Autism causes important

Who sees the potential implications of the staggering new autism case statistics (“CDC: Autism more prevalent,” March 30)? Now, 1 in 88 children – and five times as many boys as girls. At this level of incidence, the larger population is affected. Boys are having serious problems at school – their high school and college graduation rates are falling off a cliff.

A common symptom is some form of emotional meltdown, which can mean leaving abruptly, crying or cursing and smashing things (or people). How do we handle that on a national level? What do we do when they all grow up?

Hypersensitivity to tastes, textures, odors and temperature makes meal planning a nightmare. Not just “I don’t like peas,” but gagging or throwing up with one whiff. Try planning a big holiday dinner with three or four family members who all have different symptoms.

And genius? Oh yes, but often narrowly focused brilliance that needs to be individually nurtured. They can make enormous contributions for the greater good.

Those of us with autism in our families live with these issues daily. We can’t be afraid to look for the real causes – no matter which corporations’ bottom lines are affected.

Lucy Jeanne

Deer Park