An autistic boy on genetics and autism

TH spent lunch today pondering his place in the world, then and now. I could tell that this was his topic of thinking because every once in awhile, he'd pop out some little gem of an observation, the kind that makes you realize all over again why you love your children so much. His first comment that revealed his brainbug du jour was this: "The older I get, the more normal I get."

That's probably true, but it all remains quite relative.

Then, a few moments later, "You know, I think I got the biggest hit from the autism gene of anyone in the family." He certainly had my attention. "I mean, other people in my family? They have little bits of autism genes in them, I can tell, but I clearly got the biggest chunk of it." That seems likely, and he clearly needs a bit of instruction in the mechanisms of genetic inheritance. We'll get to that eventually.

I think this train of thought traces down the tracks to a few nights ago when TH, watching his baby brother (now 4) perseverate on choosing a pair of shoes that is far too small for him, commented, "I wonder if Little has any Asperger's in him."

Little, who rarely misses a beat, much unlike his brothers, had a riposte. "No, I don't have any as...bur...gers in me at all. I just have my dinner in me." Hmm...literal thinking, check. Persverating on shoes, check. Those must be Little's little bits of autism. TH will never be someone you'd refer to as "normal"--and he thinks that's a good thing--but certainly, as he gets older, he grows more and more insightful.