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More info on autism (and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), ADHD, SZ)
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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 160619" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>A very interesting article. Thank you, Sara.</p><p></p><p>I do wonder, though - should we always be thinking in terms of curing disorders? For example, we have a deaf community here in Sydney who are very militant about deafness not being seen as a disorder. They do not feel handicapped and resent attempts to "cure" them as a trade-ff for something less satisfactory. Cochlear implants are seen as a poor quality imitation of hearing which, if given to a child, can prevednt the child from ever learning other communication methods such as sign language. They feel that deaf people should be allowed to learn sign language and that hearing people should learn it too, and by doing so make more attempt to include deaf people.</p><p></p><p>While I feel that view is extreme, I do feel that they have a point in that we sometimes are too quick to label and want to eradicate all infirmity and disability, without acknowledging that sometimes there is a good side to it. For example, people with colour-blindness are the best equipped for seeing camouflage netting from the air. People with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can do meticulously detailed work (Willard Wigan is a shining example <a href="http://www.willard-wigan.com/" target="_blank">http://www.willard-wigan.com/</a>).</p><p></p><p>Temple Grandin has said that if someone gave her the choice to wake up tomorrow morning and no longer ba autistic, she would refuse. Autism gives her abilities she would lose, and which she values as an important part of herself.</p><p></p><p>When difficult child 3 was younger and attenting mainstream school his scripture teacher (remember, we do have optional religious instruction in Aussie schools) prayed with him that hisw autism would be healed. I was angry about that, because it sent a number of very bad messages to difficult child 3: first, that we see his autism as something we want eliminated (when in fact it is an integral part of who he is); and second, that prayer is like a magic wish bag which will always be granted - but what happens to a little boy's faith when it is not? (As I type this, "Narnia" is on our TV and the allegory is obvious. I feel the line "He's not a tame lion" needs to be kept in mind when people try to use prayer as a magic wish granter).</p><p></p><p>We have raised our boys to value themselves as they are and this includes their autism as part of the package deal. Again referring to Temple Grandin, she said she feels autistic people have in large measure what, in small measure, produces genius. If in fact autism is so connected with high intelligence, and we try to eradicate autism, what will this do to intelligence in the population?</p><p></p><p>I am not against trying to heal; but like a lot of progress, we need to consider all the implications and ramifications before we categorise something as all bad or all good and try to put it in the relevant pigeon-hole. </p><p></p><p>That said, I would always welcome a better understanding of the mechanisms of what we observe in behaviour especially when it becomes a handicap in any way (ie interferes with an individual's ability to carry out the usual tasks of daily living).</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 160619, member: 1991"] A very interesting article. Thank you, Sara. I do wonder, though - should we always be thinking in terms of curing disorders? For example, we have a deaf community here in Sydney who are very militant about deafness not being seen as a disorder. They do not feel handicapped and resent attempts to "cure" them as a trade-ff for something less satisfactory. Cochlear implants are seen as a poor quality imitation of hearing which, if given to a child, can prevednt the child from ever learning other communication methods such as sign language. They feel that deaf people should be allowed to learn sign language and that hearing people should learn it too, and by doing so make more attempt to include deaf people. While I feel that view is extreme, I do feel that they have a point in that we sometimes are too quick to label and want to eradicate all infirmity and disability, without acknowledging that sometimes there is a good side to it. For example, people with colour-blindness are the best equipped for seeing camouflage netting from the air. People with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can do meticulously detailed work (Willard Wigan is a shining example [url]http://www.willard-wigan.com/[/url]). Temple Grandin has said that if someone gave her the choice to wake up tomorrow morning and no longer ba autistic, she would refuse. Autism gives her abilities she would lose, and which she values as an important part of herself. When difficult child 3 was younger and attenting mainstream school his scripture teacher (remember, we do have optional religious instruction in Aussie schools) prayed with him that hisw autism would be healed. I was angry about that, because it sent a number of very bad messages to difficult child 3: first, that we see his autism as something we want eliminated (when in fact it is an integral part of who he is); and second, that prayer is like a magic wish bag which will always be granted - but what happens to a little boy's faith when it is not? (As I type this, "Narnia" is on our TV and the allegory is obvious. I feel the line "He's not a tame lion" needs to be kept in mind when people try to use prayer as a magic wish granter). We have raised our boys to value themselves as they are and this includes their autism as part of the package deal. Again referring to Temple Grandin, she said she feels autistic people have in large measure what, in small measure, produces genius. If in fact autism is so connected with high intelligence, and we try to eradicate autism, what will this do to intelligence in the population? I am not against trying to heal; but like a lot of progress, we need to consider all the implications and ramifications before we categorise something as all bad or all good and try to put it in the relevant pigeon-hole. That said, I would always welcome a better understanding of the mechanisms of what we observe in behaviour especially when it becomes a handicap in any way (ie interferes with an individual's ability to carry out the usual tasks of daily living). Marg [/QUOTE]
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