Ask Autism Speaks...

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I'm not sure if this have been done before but I wanted to give Autism Speaks a chance to well...redeem itself. I just talked to the director of Child and Family Services (NY chapter) and asked about what they were doing for adults on the autism spectrum and she told me point blank, "we are trying to develop more support services for when the children with autism grow into adults with autism; but we don't have enough information....this organization is only four years old....we're doing all we can to help the families of those afflicted...passing out surveys and such to meet the needs of those on the spectrum."

Now, I don't really agree with Autism Speaks politics, and the first talk did nothing to ease my skepticism; but I wish to give them a small chance, so WrongPlanet.net, lend me your ears! Post whatever (constructive) questions and suggestions you have, and I will call the director up and get your answers. I can try to do this once a week or at least once a month.

It's just my two cents, but any group of people who believe that my individual personality should be altered or eliminated with a 'cure' is a not a group I care to associate with. My brain is what it is, thank you very much and I feel very sorry for children whose parents think they are defective and need to be fixed.

I'm just now learning about the whole Autism Speaks issue. I am not really sure what my thoughts are... In a way, I wonder if the word "cure" may have just been a poor word choice or something. Perhaps not.... I don't know all of the details. I guess what I am getting at is that some of the more "dysfunctional" aspects of ASD can be "cured" to an extent without really changing who the person is. Temple Grandon is a good example of what I am trying to describe. She had a lot of intense therapy and a lot of encouragment and support to help her with the most "dysfunctional" aspects of ASD and now she is an a really incredible person and a researcher and author. Is this what they had in mind when they used the word "cure", or did I miss something really huge here? If they are insinuating that someone should develope a pill or a surgery or something like that as a "cure".... I totally agree that is just outrageous. I really believe that folks with ASD are just different and in need of some assistance when it come to coping strategies and public awarness. Does that make sense?

You should ask what programs are being implemented to help bring acceptance to autism spectrum disorders. I'd like to see ad campaigns where they feature some autistic behavior like hand flapping, echolalia and rocking, and make it seem cool.

I'd also like to see them work with companies to make more text-based features like help lines and contact emails, because calling up to make appointments or to ask questions about my cell phone bill is incredibly difficult for me.

Ask them what? Why they're a bunch of Nazis?

Dear Autism Speaks,

Why can you not understand that many autistic people can communicate for themselves?

Also, what is the wingspan of an African Swallow?

Cheers,

-Me

If Autism ever need to speak though anyone the fist choise won't be people who consider Auties "sick".

I just set a new highscore at an official verbal testing exercise, I can speak for anyone who needs help with it, and I don't mix it up with my own opinion.