Taylor Morris

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Just found this girls website. She claims she was diagnosed as having autism at the age of 2 but she is now no longer diagnosed as autistic. But she still calls herself an "aspie". Autism can be cured or go away on its own? I was not aware of this.

Autism is lifelong, but the most overt symptoms can be managed through therapy and medication, eventually to the point where it is so mild that a diagnosis might no longer be apt, you've still got the gene - and therefor you're still autistic, but it's not longer such a "disability"

I don't think I've ever heard of someone who completely managed all of their symptoms, I find that hard to believe.

But if the symptoms can be managed to the point of no longer being diagnosed isn't that technically a type of cure? Especially if it is achieved through therapy alone. Isn't that just learning to adapt?

Just for the record I don't believe this girl. If you watch her videos they mostly deal with her bragging about how much smarter she is than everyone else. I suspect there is something else going on here.

I see it more like having cancer* which is "in remission." You are not considered to be "cured," even though you no longer have a treatable disease.

Similarly, ASDs are understood to be a difference in how the brain works. With really good therapy, and a lot of hard work, some people may be able to reduce** the negative impacts that difference makes in their day-to-day life to the point that they no longer cause the clinically significant impairments required for a diagnosis. At that point, they would be considered to be neurologically AS, but their symptoms would be sub clinical. The difference in how their brain works is still there, so they aren't "cured."

Also, there is a phenomenon referred to as "mid life autistic burnout." Someone who has overcome the impairing symptoms of their ASD may be doing so only with great effort. They may, at some point and for various reasons, no longer be able to keep up that level of effort, at which time their symptoms would return -many times they are worse when they do. Again using the cancer analogy, I have a friend who has been cancer free for nearly 3 decades - but if it comes back, he wouldn't be considered to have "gotten" it again. It would simply no longer be in remission.



* I realize that a "cancer" analogy only goes a short distance. I am using it only to point out another situation in which something can "go away" but not be considered "cured."

**edited to change "some people can reduce" to "some people may be able to reduce"

Last edited by another_1 on 04 Apr 2011, 10:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Everyone learns to adapt, each in different ways and to varying degrees, but that's not the same thing as a cure. Kind of in the way that a prosthetic leg is not a leg. it would not matter how fast or naturally you learned to run, it would still stay prosthetic.

I suspect the reason she would identify with the term aspie, is because she cannot fully pass for normal or hide every symptom. To no longer qualify for a diagnosis it just has to no longer significantly impair your life.

She had some amazing intervention since she was very young. She isn't 'cured' she has learned to adapt so she doesn't seem autistic to the general public at a cursory glance. She goes on to describe her sensory issues and other challenges in that video. Just because she can 'act normal' doesn't mean the basic wiring of her brain is 'cured'. She is very much acting - actively controlling her reactions, actively monitoering what she says and how she says it... this is the goal of intervention. To help autistics get along in society. To assume she has no challenges just because she acts normal does her a great disservice.

What do you believe about this then? You must have an alternate theory if you reject it.

And where do you see bragging?

2 years old is still a bit too young, IMO, to really identify the major symptoms of autism. So all of this can still be considered questionable. Having never had childhood intervention I have no clue as to its effectiveness.

Well- I think mainly she's trying to show a success story. I don't know how her diagnosis can be changed from autism to HFA to Aspergers, because what characterises Aspergers is lack of language delay. I do get slightly annoyed when people see Aspergers as HFA's subordinate in terms of severity. I don't think she's lying, but that stuff about "I no longer carry a diagnosis" may have been exaggerated. I think she's trying to educate and stuff and give parents some hope, not to brag. Haven't seen her boasting videos.

I can't stand how some people think we're all just supposed to stay exactly the same as when we were children so basically as a child I used to do the following:

1. flap my hands while bouncing
2. VERY picky with foods, throwing massive fits over it
3. Crying when someone held me and pushing away
4. Meltdowns and throwing things if someone interrupted me during creative tasks
5. Didn't speak until after 4
6. Had only one favorite spinning toy
7. stims
8. sensitivity to sounds and lights
9. Collect

I AM HAPPY TO HAVE MADE PROGRESS! I don't care about those who like to label people like me liars or no longer autistic because I've found ways to overcome and cope.
Even as an adult, I face challenges but I DO NOT throw stuff when interrupted anymore, have blackouts which could involve hurting others when someone triggered a negative sensory issue, I can now shop in stores and it doesn't take a REALLY long time....I can now drive but not on freeways, I can now speak and people usually can't tell even though I stim when talking which shows not very many people still understand it even when it's there in front of their face.

I still struggle but I am NOT a child anymore and much better than I was. I've grown tired of people who constantly keep people like me in a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. I was trying to make friends for a year or so but that hasn't worked out so well. Now I've pretty much have decided I'm better off not having them.

Also, who cares if someone brags about their accomplishments? Why is it that it's okay to brag about how much money, fame and how beautiful you are but you're not allowed to brag about how much you've accomplished with breaking boundaries and these confinements others put you in...in the form of a label?

I can't stand how some parents hear from those that diagnose your children with autism what their child will turn out like, how they won't be able to do this and that even setting their career as only computer programmer or nothing at all and instantly think "Doctor is always right." Those parents end up pushing their child into a box, keeping their child there and if the child tries to get out of the box, the parent ignores the child's attempt and pushes that child right back in because the doctor said that wasn't going to happen.

She seems autistic to me.

I do hope she lives an amazing life, though, and doesn't burn out.

She seemed quite happy and well adjusted. So either managed to learn skills to cope with life, or doesn't have a problem.

I wonder if NTs would notice anything odd about her adapted behavior. When I watch her videos, when she is speaking to the camera, I definitely get the sense that she is not "normal".

Her parents have made an experiment out of her, and she being the good aspie that she is, now in full NT emulation mode, has parroted what they want to hear

Shes still an aspie