Cures for Autism

[miyakoume]

What would a cure do? Do you think it would strip away what makes us us? Or should it be optional? Or maybe is it good? Or is it vile? Is it something that should be fought with every ounce of our being? I started my guild called Autism rights movement supporters based on my opinion and several other's opinions that it should be fought with every ounce of our being and strength, along with the prenatal tests, the idea that autism is a disease/disorder, and the abusive environments of hospitals, therapeutic centers, and schools.

One Professor wrote an article titled: "Autistics need acceptance, not cure!"

anyway, here is the article

Autistics Need Acceptance, Not Cure

[The following was originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal, and is reprinted here with permission from the author.]

Saturday, April 24, 2004
Morton Ann Gernsbacher

This month, which is Autism Awareness Month, I'm hiding my eyes and those of my autistic 8-year old son from the media.

National headlines that describe autism as an epidemic, or pandemic. Public service announcements liken autism to being kidnapped.

A government Web site defines autism as a "devastating scourge." An autism "expert" decrees that autism is worse "than Sept. 11 and AIDS combined." An Autism Society Canada board member proclaims that autism is worse than cancer — because people with autism have normal lifespans.

Have you — like my son and me — ever heard parents say how learning that their child was autistic was like experiencing a death in their family? Have you ever been at the playground when a mother classifies her children, standing right there beside her, as this one who is autistic but these other two who are — thank goodness — perfectly normal?

They say that autism entails difficulty taking another person's perspective, appreciating how another person might feel. But when I read or hear such hate speech I wonder: Exactly who has a problem taking another person's perspective? Who can't appreciate the feelings of others?

My son surely can. He understands quite well that there are so-called autism "advocates" who despise autism, who march thousand-fold against it with placards calling for its defeat, its demise. His demise.

Oh, you say, those people don't want to get rid of my son, they just want to get rid of that part of him that's autistic. But research demonstrates that autistic traits are distributed into the non-autistic population; some people have more of them, some have fewer. History suggests that many individuals whom we would today diagnose as autistic — some severely so — contributed profoundly to our art, our math, our science, and our literature.

Most poignantly, many autistics affirm that it would be impossible to segregate the part of them that is autistic. To take away their autism is to take away their person hood. Despite our politically correct labeling, they are autistic; they don't "have" autism any more than homosexuals have gayness or lesbianism. Like their predecessors in human rights, many autistics don't want to be cured; they want to be accepted. And like other predecessors in civil rights, many autistics don't want to be required to imitate the majority just to earn their rightful place in society.

I'm a middle-aged psychology professor who holds an endowed chair at a major research university. But my son has taught me far more than I ever learned in my lab. Every time he walks by a poster avowing that autism must be eradicated, he teaches me grace. Every time he ignores one of the countless scholarly articles that tower above my desk, asserting he is disordered, he teaches me tolerance. Every time he embraces a world that so frequently rebuffs him, he teaches me unconditional love.

What if next year we celebrate the diversity of social interaction observed within and across all cultures? What if this "awareness" month marked a time to appreciate the variation that all humans demonstrate in their style and competence in communication? What if it heralded an era during which we marveled at the determined focus that in my occupation often wins indefinite tenure but in a precocious child gets labeled as diseased?

Then, neither my son nor I would feel compelled to hide.

Gernsbacher is Vilas Research Professor and Sir Frederic Bartlett Professor of Psychology, UW-Madison.

Copyright © 2004 Morton Gernsbacher


I think it should be accepted!  

[420FienD420]

I think that those who are autistic deserve to be accepted. They think differently. It's an interesting thought. A "cure" to change the way we think? Not my idea of happiness  

[miyakoume]

420FienD420

I think that those who are autistic deserve to be accepted. They think differently. It's an interesting thought. A "cure" to change the way we think? Not my idea of happiness

I agree!  

[BabyKatZ]

A cure?
You find a cure for a disease.
You find a means of help for a mental illness.

 

[[_Tetsuko_]]

I think that it depends.

While I agree that those who are Autistic should be valued and accepted, and that they have a different and unique way of seeing things that is beneficial to society, there are many people who probably feel that they would be much happier if they were like everyone else.

In the end, I think that it should be left up to the individual. If such a "cure" was developed, I wouldn't look down on those who chose to use it. (Or not use it, whatever the case may be).  

[Grypesagon]

Autistic children are statistically more likely to suffer abuse. the lower functioning ones cause severe damage to themselves and others by biting, attacking or hitting thier heads on things.

My most recent girlfriend worked with lower functioning autistic children. They were between the ages of 12 and 15 and not one of them had a function higher than 8 years old. None of them could speak.

Many of them couldn't really communicate at all. The only thing they did to communicate was attack themselves or others. My girlfriend would come home with bites and scratches and bruises constantly.

The children would come in hurt because of mild abuse coming from parents who couldn't cope any other way after dealing with it every day of thier lives.

While higher functioning autistic people tend to have a mild comprehension barrier... the lower functioning ones could use a cure. If for no other reason than so they can communicate and actually connect with another person. Think of a life trapped in your own mind with no way to understand what anyone around you is saying or doing. No way to tell them what you want, need or feel. A life completely cut off from every other person where you can't take care of yourself.

Put yourself in those shoes and tell me if you'd want a key to get out of that cage?  

[miyakoume]

Grypesagon

Autistic children are statistically more likely to suffer abuse. the lower functioning ones cause severe damage to themselves and others by biting, attacking or hitting thier heads on things.

My most recent girlfriend worked with lower functioning autistic children. They were between the ages of 12 and 15 and not one of them had a function higher than 8 years old. None of them could speak.

