How far would you go if a pre-natal test for Autism emerged?

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Discuss and vote I am more interested in the anonymous poll outcome myself - as you don't have to censor yourself. Obvious the objective here would be to stop application of such a test, clearly we cannot erase knowledge.

There is no option for people who wouldn't oppose it. I think it is inevitable that this test would eventually emerge if it hasn't already. Personally I think my time would be better spent fighting abortions.

If I were to become pregnant I would love for such a test to exist. I would really appreciate knowing ahead of time any disabilities my child may have so that I can prepare accordingly. So I think fighting it because of some harm others may bring to babies because of it is hypocritical for me personally.

I understand where you're coming from as well as anyone else that really opposes it, and I certainly wouldn't disagree with anyone who chose to protest it, but personally I wouldn't participate in it because I know my heart wouldn't be in it.

I don't see a response for me in the list. If a test emerged, so what? The test isn't the problem it's what people do after that knowledge has been imparted to them that exists as any issue.

I plan on raising my own children when I get older, and if one or more is born anywhere on the spectrum, I don't think I should raise it any differently than any other child. It will not make him/her any less of a human.
But I haven't voted yet because I'm confused by how the poll is organized.

so is this poll only for people that are against it?

then you already know the answer to the poll. The rest is just window dressing.

Merle

yeah, I didn't see a 'shrug shoulders' option, which is probably what I would do.

How many NTs do you think would choose to give birth to an autistic child?

It is probably inevitable that such tests will come, and I view the concept with apprehension. What we need is more tolerance, not less. It will make it harder for the surviving autistics when they grow up /grow old as a dying breed.
I also think that society will be missing something as many great people through history seem to have had Aspergers or at the very least strong traits of it. (Einstein, Marie Curie, Mozart, Thomas Jefferson, Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Asimov, Michelangelo and Henrik Ibsen among others).
Finally, I think that NTs could learn a lot from these people, such as honesty, being straight forward and the abilities to focus, not waste time on trvialities and manage to be alone, to mention some.

I would go to the ends of the earth and beyond to not care.

I might go as far as becoming a Pro-Lifer.

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As an exercise your free will?

The problem is, that test could be beneficial. Knowing that your child has autism before they were born would allow the parents to prepare themselves both mentally and pysically. Its not the test that is the problem, its the people who would use the infomation that the test provided in the wrong way.

Probably a lot; however, that is subject to change on the basis of the pro-choice movement which effectively can sear someone of any guilt for doing otherwise.

On the other hand, the diagnosis of autism alone shouldn't be enough given the fact there exists a spectrum where some are higher functioning than others. At this point, it may be worth the effort to inform society that autism isn't only Rainman or the kid on that episode of House MD (he basically rocked and screamed and that was it).

A very good point. Information from sources other than "Autism speaks" and their like is so important!

As long as it ain't post-natal testing with abortion of such due to a positive result, I won't touch my knife.

Humans as a whole, whether autism or no, I don't care about what they do and who they wish to kill, as long as it ain't me and those I care for.

If an unborn child could be screened and found to have the most debilitating kind of autism, ie. extremely low functioning, who among you would say the prevention of undue suffering would mitigate a termination?

No one would want a child to have to suffer horribly every day of its life, but on the other hand we would insist upon the irreducible value of human life.

A real dilemma.

I can't decide if I am for or agaisnt the test.

For: People can test for autism so that they are prepared to help the child once it is born. This would be really good because early intervention can be so helpful to people with autism.

Against: People would still have the right to abort the baby after they test for autism. This is going towards "designer babies" which I am very much against. If everyone was all NT then the world would be so chaotic, the same if everyone was autistic. You need a mixture of different kinds of people to make the world work. Einsteins brain was supposedly flawed and this flaw contributed to his genius. By eliminating autism or anything else considered a problem or weak is eliminating a different view of the world. If everyone had a "designer baby" NT mind then people would only think in one way and this would cause a lot of problems to be unsolved.