01-29-2008, 10:27 AM
One more thought: elsewhere, someone posted the following:
"The only cure for autism I see is early dectection during pregnancy then abortion. Increased funding for autism research would only lead to better early dectection and more abortions."
I feel compelled to respond to that, just in case anybody else is put off by that quote from helping to raise funds for research and services for the autistic.
One possible cure that is being investigated is genetic testing. If a specific gene, or combination of genes, can be found with a direct link to autism, it might become possible for young married couples to be tested to see if they have these genes, or combination of genes. In that way, prospective parents, BEFORE they become pregnant, can make choices, or at least be aware of possible outcomes. Nothing like this is now possible for autism, but it is routine for other known genetic disabilities, such as Tay-Sachs syndrome (see the paragraph on "Testing" in the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tay-Sachs_disease ), hemophilia, and others. This might prevent the abortions that were referred to, because it's possible prospective parents might choose not to become pregnant in the first place, or pursue in-vitro fertilization with donor sperm or ova, or make other informed choices. The current situation is that nobody knows what causes autism, or who might be susceptible to a higher probablity of parenting an autistic child, but there are hints that there are genetic links: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jq0In...AD8U2KASO1
Some of the research might also be to benefit the children that are born autistic, in terms of developing new neurological, medicinal, behavioral, speech, and other therapies. When my son Trevor was diagnosed about 15 years ago, the first neurologist we saw told us to "take him home and love him". He did not recommend follow-up with behavioral psychiatrists, nor did he even suggest that we get in contact with the local Regional Center, which is the clearinghouse for therapies and services. We eventually found these things, but it was not due to our first "old school" neurologist.
In the not-too-distant past, perhaps 50 years ago, there were basically no services at all for the autistic. People hid their autistic children at home. Most schools did not have any special education programs whatsoever - autistic children were not formally educated at all. Doctors were even more in the dark than our first neurologist.
We as a society have made quite a bit of progress, but it is only due to concerned parents like mei, and most of the parents of autistic children I know, who push the envelope, insisting on doing better for our kids. The other driving factor for the improvements that we've made as a society is money. People who want to become special ed. teachers, behavioral therapists, speech therapists, etc. all have to pay for college and medical school, and generally speaking, it just takes dollars to fund research into improving the way the autistic are treated. It also takes dollars to provide the services that we have right now, which is exactly the plight of Claudia in the Five for Fighting video. She's being denied desperately needed services due to simple economics.
I really do believe that it's important to raise awareness, and dollars, to help the autistic. To use terms like "eugenics" is this context is inflammatory, and really only adds confusion. If ever there was a "red herring", this is it. There were people who actually practised eugenics in the 1930's and 1940's in Nazi Germany, and I honestly can't believe that's what the organization Autism Speaks has in mind.
(Whew) Okay, rant over. I'll just step down from my soapbox now. ;-)
Thank you, beachboy, for posting the links to "A Beautiful Son" and your friend's website. I looked at both of them. I'll look forward to the April release of the movie, if not to hear the story, then to get a chance to look at the Hawai'ian scenery. Just kidding. And another special mahalo to mei. Parents of special needs kids are special, too. ;-)
Aloha! ;-)
"The only cure for autism I see is early dectection during pregnancy then abortion. Increased funding for autism research would only lead to better early dectection and more abortions."
I feel compelled to respond to that, just in case anybody else is put off by that quote from helping to raise funds for research and services for the autistic.
One possible cure that is being investigated is genetic testing. If a specific gene, or combination of genes, can be found with a direct link to autism, it might become possible for young married couples to be tested to see if they have these genes, or combination of genes. In that way, prospective parents, BEFORE they become pregnant, can make choices, or at least be aware of possible outcomes. Nothing like this is now possible for autism, but it is routine for other known genetic disabilities, such as Tay-Sachs syndrome (see the paragraph on "Testing" in the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tay-Sachs_disease ), hemophilia, and others. This might prevent the abortions that were referred to, because it's possible prospective parents might choose not to become pregnant in the first place, or pursue in-vitro fertilization with donor sperm or ova, or make other informed choices. The current situation is that nobody knows what causes autism, or who might be susceptible to a higher probablity of parenting an autistic child, but there are hints that there are genetic links: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jq0In...AD8U2KASO1
Some of the research might also be to benefit the children that are born autistic, in terms of developing new neurological, medicinal, behavioral, speech, and other therapies. When my son Trevor was diagnosed about 15 years ago, the first neurologist we saw told us to "take him home and love him". He did not recommend follow-up with behavioral psychiatrists, nor did he even suggest that we get in contact with the local Regional Center, which is the clearinghouse for therapies and services. We eventually found these things, but it was not due to our first "old school" neurologist.
In the not-too-distant past, perhaps 50 years ago, there were basically no services at all for the autistic. People hid their autistic children at home. Most schools did not have any special education programs whatsoever - autistic children were not formally educated at all. Doctors were even more in the dark than our first neurologist.
We as a society have made quite a bit of progress, but it is only due to concerned parents like mei, and most of the parents of autistic children I know, who push the envelope, insisting on doing better for our kids. The other driving factor for the improvements that we've made as a society is money. People who want to become special ed. teachers, behavioral therapists, speech therapists, etc. all have to pay for college and medical school, and generally speaking, it just takes dollars to fund research into improving the way the autistic are treated. It also takes dollars to provide the services that we have right now, which is exactly the plight of Claudia in the Five for Fighting video. She's being denied desperately needed services due to simple economics.
I really do believe that it's important to raise awareness, and dollars, to help the autistic. To use terms like "eugenics" is this context is inflammatory, and really only adds confusion. If ever there was a "red herring", this is it. There were people who actually practised eugenics in the 1930's and 1940's in Nazi Germany, and I honestly can't believe that's what the organization Autism Speaks has in mind.
(Whew) Okay, rant over. I'll just step down from my soapbox now. ;-)
Thank you, beachboy, for posting the links to "A Beautiful Son" and your friend's website. I looked at both of them. I'll look forward to the April release of the movie, if not to hear the story, then to get a chance to look at the Hawai'ian scenery. Just kidding. And another special mahalo to mei. Parents of special needs kids are special, too. ;-)
Aloha! ;-)
Aloha! ;-)