Susan Elizabeth Spann: I’m a moderate-severe autistic. I just skimmed your “apology.” And I am more ticked because you hinted that those with comorbid conditions might want a cure for “autism”?
Um, no. Would I like a cure for my comorbids? Absolutely. But never for my autism. My autism makes me who I am. Like your son, I learned to talk. I am NOT ever going to be self-reliant though. I am NOT ever going to be fully independent.
I cannot even verbally communicate most days let alone functionally without being prompted. If I was hurt right now, I would not be able to communicate that. Heck, looking back on the events surrounding today, Sept 11, and reflecting back on my day ended in a car accident that nearly killed me, I recall that I was trying to communicate with first responders and apparently I only thought I was saying the words, but all that was coming out was mumble jumble that was incoherent compared to what was in my brain.
When my mom finally arrived, she said I was in such a bad shock that I was literally not even speaking words anymore.
If only I had know then what I know now – that I am autistic and was all along. But my autism does not need a cure at all.
My immune deficiency from being a rubella baby? Yes. My asthma? Yes.
My thyroid dysfunction? Yes. My autoimmune? Yes. My mast cells? Yes. That’s it.
You don’t want to debate on “cure” on this? Then please retract that comment.
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#NotAnAutisticAlly
Note/Warning:
Autistic people have fought the inclusion of ABA in therapy for us since before Autism Speaks, and other non-Autistic-led autism organizations, started lobbying legislation to get it covered by insurances and Medicaid.
ABA is a myth originally sold to parents that it would keep their Autistic child out of an institution. Today, parents are told that with early intervention therapy their child will either be less Autistic or no longer Autistic by elementary school, and can be mainstreamed in typical education classes. ABA is very expensive to pay out of pocket. Essentially, Autism Speaks has justified the big price tag up front will offset the overall burden on resources for an Autistic’s lifetime. The recommendation for this therapy is 40 hours a week for children and toddlers.
The original study that showed the success rate of ABA to be at 50% has never been replicated. In fact, the study of ABA by United States Department of Defense was denounced as a failure. Not just once, but multiple times. Simply stated: ABA doesn’t work. In study after repeated study: ABA (conversion therapy) doesn’t work.
What more recent studies do show: Autistics who experienced ABA therapy are at high risk to develop PTSD and other lifelong trauma-related conditions. Historically, the autism organizations promoting ABA as a cure or solution have silenced Autistic advocates’ opposition. ABA is also known as gay conversion therapy.
The ‘cure’ for Autistics not born yet is the prevention of birth.
The ‘cure’ is a choice to terminate a pregnancy based on ‘autism risk.’ The cure is abortion. This is the same ‘cure’ society has for Down Syndrome.
This is eugenics 2021. Instead of killing Autistics and disabled children in gas chambers or ‘mercy killings’ like in Aktion T4, it’ll happen at the doctor’s office, quietly, one Autistic baby at a time. Different approaches yes, but still eugenics and the extinction of an entire minority group of people.
Fact: You can’t cure Autistics from being Autistic.
Fact: You can’t recover an Autistic from being Autistic.
Fact: You can groom an Autistic to mask and hide their traits. Somewhat. … however, this comes at the expense of the Autistic child, promotes Autistic Burnout (this should not be confused with typical burnout, Autistic Burnout can kill Autistics), and places the Autistic child at high risk for PTSD and other lifelong trauma-related conditions.
[Note: Autism is NOT a disease, but a neurodevelopmental difference and disability.]
Fact: Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism.
International Badass Activists 