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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 think humans are innovative enough to find a cure for anything.  Personally I think the answers to world hunger, world peace and to land a man on mars are already in our grasp but we don't have inclination to do.  Emotions take precedence over logic but that's just the way the world works.  I believe Simon Baron-Cohen is doing exceptional work in this regard.

    As for a cure.  I believe I was far more Aspergic when I was younger.  For some reason I have outgrown some of the characteristics and been able to adapt to the ones that still remain.  When I think of my younger days and how robotic and logical I was it seems like a different person.  School was a nightmare and I went through a phase of selective mutism.  In fact if you have given me a big red button that would effectively end my life I would have pressed it.

    Now for some reason as I start my thirties I have lost my allergies and digestion problems as well as the difficulties I have with eye contact and touch.  Now I can understand what a difference an intervention like that would have made when I was younger.  (Or at the very least some acknowledgement and understanding of my condition from the doctors).

    But if I had a cure I thought to myself how would that have changed me?  I don't know how much of my identity is part of my autism and how much is part of the rest of my personality.  For instance there is one side of me that loves space and interplanetary science and pens but on the other hand I love speaking to trainee doctors as part of my job and I love to be affectionate with my nephews, nieces and female friends.  Or the side that doesn't quite understand how I am feeling (Alexythmia) but then there's the other who people talk to because I listen so well.

    What I'm saying is at my age has the damage been done?  All the stuff I should have learnt when I was child I am relearning with my therapist now.  I would definitely have it if I was a child but as an adult I am not sure how much difference it would make.

Reply

  • I think humans are innovative enough to find a cure for anything.  Personally I think the answers to world hunger, world peace and to land a man on mars are already in our grasp but we don't have inclination to do.  Emotions take precedence over logic but that's just the way the world works.  I believe Simon Baron-Cohen is doing exceptional work in this regard.

    As for a cure.  I believe I was far more Aspergic when I was younger.  For some reason I have outgrown some of the characteristics and been able to adapt to the ones that still remain.  When I think of my younger days and how robotic and logical I was it seems like a different person.  School was a nightmare and I went through a phase of selective mutism.  In fact if you have given me a big red button that would effectively end my life I would have pressed it.

    Now for some reason as I start my thirties I have lost my allergies and digestion problems as well as the difficulties I have with eye contact and touch.  Now I can understand what a difference an intervention like that would have made when I was younger.  (Or at the very least some acknowledgement and understanding of my condition from the doctors).

    But if I had a cure I thought to myself how would that have changed me?  I don't know how much of my identity is part of my autism and how much is part of the rest of my personality.  For instance there is one side of me that loves space and interplanetary science and pens but on the other hand I love speaking to trainee doctors as part of my job and I love to be affectionate with my nephews, nieces and female friends.  Or the side that doesn't quite understand how I am feeling (Alexythmia) but then there's the other who people talk to because I listen so well.

    What I'm saying is at my age has the damage been done?  All the stuff I should have learnt when I was child I am relearning with my therapist now.  I would definitely have it if I was a child but as an adult I am not sure how much difference it would make.

Children
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