Why protest autism speaks?

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They don't bar autistic people from their scientific boards either.

It's mostly focused on children, but that's understandable. The best outcomes probably occur with children for any autism treatment. Not saying a successful treatment wouldn't help older people, but the chances of a full recovery are unlikely.

Also, autistic adults are less likely to have the financial resources to support and pay for such treatments. Furthermore, it appears that very very few high functioning autistic adults even have the desire to be involved in what Autism Speaks does, so it's not surprising at all they aren't represented there. They are welcome by Autism Speaks, but they don't want to be there. Most of them would rather sit in their mother's basements and whine about how unfair all the NT's are instead of being part of organization actively looking for solutions.

Why would we want to be at a place where are feel to be defective? It is common sense that people don't want to be there where they don't feel welcome. That is not an autistic or NT response it is a human response. It is like for this example if a person in Old South who is African American goes to lunch counter where you are treated like less than a human and get shunned by the patrons. It is not right for the person who is African American to be treated like 2/3 of human being. So if you are Muslim American do you deserve extra scrutiny from the government because your are not Christian. Autism Speaks may think they are not being discriminating to people with Autism but they are. If one group can not protest how they are being treated or discuss it to another group on equal bases it is discrimination pure and simple.

This society prides itself on discrimination when new laws come out and look for loopholes to exploit. They did it with African Americans, Native Americans, Women, LGBT community, Jewish Community and even Muslim Community when comes socio-economic growth. People with Autism are just another resource to exploited and be third class citizen.

I have never felt unwelcome at Autism Speaks. Granted, I've only volunteered with a local chapter, so maybe other aspects of the organization are different, but still, I don't think it's as bad as some of you say. They ARE focused almost exclusively on kids. That's the only thing I have against them. I wish they would focus their research more on everybody, but oh well, any treatments a kid can take I can probably take too.

I am not saying all the research is without merit. Some of it is. I know of one example is on video games. I agree that the research on video games is needed for all children not just those on ASD or NT to under full effect of games. Let me be clear on that.

The problem I had on this research it was needed but the way it was conducted was not.

1. The simple aspect of video game is not fully understood on any group of children so there is no base line of normal behavior.

2. The group of children were to small you have less than hundred of children in each group. From what I understand children the mental process changes as they grow older.

3. All the children have ASD and were boys gender biased. Games are being played by both genders and both groups of children.

4. Oppositional Behavior showed up in the group. I am fully sure what that means you had children boys ranging 6-18 years age. It is kind of normal for teenagers to have oppositional behavior. The researcher needs to show how it was not even normal for child display this behavior in this aspect.

5. What kind of video games the group is playing. This is also never specified either because teenager will play video games that were often different from 8 year old. Also not all video games are age correct for children case in point is Grand Theft Auto. This important because there been links to violent behavior in groups of people not just autistics that this study did not highlight on.

Some of these studies like this one that Austism Speaks are not well based and well funded. I agree that adverse effects of some games are not well understood but some of researchers are taking advantage of the Organization where they should been able to answer the critiques of the study. If was me I would study the neurotypicals and have 300 in each age group to create baseline of behavior as well those who do play versus who do not. Then once it is established move on to autistics compare notes with same amount in each age group. Include genders as to what game are being played.

Autism Speaks need to have more discreation in its research.

I covered this recently on my blog...

THESE are the reason autism speaks should not speak for ME

Here

Einstein and Newton 'had autism'

Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton may have suffered from a type of autism, according to experts.
Albert Einstein
Einstein was a notoriously confusing lecturer
Researchers at Cambridge and Oxford universities believe both scientists displayed signs of Asperger's Syndrome.
Many people with Asperger's are often regarded as being eccentric. They sometimes lack social skills, are obsessed with complex topics and can have problems communicating.
This latest research suggests that Einstein, who is credited with developing the theory of relativity, and Newton, who discovered the laws of gravity, had these traits to varying degrees.
According to the researchers, Einstein showed signs of Asperger's from a young age.
As a child, he was a loner and often repeated sentences obsessively until he was seven years old. He was also a notoriously confusing lecturer.
Later in life, the German-born scientist made intimate friends, had numerous affairs and spoke out on political issues.
'Passionate'
However, the researchers insist that he continued to show signs of having Asperger's.
"Passion, falling in love and standing up for justice are all perfectly compatible with Asperger's Syndrome," Professor Simon Baron-Cohen of Cambridge, one of those involved in the study, told New Scientist magazine.
"What most people with Asperger's Syndrome find difficult is casual chatting - they can't do small talk."
The researchers believe that Newton displayed classic signs of the condition.
He hardly spoke, was so engrossed in his work that he often forgot to eat and was lukewarm or bad-tempered with the few friends he had.
If no one turned up to his lectures he gave them anyway talking to an empty room. At the age of 50, he had a nervous breakdown brought on by depression and paranoia.
However, others believe these traits can be attributed to both men's high intelligence.
'Socially inept'
"One can imagine geniuses who are socially inept and yet not remotely autistic," said Dr Glen Elliott, a psychiatrist at the University of California at San Francisco.
"Impatience with the intellectual slowness of others, narcissism and passion for one's mission in life might combine to make such individuals isolative and difficult."
He told the magazine that Einstein was regarded as having a good sense of humour - a trait not seen in people with severe Asperger's.
Professor Baron-Cohen said the findings suggested that people with the syndrome can excel if they find their niche in life.
"This condition can make people depressed or suicidal, so if we can find out how to make things easier for them, that's worthwhile."

