For BC Children’s Hospital investigator Dr. Suzanne Lewis, the future of diagnosing and treating children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) lies in the power of personalized medicine. In personalized medicine, patients receive therapies uniquely tailored to their biological and genetic makeup. It’s an individualized approach that, according to Dr. Lewis, may be the key to advancing care for ASD, a complex condition that varies greatly from child to child.
Dr. Lewis is an investigator and Clinical Professor in the Provincial Programme for Medical Genetics at BC Children’s Hospital and Chief Medical Officer & Vice President of Research at the Pacific Autism Family Network.
ASD is the most common neurological disorder in children, affecting an estimated 10,000 children in British Columbia alone.* Symptoms of ASD include trouble with communication and social interaction and repetitive interests and activities. People with ASD have a wide range of ability levels – some may not be able to speak or live independently, while others have more subtle challenges communicating and forming social relationships. Many families struggle to determine which treatment options are best for their child; while behavioral therapies and medications can help some children with ASD, some children do not show improvement with any intervention.
Dr. Lewis talks about how she’s working to understand autism at the level of the individual patient and what her efforts mean for children affected by ASD and their caregivers.
