The last few days have seen a number of studies come out with fresh hope for disabilities that were seemingly hopeless. I was struck by how amazing modern science is! Some of these studies seem almost miraculous in nature that I was reminded of how great God is.
When it’s said that through Him all things are possible most of nod our heads and think of small improvements we would like. Very few of us ever hope for a miracle. Through science, these intelligent men and women who work diligently, it seems like the world might be getting a few more miracles in the future.
Autism:
Obviously this is something close to my heart. I’ve never been one of those parents who believes that autism can be cured. I’ve always been looking for a way to manage it. Therapy has shown wonderful results in Connor but I worry about how far that can take him. I worry that he’ll get to a point when he’s done everything he can and the differences between him and “normal” will be too great for him to lead a happy, productive life.
There are a few drug trials currently going on that are working on a medication that would help to curb some of autism’s worst offenses. Namely, these drugs would help curtain social awkwardness, decrease emotional outbursts, and promote more calming behavior by addressing the synapses in the brain where autism misfires. (Or at least that’s what I got from the article)
If you’d like to read it yourself, and I encourage you to do so, here is a link to the MSNBC article “New drugs, fresh hope for autism patients“.
I’m always skeptical of anything that claims to be an answer for everything, but I am excited to see where this research leads. Maybe it’ll be for Connor, maybe it won’t. If it doesn’t work for our family, there are thousands of families it could help. Either way, I have hope.
Spinal Injury:
Something so many of us fear when faced with an accident, is the chance of spinal injury. The threat of paralysis, nerve damage, etc. is truly frightening. Life without the ability to walk or care for oneself is nightmarish.
So when researchers in Switzerland began working with spinal injured rats they were addressing a health issue that has long plagued our world as incurable. And when they discovered through their preliminary findings that they were able to regrow the nerves in a rat’s spinal cord with electrical stimulation, they were in danger of causing a joyous uprising! While research in this area has already been going on in humans, the application of the electrical stimulation and therapy harness could reportedly be applied to humans with much faster and successful results.
See the article here from the Washington Post.
New discoveries are being made every day. I can’t wait to see what science uncovers next, whether it’s the AIDS vaccine, new treatments for cancer, or even just a better way to keep our hearts healthy. The world is an amazing place and I am awed by God’s grace for allowing these discoveries to come forward.
A Three Hat Day 