Other researchers on our side believe Darwin and Leonardo Da Vinci had at least AS. That means the 2 guys who laid the foundation of physics, the guy who laid the foundation for biology, and the guy who laid the foundation of anatomy by cutting up bodies and drawing them all had the same thing. Simon Baron-Cohen found 27 genes that were common in people with AS and if he genetically tested their bodies it would be proof to leave us alone and only develop a cure for those who really want it.
Enough said!

It is IMPOSSIBLE to go back and diagnose someone once they are dead... an autism diagnosis requires interaction... but... this all has what to do with why we should protest autism speaks?

If someone could prove these people had at least a statistically significant amount of the 27 genes in AS it would provide evidence that a cure all for all of us on the spectrum may actually be more detrimental to all human development because an autism spectrum "disorder" allowed these people to think differently about the world to solve problems neurotypicals could not. It's like at NASA where half the employees are dyslexic because they have better problem solving skills. It also is interesting to note that when AI robots have been tested for intelligence and comprehension the results came back that pointed to autism in a human. So there might be a significant link between ASD genes and intelligence.

1) AI experiments and Autism are not related... correlation of behavior does not indicate causation. They used to believe that ice cream caused polio due to correlation...
2) these 27 genes are not markers for autism... These genes are linked with autism and other mental health conditions. The problem is, there are autistics that do not have this cluster of genes, therefore this study does not provide an accurate way to measure.
3) You are advocating the suffering of an entire class of people for the betterment of mankind...

You have still not answered my question... what does this have to do with protesting autism speaks>

1) I'm not advocating the suffering of others, I am saying they should have a choice. I consider my AS to be both a blessing and a curse. If I could cure the areas I lack in I would but not at the cost of losing the good things that I have gained such as my interest in the sciences.
2) I know that the 27 genes do not cover all of the genes in the AS however these genes are common in Asperger's and it is a good starting point. If the people I mentioned were tested and proven to have a statistically significant amount of these genes what others call genius is called into question.
3) Genetic testing of people All over spectrum must be done to further understand the whole spectrum and a cure For Those Who Want It.
4) I am against trying to cure all young people with the condition because they may grow up and like who they are, like I do, and may not want a cure all because it will fundamentally change them. Also a test for expectant parents is also a bad idea because, yes it may show the child has an ASD, but no one is certain how the child will develop. This means that the next Newton, Einstein, Darwin, Da Vinci and Mozart (childhood prodigies have been shown to have autism in their families) could be aborted. Not Cool.
5) The biggest point people seem to miss is that we as autistics can learn and early intervention and ABA Do Help! So why change people and young children with a cure until they know they want it?

If Autism Speaks has Broad Members who have Autism or ASD on the national level or executive level where we do have a say. I think there will be less protest to it.

And you continue to ignore my one question... HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO AUTISM SPEAKS and why we protest them?
I'm done

Because Autism Speaks Claims to speak FOR US and they don't! Far more questions exist and need to be looked at instead of them claiming to find a cure all for us when they don't even listen to us. Not to mention finding a cure all for all people on the spectrum maybe bad because their maybe a link between ASD's and high intelligence.

I'm sorry but I don't think it's a good idea if there is a link between autism and intelligence to try to force a cure on all of them. Not Cool. This seriously needs to be understood and if a cure is made it should only be given to people who are adults and want it.

In this assertion, I believe that you are wrong... Studies have shown that the spread of IQ does not deviate from the mean for people on the autistic spectrum. The only reason that Asperger's Syndrome individuals fall higher than the average is that if there is any retardation of cognitive capabilities, they fall under the umbrella of Autism. Therefore, the IQ averages of individuals with Asperger's does not include the low end of the IQ pool.

Several brillaint people having Asperger's Syndrome does not indicate that the whole of us posses advanced intelligence. Further... there are a GREAT MANY more brillaint NTs that make contributions to science, tech and the like.

I agree with you on your points, but considering that people who have been believed to have Asperger's, this is where genetic testing would have to be used on their bodies, have laid foundations of sciences that many NTs have used, it would be one reason for Autism Speaks to not find a cure all for the whole spectrum and force it on the public or people on the spectrum while misrepresenting ASDs. In cases with autism in general I think a cure should be found that is only used if the person afflicted is old enough to understand it and wants the cure. If the person afflicted cannot understand, say at a certain teen age, then the guardian/s should decide. Nothing should be forced by anyone.