Can autism really be altered by a love hormone? That was the question I was left thinking after reading this article about a hormone called oxytocin, which is known to help breast-feeding moms bond with their babies, that may actually impact how those with autism socially interact.

Apparently researchers have found that some people with autism have a low level of this hormone in their bodies. So what researchers decided to do was see how a dose of the hormone would impact a group of study participants. And what they found is that those who inhaled oxytocin made more eye contact, which helped them pay more attention to expressions. By paying more attention to expressions and learning how people respond to them, they can then learn the right kind of response in return.

This could be an important discovery because if this truly does impact those with autism who have a low level of this hormone, it may be possible to increase the level early on when a child is first diagnosed, which could then change how that child develops socially.

So maybe the answer to my initial question is…yes. And wouldn’t that be something. Those early years when Kyle wouldn’t make eye contact, or want to interact with us, were truly gut-wrenching. What if a hormone could change that. It’s truly amazing what we’re discovering…and, it makes me wonder…what we’re going to discover tomorrow?

What does autism mean to us today? It means love. What about you?

Best,
Jenifer