The Autistic Me

For your consideration… a blog entry I found offensive in its delivery, yet correct in some of the points the doctor wished to express. The Neurodiversity Movement http://corticalchauvinism.com/2015/01/05/the-neurodiversity-movement-lack-of-trust/ Neurodiversity is a catastrophic movement for autistic individuals in general. It is reminiscent of the early religious accounts of Jewish people claiming the existence of a Messiah who would take them out of oppression, out of slavery, and restore their rightful life in society. Are they "The Last of the Just"? What gives them the right to carry the weight of the autistic community on their shoulders? By claiming that autism is not a pain or a handicap to some do they change medicine? Do they erase the existence of seizures, mood disorders, impaired attention, learning difficulties, or sensory abnormalities in a majority of autistic individuals? Dr. Manuel Casanova, neurologist and the Kolb Endowed Chair in Psychiatry and Vice ...

I suggest reading this, even if you disagree. Especially if you disagree. Autism neurodiversity: Does facilitated communication work, and who speaks for the severely autistic? - Slate Magazine For those unfamiliar with this blog, I do not consider myself a "neurodiverity" champion. I am not going to claim that "autism" is one thing or that all autistics have similar needs — any more than any group of people can be generalized. I find there are fewer commonalities among autistics than other groups of individuals with physical or neurological challenges. I understand and appreciate the motives of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, the Autism Network International, and other groups organized by and for autistic individuals. I also understand that parents with children dealing with serious physical and cognitive challenges feel limited connection to the "high-functioning" stories of success. My wife and mother both know my physical and neurological li...

Today I had a pleasant e-mail exchange with another autism blogger. It reminded me of a basic truth about autism: express opinions or facts, you are certain to offend someone. You could state that autism begins with the letter "A" and someone will read into this statement something conspiratorial. "Autism" as a topic is as polarized as the current U.S. political environment. Every issue is an "us vs. them" issue. Human existence is nuanced. My ethical system is rather rigid, but I also realize that sometimes we weigh "right" and "wrong" on a metaphorical scale. Our opinions on some matters are reflections of our experiences and cultural norms. I'd like to argue science is science, but even science seems to engender endless debates. Scientists will admit funding and publishing are definitely political and socially complex. Some of the reactions to blog topics are anticipated, while others have surprised me. Allow me to explore so...

Someone asked me if I oppose all behavioral therapy for children with autism. No, I don't. In fact, I support more research so we can better refine whatever treatments and supports do work for people with autism. I just despise, truly despise, some fringe groups and dangerous ideas about the nature of autism. This week, a social work student from New York brought to my attention a teacher who cited Autism and Childhood Psychosis by Frances Tustin. The book, first published in the early 1970s, embraces the "narcissistic" view of autism. The book calls for therapies that, sadly, I've witnessed within the last few years: holding a child against her will, for example. The book also links emotionally detached mothers to autism. So, I will continue to remind people that such out-dated nonsense should be challenged. Thankfully, I believe most people will recognize Tustin's text is more a historical artifact than valid information on autism. I wasn't familiar with th...

I am unsure of my emotions regarding this research project: SpringerLink - Health Care Analysis, Online First™ HEALTH CARE ANALYSIS DOI: 10.1007/s10728-011-0169-9 Autism as a Natural Human Variation: Reflections on the Claims of the Neurodiversity Movement Pier Jaarsma and Stellan Welin Neurodiversity has remained a controversial concept over the last decade. In its broadest sense the concept of neurodiversity regards atypical neurological development as a normal human difference. The neurodiversity claim contains at least two different aspects. The first aspect is that autism, among other neurological conditions, is first and foremost a natural variation. The other aspect is about conferring rights and in particular value to the neurodiversity condition, demanding recognition and acceptance. Autism can be seen as a natural variation on par with for example homosexuality. The broad version of the neurodiversity claim, covering low-functioning as well as high-functioning autism,...

I joined Twitter on the first day of 2011 ( @autisticme ). I also joined a Twibe (seriously?) and registered with WeFollow.com to learn more about what autism-related Twitter feeds might exist. Within a few days, I was already observing a familiar debate. In fact, it the debate I described in the single most-viewed blog entry of The Autistic Me, which dates back to 2008 (see " Logos, Symbols, and Ribbons "). Various "Aspie Advocates" are still protesting the puzzle piece. I'm sure they will be protesting the puzzle piece next year, in five years, and a decade from now. The "neurodiverstiy" (ND) movement doesn't like the puzzle piece. (Everyone's brain is different: neurological diversity is a fact of life.) Honestly, I don't care for the puzzle piece either. I've written and said that I find it personally off-putting. If I am a puzzle, I'm not more or less of a puzzle than most human beings. I'm told, "Oh, no, it is autism ...

I don't view myself as part of the market for most autism books found on bookstore shelves, most of which are for parents. These books tend to cover familiar material, too often including data and information I consider faulty or even misleading. However, when I was asked by a representative of Skyhorse Publishing if I might review a book for parents with a section on education, I consented. 1,001 Tips for the Parents of Autistic Boys: Everything You Need to Know about Diagnosis, Doctors, Schools, Taxes, Vacations, Babysitters, Treatment, Food, and More by Ken Siri ISBN: 978-1-61608-105-8 I cannot endorse this text for a number of reasons, some merely stylistic but some that are, at least for me, far more important. Stylistic Issues The "1,001 Tips" are not actually individual tips. Most of the "tips" are composed of a few sentences from other sources. Too many of these sources are websites, not academic journals or scholarly texts. Some of the sourcing is uncle...

The notion of "neurodiversity" (ND) seems deceptively simple: we should accept that brains are "wired" differently and embrace these differences. Unfortunately, what seems logical and reasonable is far more complex in practice. I know my mind is different. I have a high IQ, which is a positive difference. I have the "characteristics" of high-functioning autism. I have migraines and was treated for seizures. In other words, I'm certainly an example of neurological difference and diversity. So I am not about to advocate for not tolerating / accepting / embracing the differences my own brain represents. Of course, "tolerating" implies putting up with an inconvenience. This is what my wife does on the bad days -- tolerates me. Trust me, there are plenty of days when tolerance alone is a big request. But I cannot, not with any conviction, write that we should not be seeking the causes and treatments for many neurological conditions. I have seen Re...