Why are people here so against a cure for those who need it?

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So many people on the spectrum suffer terribly, they have no ability to communicate. Many of them lack any meaningful cognitive function, they just sit around making noises, rocking, playing with their hands, just existing, not actually living. How can you oppose a cure that would help these people.

Even many of us so called higher functioning people want a cure, we see damage that autism has caused us and want to be rid of it. How can you work to deny us a cure.

Yes geniuses need a cure.

Most people on the spectrum are not geniuses .

Edit: Realize the feces part was wrong, my apologies.

Last edited by DVCal on 07 Apr 2013, 3:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

The way I understand it, it's not about denying other people on the spectrum (of whatever functioning levels) a remedy for the negative aspects of their condition, but rather it's about opposition to the implication that autism is a 'disease'. The word 'cure' in that context is, in my opinion, misplaced and inappropriate.

I'm in favour of accomodations, therapy, and to limited and controlled extent even medication, to help anyone on the autistic spectrum cope and function. Heck, I myself have benefited from accomodations at home and in school during childhood, and would likely not have grown into the man I am now without them. But I don't think it's realistic to speak of a cure that could remove all symptoms of an ASD, or even most. I think the notion of a 'cure for autism' oversimplifies what autism is.

I think those against a cure are mostly high-functioning ones that actually have some positive traits and are able to live independently. They must be talking exclusively about themselves, but not about the ones that are more severely affected by autism. Those that are severely affected probably don't post much on WP.

Well, that's what I believe.

I live independently and believe that I am intelligent, but if I have the choice of being cured of my social disability, I'd definitely take it.

Neurotypicals love to pollute the Earth so don't blame everything on the autistics.

Isn't intelligence on the autistic spectrum distributed using the same bell curve as for NTs?

I have met people from all over the spectrum, and none played with their faeces.

I think some people are opposed to a cure because they are afraid they would be forced, either physically or by other means such as the withdrawal of support, to take the cure.

No it isn't, most on the spectrum have very little cognitive function, and have very low IQ. I am talking 20 to 30 IQ points total. Sad really.

Devcal, the notion that most people with autism play with feces is wrong and offensive. The notion that most with autism have iq in the 20-30 range is wrong too.

The majority of people with autism are able to live independent lives as adults. Our degree of disability varies quite a lot. Our average iq is close to the normal. Somewhat less but not 30 by any means.

Many people feel that you cannot parcel out who they are from autism. To "cure" their autism would make who they are cease to exist.

I am not convinced that many people with autism can be "cured" because I do not think they are diseased or ill. I do think that some underlying causes of some forms of what we lump together and call autism can be remedied to some extent. But not all.

My biggest concern/fear that is at least somewhat related to this is identifying genetic markers that could be tested for in utero. The thought that some mother somewhere would abort a child like one of mine fills my heart with despair. My kids are awesome kids and awesome human beings. It would have been a grave error to not allow them life because they are wired differently.

Sorry - but I think you are doing a black and white thinking number in this thread. No matter what anyone says you are going to come back pushing only your view.

I am on the spectrum and I have a very low IQ (that equal to an ape!) - I have never, will never play with my own feces. I am considered high functioning even with said low IQ. Yes, people on the other end of the spectrum have been known to do this. There are reasons for it - but I won't go into that. If they do not have the ability to function at a level that they know they have issues.. who is that cure for? Them or the people who give them the life time of care and support and clean up? Maybe in their world they are not smearing feces but creating art with an organic substance they created? How are you to know what they are doing? They can't tell you.

So again - who is the cure for? In my eyes - not for me but for those around me. I say no thanks. I accept me just as I am - warts and all.

Last edited by Valkyrie2012 on 07 Apr 2013, 2:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

This study disagrees with both of us: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21272389

Only 16% of children with autism have an IQ of less than 50. And that's those diagnosed- i.e. the most obviously affected.

55% with an IQ of less than 70 is still bad, also the 16% with less than 50% is terrible still. This people lack any important cognitive thought. They just exist.

I am sorry, I am wrong about feces part. It is just I know someone who has done this.

I was under the impression this was common in low functioning people, I am wrong.

I was once told by an Aspie who usually only makes statements that he can verify, that IQ scores within the autistic population do follow the same range as the NT population, but that there are higher numbers of people on either end. IOW, fewer of "average" intelligence than typicals, and more with lower or higher IQs. So a squished "bell," if you will.

DVCal's impression was the same as what my impression was when my daughter was first diagnosed. However, since then I have found absolutely no evidence to support that point of view except for some misguided public opinion. And fear-mongers who would like everyone to believe that autism is a universally horrific fate.

Who are you to judge what thoughts are important or not? IQ doesn't determine someone's worth, value, or right to exist.