The Curebie debate continues to rage and while it's not normally a thing I'd get involved with, there's quite an intelligent article from Tiff on Life on the Spectrum
The article is called;
The Cure
Right now, there is no cure for autism, just a bunch of dangerous and untested theories and therapies. There's no point in a curebie debate (to cure or not to cure) simply because there is no cure.
I'm also not terribly interested in throwing money towards the search for a cure because I'm not convinced that one will be found. I'm even less certain that I or my children would want it if it were found.
Of course, I accept that there are people out there who would do anything for a cure but lets face it. If they announced a cure tomorrow, it would still be ten years before it reached the common people and by that time, most of our affected children will be grown up and able to make the decision for themselves.
I'd much rather see the "search for a cure" money being put to use providing better facilities for the children and parents with autism. They need support now, not dreams tomorrow.
Acceptance
Tiff puts her finger on the crux of the whole thing. Acceptance. That's what makes the difference between a good parent and a great one. It's obvious that she's not only accepted her son's condition but is also able to enjoy the little touches that his unique gifts bring.
There's also great followup article on Saved Aspie, called;
The article is called;
Just Plain Fed Up
http://lifeonthes.blogspot.com/2009/04/just-plain-fed-up.html
It walks the fine line between curing and acceptance and advocates neither. If it advocates anything, it's an end to advocacy. There's no doubt about it Tiff would certainly investigate a cure if one came along but it's this line that makes her different;
I'm not shinning a positive light on autism, I'm shinning a positive light on my SON who happens to have autism. He has a lot of gifts and I refuse to walk around looking like I've just attend his funeral so people can throw money towards a cure
I'm not sure that I agree with a cessation of all advocacy. After all, it's advocacy that gets ideas off the drawing board and into real life. I do however agree with Tiff's sentiments. Those with the condition or those who are caring for a family member with the condition are best placed to present their "individual faces" of autism. Nobody is really up to the task of presenting a single unified "face of autism" because there is no unity. Everyone is unique.
http://lifeonthes.blogspot.com/2009/04/just-plain-fed-up.html
It walks the fine line between curing and acceptance and advocates neither. If it advocates anything, it's an end to advocacy. There's no doubt about it Tiff would certainly investigate a cure if one came along but it's this line that makes her different;
I'm not shinning a positive light on autism, I'm shinning a positive light on my SON who happens to have autism. He has a lot of gifts and I refuse to walk around looking like I've just attend his funeral so people can throw money towards a cure
I'm not sure that I agree with a cessation of all advocacy. After all, it's advocacy that gets ideas off the drawing board and into real life. I do however agree with Tiff's sentiments. Those with the condition or those who are caring for a family member with the condition are best placed to present their "individual faces" of autism. Nobody is really up to the task of presenting a single unified "face of autism" because there is no unity. Everyone is unique.
The Cure
Right now, there is no cure for autism, just a bunch of dangerous and untested theories and therapies. There's no point in a curebie debate (to cure or not to cure) simply because there is no cure.
I'm also not terribly interested in throwing money towards the search for a cure because I'm not convinced that one will be found. I'm even less certain that I or my children would want it if it were found.
Of course, I accept that there are people out there who would do anything for a cure but lets face it. If they announced a cure tomorrow, it would still be ten years before it reached the common people and by that time, most of our affected children will be grown up and able to make the decision for themselves.
I'd much rather see the "search for a cure" money being put to use providing better facilities for the children and parents with autism. They need support now, not dreams tomorrow.
Acceptance
Tiff puts her finger on the crux of the whole thing. Acceptance. That's what makes the difference between a good parent and a great one. It's obvious that she's not only accepted her son's condition but is also able to enjoy the little touches that his unique gifts bring.
There's also great followup article on Saved Aspie, called;
The Cure Debate Continues
http://savedaspie.blogspot.com/2009/04/cure-debate-continues.html
This has some interesting real-life recollections about meeting the parents with the wrong attitude and it's well worth a read.
http://savedaspie.blogspot.com/2009/04/cure-debate-continues.html
This has some interesting real-life recollections about meeting the parents with the wrong attitude and it's well worth a read.
Normal is just so over-rated. Instead of trying to force your aspie to fit into the "normal box", why not try to see them for the amazing people that they are. There's a good reason why many aspies don't want to be cured.
Comments
Like they say, communism works in theory, problem is people are just too damn different.
Diversity is ESSENTIAL for the prosperity of a species, and life, dawinism clearly states that.
My hero Einstein was thought to be on the spectrum, and he managed to say some of the most beautiful things about any topic that was thrown at him. Am I showing arrogance when I say we can look at things from such a different level that it can be uncomprehendable to the vast majority.
Certain music such as mozart has to ability to physically paralise me. I cant call that normal!
baldness: pointing out which males have particular traits and which don't. By marking our species, mating becomes easier. Unfortunately society has made baldness the opposite of attractive in a lot of ways, like making models the 'idea woman' rather than what the majority of women look like.
autism: the beginning of change. we've been here less than 0.00000001 of a blink of an eye, so right now, human kind is working out the kinks. I feel like as an 'aspie' (I hate that term!), that my natural numb nature towards others is just thousands of years of the 'emotions' that have led to every evil word in the dictionary through wars, takeovers, genocide, holocausts, everything a result of a disagreement one way or another.
my point? there is no cure for evolution. evolution cures us.