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Monday, March 28, 2011

Curing Autism

I was asked if I would support research for curing Autism. This requires a lot of thought.  Do I want him to be different?  Of course I would love him if he were "normal".  But he isn't.  He is considered weird.  He isn't good at sports, looks funny when he runs, wouldn't be picked first for any team at P.E.  What would this cure do? Make him neurotypical? No, I wouldn't support that.  If it helped with the different sensitivities (such as to textures, light, sounds, movements), I would be first in line.  His brain is different, not wrong.  He needs extra help, not to be "fixed".  He needs extra patience....so do I.  Right now, we have to fight with the hyperfocusing on unusual subjects.  We work through having mastered an activity one week, just to have to work through a mental block the next week.  We have to explain why he can't act in a certain way (or make certain noises), so that he won't be laughed at.  We have to tell him that he can't tell other people what to say in a conversation and that other people don't memorize movies.  Which is fine for him, but they can't play by reinacting Star Wars word for word.  But he makes AMAZING connections! I know that if I put enough data in his "hard-drive", he will make connections that neurotypical people wouldn't. He will become a human internet.  I just have to pray..a lot.  What parent doesn't need to do that? Luckily, he is surrounded by family that loves the way he is, and go out of their way to meet him on his terms.  I have faith that the way his brain works will be HIGHLY saught after one day. He will be the one that everyone wants on their team.  He WILL experience being "picked first."

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