Paul Shattock, B.Pharm, OBE, shares his personal experiences as a parent of someone with autism. He details how perceptions of autism have shifted over the course of his son’s life and how these shifts have impacted families and practitioners. Shattock considers environmental drivers of autism and emphasizes the importance of continued research into underlying causes.

In the past, families were confused when they noticed something different about their children but couldn’t figure out what it was. Even after getting a diagnosis, parents still struggled because many people didn’t believe autism was real. Pioneers like Bernard Rimland, who started studying autism over 60 years ago, helped change how people thought about it. There was a lot of debate over whether autism was a mental illness, a behavior problem, or something else. As more people became aware of autism, the number of diagnosed cases seemed to grow quickly, raising questions about why this was happening. Scientists are still exploring reasons for this increase, including how our environment and the diversity of living things might play a role.

About Our Partner

World Autism Organisation

World Autism Organisation (WAO) is an international nonprofit organization established with a mission to improve the quality of life for people with autism and their families worldwide. It is recognized as the first international organization dedicated to autism.

Learn more at https://worldautismorganisation.com/