleviate and, in cases of regressive autism, cure the condition.

"There is an absolute necessity for this medical unit because we have so many professionals who just are not up to date on the diagnosis and treatment of autism and there is still this idea that autism is not a treatable condition," he said.

"Research is also urgently needed into the causes of autism. I know of no other condition where nobody can tell you what causes it but there are reams and reams on what doesn't cause it."

Mr Sheridan praised the work of groups like the AAA and called for a major extension of autism support services.

"The level of support for autistic children and adults is woeful," he said.

"The support network would be non-existent if it wasn't for the committed army of volunteers who have in many cases actually shamed authorities into action."

Mrs Scanlon said: "I would certainly support the establishment of a specific facility for people with autism to enable them to gain early access to assessment and treatment."

Robert Brown, Liberal Democrat MSP for the West of Scotland, said he would need more information before agreeing to the establishment of a medical unit.

However, he added: "It is highly important that there is as much research into autism as possible.

"I think there is a big need to get more support for people with this condition."

-Jan 6th