tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33052404.post647209692292296889..comments2024-02-13T21:31:57.980-04:00Comments on Facing Autism in New Brunswick: Is The Neurodiversity Movement Ashamed of Lower Functioning Autistic Persons?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05838571980003579163noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33052404.post-57992616892888127532007-02-27T21:24:00.000-04:002007-02-27T21:24:00.000-04:00JudiWe all, or certainly most of us, love our chil...Judi<BR/><BR/>We all, or certainly most of us, love our children, autistic or not. If you check the "Conor" posts on my blog site you will see numerous references to the joy he brings me each day. You don't really think that the ND movement is necessary for parents to love their children do you? Why do you think so many parents struggle so hard to treat and cure their autistic children - because they don't love them?<BR/><BR/>The problem arises publicly when parents try to speak about the negative realities faced by their children or family members who care for those children. When parents speak about these truths as they did in the Autism Every Day film shown at the Sundance film festival, or in organizations such as Autism Speaks, Autism Society America or FEAT organizations they are derided as "whiners" and worse. Seeking to find a cure for their OWN children they are derided by the ND movement as whiners and curebies.<BR/><BR/>ND advocates like to discuss the wonders, the joys, of autism but they do not like to discuss the negative, and at times dangerous attributes, that afflict the more seriously disabled autistic persons. They do not want to admit that some autistic persons are intellectually impaired and will not be able to live independent lives. <BR/><BR/>There are many seriously impaired autistic persons in the world. They need treatment and cures.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05838571980003579163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33052404.post-15469383330954762952007-02-27T20:12:00.000-04:002007-02-27T20:12:00.000-04:00Mr. Doherty,I really do not understand your post a...Mr. Doherty,<BR/><BR/>I really do not understand your post at all. I have been reading the posts of the individuals you are speaking of for quite a few months now. I fail to see what you are seeing. Just because some people choose to embrace their children, accept that autism is part of who their child is, it doesn't mean they are advocating doing nothing! I have never once read that in any blog. You are failing to see the larger picture here. <BR/>I can speak only for myself and my own son, but I was able to do much, much, much more for my sweet boy once I recognized what a wonderful individual he is, once I realized and accepted the autism. Why is focusing on the positive things that autistics can do doing them a disservice?<BR/>Not one of the people I have read has advocated to do nothing, and they certainly are not ashamed of low functioning autistics. Can you point me to a blog where they have said that?Judihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14401013859267258733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33052404.post-3346460043861837332007-02-27T20:11:00.000-04:002007-02-27T20:11:00.000-04:00Hi all,I do worry about prenatal screens for ASD. ...Hi all,<BR/><BR/>I do worry about prenatal screens for ASD. In the DS community 90-95% of parents who recieve a prenatal diagnosis of DS choose to terminate preganancy. It has echos of eugneics. This rate of abortion occurs in spite of the positive message that DS advocates present... given the darker message autism advocates have presented (ie cancer, a death of life sentence etc) I worry that even more parents will elect to terminate pregnancy if ASD is detected. <BR/><BR/>Aside from this issue I do think that the challenges that present for many folks who have ASD do need support and services (and that ABA is amongst such services). <BR/><BR/>I am pretty sure that most of the ND folks are not "ashamed" of those that have been described as lower functioning. Michelle Dawson indicated in one of our "discussions" that she was not suggesting that "doing nothing" was the correct path to follow and she went on to point out that "doing nothing" might very well be a form of neglect... <BR/><BR/>Dave.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33052404.post-8358359321458935402007-02-26T21:52:00.000-04:002007-02-26T21:52:00.000-04:00fore samYou and I disagree about cause and treatme...fore sam<BR/><BR/>You and I disagree about cause and treatment but we agree that autism is a disability which requires treatment. Some parents are overwhelmed when their children first receive an autism diagnosis. Some will look to the comfort of the "natural variation" message of the Neurodiversity movement when in fact they should be facing reality as soon as possible so they can start working on behalf of their children.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05838571980003579163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33052404.post-75205428954864729042007-02-26T20:59:00.000-04:002007-02-26T20:59:00.000-04:00Do you think any sane persom actually believes wha...Do you think any sane persom actually believes what Neurodiversity has to say? Do you think any of the Neurodiverse actually believe what they say themselves?<BR/> I can't picture myself telling any parent that they should not take measures to improve a suffering child's condition. Are these people all insane or do they have an ulterior motive?John Besthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03133970669787632440noreply@blogger.com