Want A Cure For Autism? Try Understanding

I don’t want my kid to be autistic any more – I want to cure him. There isn’t a parent out there with such a child that hasn’t – at least for a fleeting moment – had such a thought. Those adults with autism, even those who may be non-verbal, often bristle at the notion of “curing” or “fixing” autism; after all, autism is a neurological state of being and in removing autism from their beings, they would cease to be the person who they are – different, but no less valuable or important that anyone else.

What about those people suffering from sinistralism? Throughout history, across the world, those with sinistralism were thought improper in society, wrong , even evil – thus, the term being taken from the Latin word “sinestra” today used as the root for “sinister.” In many cultures those with sinistralism were forced to adopt mainstream practices, or hide their so-called affliction, when all this condition really stems from is a neurological predilection. Oh, and by the way, Sinistralism just means that you’re left-handed.

And like those left-handed members of the population, who is to say that those with autism should be forced to adapt to the mainstream conceits of society when tools and means can be developed for such individuals to facilitate operating in the world. Rather than “fighting” autism as a disease – we ought just consider that this is merely a shade of neurological diversity.

To continue the parallel, it is our society that defines and dictates the qualitative worth of the minority. Just as the peoples of the Andes consider that left-handers possess special spiritual abilities, including magic and healing, so too might our society better value those individuals with autism for non-typical or non-linear thinking, intense focus on problem solving, inspiration, for example, regardless of outward behaviors that seem odd to the majority.

There is an interesting video produced by Amanda Baggs that illustrates this point. The first half of the video is Amanda interacting with her world – it involves stimming, repetitive behaviors and tactile interaction, humming and hand flapping. The second half is Amanda “speaking” through a computer assisted tool, where we hear a deeply intelligent, philosophical discussion of how most people assume the worst, are prejudiced against those with autism while making no attempt at understanding or interacting on terms of the one with autism.

One of the last frontiers of prejudice is our society’s inability to embrace differences that we perceive as “disabilities”. While many with autism can certainly benefit from the tools and skills available today to facilitate communication and interaction – we must also acknowledge and respect the rich neurological diversity that makes up our society.

Brian Field is the National Autism Examiner