our boy is about to be diagnosed with asd my wife is pregnant

Yes, zem, you have put across what I think well. Celebrity role-models are problematic because, by definition, they are exclusionary. We need a society that accepts all forms of autism, not just the very few who have achieved fame.

There is a genetic risk, but autism is not a foregone conclusion. There are many cases where autism affects only one child in a family, aside from the fact that people are affected in different ways. While it is preferable not to have the condition, IntenseWorld is right in saying that, with the right support, any difficulties can be massively minimised and a child can have a happy life, and grow into a productive adult.

Yes, zem, you have put across what I think well. Celebrity role-models are problematic because, by definition, they are exclusionary. We need a society that accepts all forms of autism, not just the very few who have achieved fame.

There is a genetic risk, but autism is not a foregone conclusion. There are many cases where autism affects only one child in a family, aside from the fact that people are affected in different ways. While it is preferable not to have the condition, IntenseWorld is right in saying that, with the right support, any difficulties can be massively minimised and a child can have a happy life, and grow into a productive adult.