Many of them couldn't really communicate at all. The only thing they did to communicate was attack themselves or others. My girlfriend would come home with bites and scratches and bruises constantly.

The children would come in hurt because of mild abuse coming from parents who couldn't cope any other way after dealing with it every day of thier lives.

While higher functioning autistic people tend to have a mild comprehension barrier... the lower functioning ones could use a cure. If for no other reason than so they can communicate and actually connect with another person. Think of a life trapped in your own mind with no way to understand what anyone around you is saying or doing. No way to tell them what you want, need or feel. A life completely cut off from every other person where you can't take care of yourself.

Put yourself in those shoes and tell me if you'd want a key to get out of that cage?

You're right! But I wonder, has anyone tryed to teach them to keyboard? Keyboarding is how some "lower functioning" autistics communicate. But its the parents fault. They should also be aware that there is support out there. And, even though they may claim that they need more support, and that raising an autistic child is frustrating, it is no excuse for abusing or killing a child. Most of my difficulties as an autistic rise not from my differences, but from the ways I get treated because of my differences. I think the image of the autistic as a monster is completely inaccurate! There are times I have wanted to kill myself because of others and the put downs that they said. And the harrassment.  

[Grypesagon]

These kids were on the level of having those books with the pictures of items and they were trying to learn to associate the image and item with one another.

Can I ask how it manifests in your perceptions?

That is super funked up about the way you get treated for it. I'll never understand the human need to increase ones own self image by trying to cut down those around them.  

[miyakoume]

Grypesagon

These kids were on the level of having those books with the pictures of items and they were trying to learn to associate the image and item with one another.

Can I ask how it manifests in your perceptions?

That is super funked up about the way you get treated for it. I'll never understand the human need to increase ones own self image by trying to cut down those around them.

Well, it's quite different for us, really it is. Especially when people try to hug us or talk to us. It just feels so awkward. A lot of us simply don't understand why others talk so much! That's pretty much all I can say, because it is pretty different for each autistic!  

[Grypesagon]

miyakoume

Grypesagon

These kids were on the level of having those books with the pictures of items and they were trying to learn to associate the image and item with one another.

Can I ask how it manifests in your perceptions?

That is super funked up about the way you get treated for it. I'll never understand the human need to increase ones own self image by trying to cut down those around them.

Well, it's quite different for us, really it is. Especially when people try to hug us or talk to us. It just feels so awkward. A lot of us simply don't understand why others talk so much! That's pretty much all I can say, because it is pretty different for each autistic!

smile fair enough. I have trouble understanding why people talk so much also. 3nodding  

[[Kegan]]

I'm autistic, oh no I mod you, don't offend me! To be quite honest I'm happy with who I am, cures are for diseases, I am most certainly not diseased am I?

Asperger's, is a completely different condition when compared to Kanner's

Okay, this is annoying me; the spell-checker is telling me that the words are spelled incorrectly, and the proper spelling is diseased... That's just mean... Actually it's telling me everything spelled wrong is diseased... My spell-checker has a sense of humor?  

[has_been_deleted]

anybody mind telling me what autism is? sorry if this seems like a stupid question...  

[Grypesagon]

Shortest answer...

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder. It delays cognitive communication between parts of the brain normally used for social interaction and/or symbolic or imaginative relationship to conscious recognition.  

[has_been_deleted]

ah. Thanks!  

[Jatropheus]

This is a big subject for us here... My wonderful Wife has been credited with coining the term "Wild Aspie" for those of us who relentlessly resist pigeon holing and typical "treatment" in favor of figuring it out for ourselves. As it turns out, some dope-domesticated dweeb called her a "wild aspie" on some "Autism Support" message board, intending it as an insult...

miyakoume

What would a cure do?

That depends who develops it and what direction they take... I think that the "cure" for the most deeply affected is the right people spending the time to open up the lines of communication... Just being a good, intelligent person dedicated to the desire to help is not enough, and from what I've seen education is more often than not a detriment - most experts take the wrong approaches and many do more harm than good.

Our favorite example is Donna Williams - as a child, she was thought almost an animal, unteachable and unreachable. Now she is very high functioning, and considered by many, my Love and myself included, to be the world's foremost authority on autism.

miyakoume

Do you think it would strip away what makes us us? Or should it be optional? Or maybe is it good? Or is it vile?

Drugging does, those poor people seems so mentally shackled, their wits' wings clipped... On the other hand, Grypesagon had a point, there are times I wish I could accept things the way other people can, and am acutely aware what a hilt-less double-edged sword it can be to wield.

Of course, if (more?) unmedicated Aspies could stomach the classes and authoritative a**umptions enough to change the system from within and help find the common ground for Kanner's kids, the cure wouldn't have such a price or carry such risks.

Edit: Oops, got interrupted & didn't finish this... left the other questions here to answer as, who does what and what they consider a "cure" determines whether or not it's good or bad, benevolent or vile. As it is , the drive to drug people into acting like an even paler version of "normal" is mass-murdering mentalities to my mind. /Edit:

miyakoume

Is it something that should be fought with every ounce of our being? I started my guild called Autism rights movement supporters based on my opinion and several other's opinions that it should be fought with every ounce of our being and strength, along with the prenatal tests, the idea that autism is a disease/disorder, and the abusive environments of hospitals, therapeutic centers, and schools.

I think it should be accepted!

Kudos, cheers, and other words of agreement, support and encouragement belted boisterously in my booming bass... (will have to search out said guild, as well).

If it's what we see happening, Hells yeah! Fight with every fiber whenever able!

If it changes, we should continue to fight the parts that don't as we would want others to if it were us being put through it. Otherwise, the possibility will still exist that it someday may.

domokun cheese_whine