INTERVIEW WITH AN ADULT CARRYING THE TRIO GENE MUTATION

During 2022, TeamTRIO interviewed several adults diagnosed with the TRIO gene mutation.

Many parents wonder what their children's lives will be like when they grow up.

What our community members reported is an outstanding message of hope and an invitation to strive to overcome the obstacles one may encounter in life.

Our first interviewee is a super mum (we would like to leave her anonymous) who only discovered at an adult age that she carries the mutation after her beautiful child was diagnosed. She is a wonderful woman who tells us that she went to college and got 2 degrees and worked at a job.

Below is an excerpt from the interview.

- Interview -

Did any symptoms attributed to TRIO mutation affect the way people treated you?

Yes, I was bullied my whole 12 years of grade school.

When you were a child, did you exhibit any of the symptoms attributed to TRIO mutation?

Autism, developmental delay, speech delay, sensory processing disorder, ADD.

As an adult, do you exhibit any of the symptoms attributed to TRIO mutation?

Yes, I have high functioning autism, there are things that overwhelmed me. I am very scheduled.

Do you exhibit the same characteristics (or some of them) as your child with TRIO mutation?

Autism, toe walking, sensory processing disorder and nonverbal, delay speech.

Did your symptoms of TRIO mutation change as you grew from a child to an adult?

Yes, it improved over time with lots of therapy.

How has your TRIO mutation affected you as an adult?

It’s hard to make friends, and sometimes it’s hard to find work because I’m autistic and because of how I communicate. I need to self-schedule carefully.

Did you experience any barriers to education, medical treatment, occupations?

Yes, I had to be apart from other kids for a while in Special Ed in the start. I was often misdiagnosed so they put me on wrong meds. I currently don’t work because I’m full time mom. But work was sometimes hard to come by.

Are you currently treated with any medications or psychological, exercise, nutritional or wellness treatments for your TRIO mutation symptoms?

No, currently there is none. I have a Therapist but that’s it.

Is there anything else you would like to report that you think is important to know for other parents and for the researchers?

I recommend lots of therapy and lots of family help. I recommend changing parenting styles if needed to help children with TRIO genetic mutation. I believe those affected can live an almost normal life.

Last question, is there anything in particular that helps or that you would recommend to young adults with TRIO mutation?

Just keep going. There going to be a lot of hate because you were created very differently. You can be successful. Be yourself. You can do this, you can live independently. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel.