Autism Speaks to Aspiesforfreedom

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http://www.aspiesforfreedom.com/showthr ... ?tid=23241

I've long felt that I had to qualify any mention of Autism Speaks because I strongly disagree with prenatal testing for autism (or, frankly, for any other disorder that would cause parents to abort a child due to a survivable disability) However, from the looks of this article, Autism Speaks no longer supports this kind of testing.

I find their website to be filled with resources, especially for parents who are just figuring out their child has autism. I'll be glad to be able to recommend them with less reservation.

I think members here could come up with a pretty long list of isssues they have had with the organization, but Autism Speaks is coming to understand some of it's missteps and has made many changes that reflect a growing understanding of it's fiduciary responsibility, as the biggest beast out there, towards the AS community as a whole.

Cool that AFF sat down and talked to them. Big change - they are the warrior AS forum

Once Autism Speaks thoroughly denounces Jenny McCarthy, I will start supporting them again.

Well, OK - there is that.

I was unsure of who Jenny McCarthy is, so I searched for her and found her website.

I've seen enough.

I agree with you; I won't support anyone who is as misguided as she is. I wish I could tell them how wrong they are.

But even Jenny McCarthy has stepped away from autism advocacy since her son never had autism. He was misdiagnosed and properly dx's in early 2010. He has Landau-Kleffner syndrome. Jenny no longer takes an responsiblity for the damage she's caused, the furor she stirred and the potential harm her 'advocacy' has and may still yet cause.

Autism Speaks was never directly associated with Jenny McCarthy that I know of and Jenny has stepped down and shut up.

Autism Speaks seems to be learning. Stay vigilant but applaud the good things they do also. Just like a puppy, if you don't reinforce the good they do they'll never learn.

Draelynn, can you link to that information on Jenny McCarthy? I googled around and found many articles that suggest her son's symptoms are consistent with the syndrome, but none that say he's been diagnosed with it. This is not to say I disagree: sounds like a very reasonable assertion - but publicizing it would go a long way towards discrediting the "vaccine link" she was spokesperson for. I'd like to send it to my local paper.

And I totally agree with your premise about positive reinforcement (and your way of putting it, too!)

I really wish I kept links. I read it over a year ago - I'll google and see if I can find it. I know there was alot of speculation but I read an article that coincided with McCarthy's step down from her soapbox - she was going to continue her fight despite the dx. and then she promptly went away and backed away from her vaccine position in large part.

Kinda sad people are taking their direction from someone who is simply reading all the same information they are and accepting it as unadulterated truth. And that the media feeds that mentality.

Maybe your newpaper would be interested in Autism Speaks new attitude? Probably not - they don't look as good in a bikini.

LOL - I don't think they would, but it's not bikini-related - the science section has been running a very good series the process of debunking "Dr." Andrew Wakefield. I suppose they already have this information, but it can't hurt. If you find the article, shoot it my way, please.