The Problem with Autism Speaks

[DrPhil]

So you are speaking in general and used homosexuality only because there are people (not you) who consider homosexuality a possibly detectable and preventable disease or disorder. You were drawing a comparison and homosexuality is the "disorder" that you found relevant for this discussion based on the debate over whether this is merely about "difference" (instead of disease and disorder) and whether anything should be done to attempt to reduce the likelihood of particular "differences".

I hope I cleared that up for you.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

So you are speaking in general and used homosexuality only because there are people (not you) who consider homosexuality a possibly detectable and preventable disease or disorder. You were drawing a comparison and homosexuality is the "disorder" that you found relevant for this discussion based on the debate over whether this is merely about "difference" (instead of disease and disorder) and whether anything should be done to attempt to reduce the likelihood of particular "differences".

I hope I cleared that up for you.

In that case, I think this post sums up your point regarding homosexuality.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

There is a broad spectrum of autism. I have people in my family with autism, with autism that is sometimes highly functional but sometimes so extreme that they are in their late-20s and function as though they are 14-16. They have low functioning jobs and an inability to live on their own, inability to utilize their high school diplomas, inability to read a book on their own that was written with elementary school students in mind, and inability to have a full and coherent conversation with adults their age.

Therefore, I agree that autism is a "disease" and "disorder". It is far from being just "difference". I have no problem with organizations that view and research autism as a "disease and disorder".

The highly functioning people with autism and aspergers (there are also people in my family with aspergers) are closer to "difference".

This, but even the "closer to difference" isn't necessarily out of the "disorder" range in my mind. I see it as more of a "disorder" that's well-managed and worked around.

I say that based on my experience as the father of a son with Asperger's. His is really fairly mild, but there are still days that we worry about how he'll do when he's older and (we hope) on his own. We've seen a similar dynamic with the sons of others—even when they're doing well and it's a matter of navigating "differences," there can still be significant challenges.