In last week’s post we discussed that some parents are searching for a cure for autism. This week we’ll be looking at IF there should even be a cure.
Should we be looking for a cure for autism?
I think that thinking autism needs to be cured is an outdated philosophy. This idea is perpetuated by the belief that we need to all be the same. There is wonderful beauty in difference, but we must learn to look for that beauty.
What is neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity refers to the idea that differences in how brains work are not deficits but rather just differences. Different diagnoses fall under the neurodivergent umbrella. Some examples are: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Sensory Processing Disorder. Neurodiversity accepts the person’s differences instead of pathologizing them.
If autism doesn’t need a cure, why do therapy at all?
There are some behaviours that are harmful to the person or their environment. If we believe that all children deserve a safe and fulfilling life, then we should do our best to help them achieve this. One of the core features of autism is difficulty with communication. Each child should have a reliable way of communicating their needs. We must do what we can to empower them to communicate in any way they can. This might look like vocal speech for some children or sign language for others. When we accept the child’s neurodiversity we open up our beliefs about how they should ‘be’. By broadening our beliefs, we’re making the world more accessible to them.
One time that it is important to intervene is if the child in engaging in dangerous behaviours. Behaviours such as aggression, self-injury and property destruction can all have very serious outcomes. The best intervention for these behaviours is to do a functional analysis and determine the function of the challenging behaviour. Once the function has been determined, a replacement behaviour can be chosen and taught.
Autism doesn’t need a cure but our goal should be to improve the child’s quality of life. What that looks like will be different for each person.