Rethinking Autism: Autistics Speak Video

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I just came across this video

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWOwNP9vC6k[/youtube]

Proffessional, but somewhat poorely conveyed. I think people are going to not fully understand what they're saying and then forget about it. *That's* why they use sex appeal and shock in advertising; people pay attention and remember it.



...is that the guy off 'The Unit?'

It sounds like they're trying to do pretty much everything we've been asking them to, how can we be anything but pleased.

Not to be confused with 'Autism Speaks'


They appear to have some money/support behind them though. Don't get me wrong, I think it's good, but ethics don't sell very well.

good video. i have no complaints.

I think it's quite despicable.

How So?

I don't like the usual stuff it implies.

Usual how?

In my experience, the usual consists of stuff like, "God, having autism/a child with autism must be awful! I'd rather be aborted/abort than have autism in my life!"

=P

Well, if they think that's awful, they should think of how awful it is to actually be the one living with mental disability. I mean I think it's helpful if someone talking of the issue isn't only considering the perspective of parents. They should stop portraying cure research as trying to get "a way to prevent those like me from being born" or whatever. I think whoever made these videos is likely disturbed. I wonder if anyone falls for the ideas being pushed in this video.

That's not cure research, and that, from what I understand [I do get to read all of those reports, thanks to my father's vehement activism] it goes towards genetic testing rather than research in the best therapeutic techniques [Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy; which methods work the best, etc...]. The purpose of the posted video seems to be suggesting that the money poured into such organizations be used for something other than eliminating autism.

Honestly, all of my siblings and I have autism in some form. I don't know about my older brother thinks, but my younger brother's not the one with the problem compared to most people talking about autism.

What do you consider "eliminating autism"? The research is there to eliminate disability. At least it should be. What reports do you read? I don't know what you're referencing by saying genetic testing. OT and speech therapy aren't enough. If they were, it would be realized by now. Stronger therapies are needed that really deal with the tangible neurological aspects of functioning in autism.

This video was pretty clear to me.

Genetic testing as in seeing what gene or group of genes causes autism so they can be either removed [sci-fi for now, but ten years from now who knows] or more likely aborted. I mean treating autism the way female children and or fetuses are treated in India.

On their own, they aren't enough, but they certainly help. Speech is probably the most urgent issue for low-functioning autistics, as emergencies require strong communication. I mean therapies that help autistics learn to communicate with others, not therapies that cure autism. For example, while my younger brother is LFA, my older brother and I have Asperger's syndrome and can communicate well enough. I am not sure how many other therapies there are, or which ones work the best, but that's what I believe the research should be put towards. It's not, however.

I help my parents file things, and I sometimes read what it is I'm filing. My parents' 'charity project' is working [I should say volunteering, but I far prefer the image of henchmen] for the ASA and Autism Speaks, and at least in the past few years the research has been put towards 'what causes autism' and 'learning more about autism' according to their posters, and 'genetic testing' according to my dad's labeling skills.

Genetic testing/research is basically imperative to cure as autism is partly genetic. You can't just assume it will lead to abortion to morally scare others away from trying to make cure. And you shouldn't say sci-fi. Gene therapy is being designed to be very intricate, considering what they know of gene regulation and of ways to get genetic material to cells.

What does that have to do with this?


Then why not go further?


What is the difference between therapies and cure? Communication abilities depend on the brain, so why wouldn't a therapy need to modify/repair some aspect of the nervous system?