Amazing. Simply amazing. Maybe, being late to the thread, the link changed...? Or the article was edited...?
Quote:
A hereditary illness?
The causes of autism open up another vast and difficult debate: the heritability of autism. Many scientists believe that autism is a hereditary family mental illness or depression. Currently there is much research into genetic linkage analysis in autism. Another school of thought argues that autism is linked to the environment: toxins, food additives, chemicals and pollutants that affect the body, and cause problems with the body’s immune and gustatory systems. Some believe there is a link between autism and the MMR vaccine (the vaccination for measles, mumps and rubella).
As yet there is no cure for autism. Some countries (and I believe Italy is one) adopt a medical model approach, ie, putting what resources they have into research and development to look for possible cures. Other countries adopt a social model which look to provide services for those with autism (these two positions are not mutually exclusive).
Granted, it's poor wording (and poor grammar), but the point of the statement is basically correct. The tone of the whole article is geared towards low-functioning, despite the statement that 10% of Italians have Autism (and the population of Italy is 5.8million). Kinda sad for a "consultant for Autism".