I needed a week to think about my response, mainly because I'm a
little rusty on ME's theory. So correct me wehere I stray.

Gutstein and Sheely have pursued the relationship angle of autism.
They've searched through quite a large body of research on Momma/Baby
interaction to find the missing components to relationship
development. They've put together recommendations, actually a
program which they called Relationship Development Intervention
(RDI). Typically, the mother and autistic kiddo go to a therapist to
work on interventions.

See www.rdiconnect.com for more information.

My 11 year old daughter is autistic and we've been getting coached
RDI. Most of what we do in RDI can be put within the ME's framework
of dynamic pattern. In other words, autistic people have a broken
slinky. They get trapped into patterns that are not dynamic so they
perseverate. Their abilities to reference their mother for
information and communicate is severely impaired. So, they're missing
that openness that promotes unidirectionality.

In the early stages of RDI treatment, we focus on strengthening the
mother--child's interaction and problems with patterning. It's
really very interesting. Autism seems to fall so well within ME's
theory. In fact, I can't think of any other mental or physical
disorder that fits as well.

what do you think?

Anne