• Replies 12 replies
  • Subscribers 28 subscribers
  • Views 2183 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Views on autism 'cures'

OthoDPS

Hello all,

This is my first post here but have been looking at the forums on and off for a while now.

My 3 year old son is a completely non verbal and suspected of Autism. Me and my partner, and the majority of professionals involved in his development all agree, but until the Child Development team in our area have a formal diagnosis meeting, he is only considered as needing language and communication support, but thats an entirely different discussion.

The point for this post could potentially be dangeours, but I had to ask. Should a moderator decide this thread needs to be shut down, then I have no issues with that.

My question is twofold. Firstly, do you think there ever will be a cure for Autism?

And my second, slightly more contraversial question is if there was suddenly a cure, would you get your child/partner/yourself to undergo the cure? 

Parents

  • I'm also a bit worried about whether some of the autism is necessary for evolution. I know that seems irrelevant to the everyday suffering of individuals, but a lot of those sufferings seem to be down to the nature of modern society, with techniology and media that force similarity and standardisation of expectations.

    Tampering like this might actually bring about a premature collapse of the human race - OK from a Green perspective that might not seem a bad idea.

    But we are moving into an age of vastly higher and faster information processing in the space of one or two generations. Social compatibility may be one of the things sacrificed in that process. People who can work independently, without dependencies, may actually be a pointer to the future.

    And also important scientific breakthroughs still depend on highly focussed individuals with the patience and persistance to find the one crucial parameter everone else misses.

    No comfort to those suffering the day to day stresses of ASD. But a lot of that is down to society's current obsession with socialisation, which all this new comms technology is actually undermining.

    I'm more interested in research to better understand ASD, better advise specialists supporting us, and improve people's delay lives.

    I've a cynical feeling that looking for cures is usually pursued because it is a money spinner. Research funds chase cures, especially if the pharmacutical companies can benefit. Research to improve lifestyles doesn't attract anything like as much funding.

Reply

  • I'm also a bit worried about whether some of the autism is necessary for evolution. I know that seems irrelevant to the everyday suffering of individuals, but a lot of those sufferings seem to be down to the nature of modern society, with techniology and media that force similarity and standardisation of expectations.

    Tampering like this might actually bring about a premature collapse of the human race - OK from a Green perspective that might not seem a bad idea.

    But we are moving into an age of vastly higher and faster information processing in the space of one or two generations. Social compatibility may be one of the things sacrificed in that process. People who can work independently, without dependencies, may actually be a pointer to the future.

    And also important scientific breakthroughs still depend on highly focussed individuals with the patience and persistance to find the one crucial parameter everone else misses.

    No comfort to those suffering the day to day stresses of ASD. But a lot of that is down to society's current obsession with socialisation, which all this new comms technology is actually undermining.

    I'm more interested in research to better understand ASD, better advise specialists supporting us, and improve people's delay lives.

    I've a cynical feeling that looking for cures is usually pursued because it is a money spinner. Research funds chase cures, especially if the pharmacutical companies can benefit. Research to improve lifestyles doesn't attract anything like as much funding.

Children
No Data