National Autism Month

April is national Autism month. It is a time to raise awareness about Autism and Asperger's Syndrome. This is a complicated issue. Most families that are unaffected by Autism have very little understanding of it. For example President Trump in a well meaning intention of support has the White House lit in blue, the trendy Autism color.

However his Presidential Proclamation regarding Autism month is remarkably out of touch with reality. 

autisticadvocacy.org/2017/04/asan-condemns-white-house-autism-proclamation/

It says that his Administration, "pledges that his administration will encourage “innovation that will lead to new treatments and cures for autism.”  This indicates that he supports the Pathology or Disorder model of Autism rather than the Diversity model, which asserts the Autism and Asperger's are natural occurring variations of human neuro construction. "Treatments and cures" are for diseases and those who subscribe the Diversity model of Autism feel the same way about treatments and cures as some people might feel about a cure for black skin, homosexuality, left handedness and other human aspects that have histories of discrimination.

Steve Silberman wrote a book Neuro Tribes as a result of his investigative reporting on Silicon Valley's very high incidence of Autism and Asperger's.  His investigative work combined with his significant research, historical and medical, brought him to the conclusion that this supposed disease of Autism is  an expression of human diversity, and one that basically created the Internet and many other powerful positive cultural changes.

It is not out of the question to say that what is called Autism or Asperger's is simply a set of variations (medical science has identified over 1,000 genetic mutations associated with Autism and found that hereditary factors account for 77% of Autistic people) and part of human species evolution. It is genetic diversity. The creation of the internet might indicate that these variations in concentration like Silicon Valley are a timely addition to human species advancement.

Whatever you think or believe about Autism, April is the month to discuss and explore it.

One word of warning. Just like we have the US Humane Society, the animal rights organization, that raises huge amounts of money from well meaning animal loving contributors, yet they operate no animal shelters or pet programs, there is an equivalent organization named Autism Speaks that exploits Autism as "its cause" in order to fill their coffers with cash without meaningful programs or research. Autism Speaks promotes the Pathology model of Autism because it is most helpful in raising money. Meanwhile, many families in an attempt of prevent this child for receiving the stigma the a mental health diagnosis of ASD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, avoid all help in educational and other settings for their child. This is why the Diversity model of Autism needs to become the standard, so kids can be accepted as simply atypical and sometimes to a point that Autism becomes a disability with special needs, but not a disease.

I hope everyone will think more about this complex subject.