My letter to autism speaks. I reject a cure.

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Boycott Autism Speaks

@kraftiekortie my thoughts exactly

Unfortunately many times when you "cure" something you take away the good things about the person as well, and also by taking away the negative experiences of autism you inadvertently change that persons life experiences and therefore change who they are.why does autism mean one has to be changed by an unfriendly and unfair society? In utero testing? Seems way to similar to genocide to me. I feel for those with Down syndrome as through abortion they are coming very close to being systematically eriadicated (genocide).

Exactly.

I agree that there are a lot of things wrong with Autism Speaks.

I also agree that autistics deserve a chance to live, and would choose my autistic life over death.

But, I would be happy to hear if someone found a legitimate treatment or cure that could fix my sensory processing issues, executive functioning issues, communication issues, or socialization issues.

Let's assume the OP doesn't need a cure, higher functioning may do without a cure then, but what about low functioning autistic people? You want to tell them we shouldn't find a way to cure their problems? Many of them want to be able to do things you all can do! Think about them.

Edit: My letter to you: Please do not in any possible way hinder medical research into treating, preventing, or curing autism. If you do that then millions of autistic people in non-western third world countries. where the ratio of proud vs wishing to be cured is more like 10/90, will be very very cross.

Regards, Johnnyh.

I was diagnosed with severe autism at the age of 2.
I am completely dependent on my family to look after me.
I am unable to go anywhere by myself.
I am primarily nonverbal and extremely withdrawn from others.
I can't stand to be touched.
I have severe meltdowns and shutdowns on a regular basis.
I do a lot of involuntary stimming including making noises that gets me stared at like I'm a freak.
I will most likely have to live with my family the rest of my life or be put into an assisted care facility.
I could make this list a lot longer, but I'm starting to depress myself.

I personally would love to be cured of all of the above.

Note: I and my parents are not fans of Autism Speaks.

Autism speaks has made idiot mistakes in the past, but they are responsible for tons of funding for research. If people can find a way to use them as a means to an end, then they are fine with me.

For anyone who thinks autism is a gift, Sue Rubin and Benjamin Alexander, both low functioning non-verbal people with autism who can communicate with a keyboard, Sue Rubin with an IQ of 133, Benjamin graduated with honors from High School and College, would beg to differ. Both have stated their wish for a cure. I would love to see them debate Temple Grandin, no doubt they would win the argument yet Temple would win the popular polls.
To criticize them for their wish for a cure is just plain heartless, how on earth can some people live with themselves when they are fine telling these people they are wrong in wanting to be normal? How dare they!

If somebody wants to be cured, it's their privilege. Why would I stop somebody from wanting to be cured?

I feel research should focus upon the amelioration/mitigation of negative symptoms.

I would say my feelings about Autism Speaks is neutral these days. It does seem like they are presenting things better. But then again I don't follow it much. Or Temple Grandin. Or all the other names I hear being said all the time. I have other problems like learning disabilities dyspraxia, so autism isn't the only thing holding me back.

I think for those who are super high functioning and have a lot of perks in life like a spouse, kids, career, own a home, have a car etc etc. May sometimes forget to remember that there are some of us less fortunate who really do need a cure. Not that I'm expecting one any time soon. I mostly just view the subject as purely hypothetical.

I think sometimes not wanting a cure gets said as not wanting there to be a cure period. "There doesn't need to be a cure, there just needs to be acceptance of high functioning aspie quirks. Lack of acceptance is the only real problem with autism. How dare they suggest we need a cure when they're the ones with a problem".

Then there's, "I don't want a cure for myself, but I can understand others needing one".

Exactly.

I've known quite a few autistic people who would be much, much happier being cured.

If there was a line for being cured, they'd be first on line. And nobody should stop them.

I wish this wasn't so---but I think of autism as something like the Common Cold. Something which can't be cured, but something which could be treated.

No LOL...I'm not implying that autism could be compared, in any way, to the Common Cold, except when it comes to the fact that there's no cure for it.

There probably will be a cure in the 2050-2060s I estimate. They are already finding ways to crack gene expression and modify adult brain tissue. But for now there is only waiting. The one's though who need the cure more are the severely autistic, I shouldn't be in the front of the line.

Well by the time I am 50 or 60 I might not care anymore about a cure for myself. Or at least wouldn't want to be first in line. Plus far more people worse off than me.

Another issue: the fact that autism has multiple causes.

What may cure one "cause" may not cure another.

Sort of like the flu shot--which only immunizes you against one strain of flu.

All of these causes have common areas they affect. Personalized medicine and algorithyms for discovering the unique traits in an individual are in development right now. Plus scientists have discovered a way to grow and replaces parts of a living mouse's brain. If it were only one cause we would have the cure now or better treatments. I'll be elderly by the time they find it, I hope they also find a way to extend human's lifespans by several more centuries, I want a flying car!