Mary and Marshall Bassett had raised their autistic child, concentrating on the latest therapies but not giving much thought to the root cause of the disease. Like many parents they had delved into the science of the disease when Clay was first born. But there weren't many answers and so much to do on a daily basis they never really got back to it.
Most parents read what they can about autism in the beginning, when their child is first diagnosed.
The causes of the disease had nothing to do with his daily reality. We buried our heads in the sand. Maybe by donating the tissue we might be able to find out what was wrong. Clay was first diagnosed with autism at age 2 and a half. The beautiful, seemingly healthy child had started life precociously, his first words coming early.