tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33052404.post9187233566685807208..comments2024-02-13T21:31:57.980-04:00Comments on Facing Autism in New Brunswick: Salon's Elizabeth Svoboda Provides Balanced Picture of Autism and NeurodiversityAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05838571980003579163noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33052404.post-1144454653696361492009-05-28T11:04:49.092-03:002009-05-28T11:04:49.092-03:00Thanks for this, Harold. I appreciate the support!...Thanks for this, Harold. I appreciate the support!Elizabeth Svobodahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17157590192498682379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33052404.post-39313530817147758792009-04-28T22:27:00.000-03:002009-04-28T22:27:00.000-03:00Just going to say, that as someone that has Asperg...Just going to say, that as someone that has Asperger's, and is pro-neurodiversity, I really, really don't like Michelle Dawson and to me, Ari Ne'eman comes off as a self-righteous, angry young man.Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12412726995172440190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33052404.post-34649136363300849122009-04-28T16:01:00.000-03:002009-04-28T16:01:00.000-03:00I was surprised at Michelle Dawson's rebuttal on h...I was surprised at Michelle Dawson's rebuttal on her blog.<br /><br />And... what Stephanie said.<br /><br />Sfarmwifetwohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02680758336779501712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33052404.post-73895788781486642392009-04-28T14:56:00.000-03:002009-04-28T14:56:00.000-03:00Stephanie, it's in the behavior. To fit in the soc...Stephanie, it's in the behavior. To fit in the society means to be able to fit into a certain behavioral framework.<br /><br />There are things that true Asperger's lack and are quite necessary to function properly. Theory of mind is one example, an acceptable level of sensitivity is another one.<br /><br />All these can and must be trained. It's not ABA, it's something beyond that named cognitive-behavioral analysis which, besides the behavioral aspects, takes into consideration the cognitive side of the problem.<br /><br />And, of course, the desensitization techniques which are well known.<br /><br />I've both read and heard stories about ABA's tremendous success, when children became "virtually" indistinguishable for the NT peers.<br /><br />This means that if you want find autistic traits, you have to look more or less with the magnifying glass at those kids.<br /><br />This is what I call the true glory of ABA, and of the hard work of researchers, scientists, professionals, therapists and parents who could make that possible.<br /><br />This does not mean that the autistic brain after ABA becomes identical to a NT brain.<br /><br />It means that through hard work and many trials, the young brain develops additional connections that can make all these NT-like behaviors and cognitive processes possible.<br /><br />ABA is far from perfect a treatment, but it's pretty much the best we've got right now.<br /><br />Being against such techniques that clearly improve the lives of people with autism is, to me, totally bewildering.Marius Filiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11369035654997497568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33052404.post-73259608738454359782009-04-28T11:24:00.000-03:002009-04-28T11:24:00.000-03:00People with HFA/AS who oppose treatment for those ...People with HFA/AS who oppose treatment for those with autism to become "indistinguishable" from people without autism don't understand what they are talking about. People with HFA/AS are ALREADY indistinguishable from their peers: they do not live the same life of someone with severe autism. People with HFA/AS are usually in mainstream classrooms/schools and can go out in public and NO ONE will notice anything is wrong with them. Sure, they may be a bit eccentric but non-autistic people can be eccentric, too.<br /><br />The goal is to have people with severe autism be able to function like someone with HFA/AS, not a "neurotypical," since that is impossible.Stephaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12540927559726674184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33052404.post-64693597713375840852009-04-28T09:58:00.000-03:002009-04-28T09:58:00.000-03:00Unfortunately, I do not share the opinion that the...Unfortunately, I do not share the opinion that the article was well balanced.<br /><br />While I agree that Mrs. Svoboda tried to present both sides, I think she greatly outweighed the ND side.<br /><br />She cited more than one person for the ND side and a single one for the opposite.<br /><br />And she started and ended the article with the ND position, too.<br /><br />My impression is that an uninformed person reading the article remains more with the ND stuff in mind than otherwise.Marius Filiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11369035654997497568noreply@blogger.com