Would You Take (or give) "The Cure?"
A group of researchers invent a cure for mutantism, and offer it in all good faith -- assuming that anyone who is a mutant would rather be ... just like everyone else. Some mutants rush for the cure, wanting nothing more than normalcy. Others see the offer of a "cure" as an assault, and a virtual mutant/human civil war ensues.
My husband noted that the X Men are a good metaphor for folks on the autism spectrum. Some autistic people are mildly affected, and can "pass" for typical. Others are so profoundly impacted that they could never appear typical. What's more, some people on the spectrum (and their caregivers) are anxious for a "cure," while others would avoid such a "cure" like the plague.
What's your take on autism? If a cure were available, would you take it -- or give it to your autistic loved one? Would you pass on it? How would the availability of a cure make you feel?
Comments
To me it would depend on what it would cure. If it is going to cure the worst symptoms of autism, like the sensory disorder and the self-injury issues, I would give it to my son. But other than that, I think my son is wonderful the way he is. It took me a while to realize this, but what matters to me is that now I can see that his autism does not change who he really is: my wonderful and loving little guy.
Yes, I would give it to my son is a second. He really dislikes many of the things associated with his autism/mental retardation — not being able to understand the world around him, not being able to imitate things he would like to imitate, not having the cognitive and fine motor skills to play video games like his brother, the inability to do things kids half his age do with ease, trying to talk, but having a very hard time getting his mouth to form the words clearly and being frustrated with the misunderstanding, and the list goes on and on. To me, it’s like asking if there was a cure for a brain tumor would I take it– yes of course! And my entire family feels the same. I’d give it to him immediately and then work with him while he got to face the world with an adequately functioning brain! This is not just a difference — it is a serious problem — his brain is seriously damaged and it affects a great deal of his world.
Cynthia
Cunhti
I would give a cure to my son in a second. There are so many things that my wife and I would love to share with our son and are unable to, due to his inablility to understand. He is so precious to us and we have committed ourselves to helping him overcome his disablility.
My husband and I would want to investigate any “cure” very carefully, of course, to make sure that it was safe, effective, and didn’t involve anything morally wrong (such as embryonic stem cells) in its production. Given all that, however, YES, we certainly would seek out and give a genuine “cure” to our autistic teenage son.
I would sit down with my son and discuss the pros and cons of taking ‘the cure’ and not taking it. How he might feel about changing himself versus not changing himself. Then we would do research together, to see what possible side-effects there might be, what problems others who’d taken the cure had had, and so on.
For me, I would love to think he could have a life free of all the issues and whatnot we deal with on a daily basis–but my son’s autistic disorder (he has Aspergers Syndrome) is what makes him *him*, and I wouldn’t want to lose that.
I would most certainly provide my daughter with “the cure”. The pain I see in her eyes every time she asks why she is different, or why no one likes her, leaves no doubt in my mind. Does the phrase “In a New York minute” mean anything?
http://www.amazon.com/Speed-Dark-Elizabeth-Moon/dp/0345447557
The issue of a “cure” is examined in “The Speed of Dark,” an interesting if a bit slow-developing book (of fiction) about precisely the choice you pose. (In the book, it is explicitly labeled as “the cure.”) I found “the answer” ambiguous (like much about life that I have learned as the parent of a child on the spectrum) - in the book, the cure provides some benefits, but at the cost of others.
I think it depends on the severity. My son is pdd-nos, very high-functioning, and as I am writing we are having an arguement over whether or not he will let me do the snap on his pants after he FINALLY pulled them up (he’s 4). While many of his issues are annoying beyond belief, he has so many wonderful abilities (hyperlexia, fascinating- please look it up) and an amazing sense of humor. I don’t think I would change that. However, if he was self-injurious or harmed others, or felt a level of frustration that overrided the positive, then I would consider it. I tend to agree with Temple Grandin on this one. If there was no autism, there may not be scientific progress. We need those with “other abilities” to fill in the blanks that the rest of us leave.
At this point, I wouldn’t accept the cure. My son is 5 and has Asperger’s. His father and I see it as a gift more than a curse. I’m sure I would feel differently if were mentally retarded or violent. And if you ask me this question again when he’s a teen, I may say, “Heck, yeah! Give us that cure!” But for now, his differences make him a unique and wonderful individual.
i would give my son the cure he has so many abilities as well he is hyperlexic but a cure would be amazing I would not hesitate
NO - We love our daughter as she is - WONDERFUL - NO falseness - NO hypocrity - NO hidden intentions in her actions - only love for everything and everyone!
It’s us ‘normals’ that should take ‘the cure’!!!
I don’t think they can cure Autism and make a child normal (whatever that means) like his peers. However, i am willin to give it a try, if safe methodology is in place. I will not put my child thru some procedures that may do more harm than good. Right now, he is 16 yrs old and who can tell what kinds of options he will have when he turns to be 30 yrs old? SURE, I am all for research and devt of new medical interventions for all autistics out there. THE problem is we have too many kids w Autistic disorder now than in previous decades.
I read somewhere, that America will have a “SIXTH RACE” of disabled people
before the end of the world. IT was predicted by MADAME BLAVATSKY back in 1927CE. That scared me a lot, though I don’t want to agree w her predictions.
MAY GOD direct us all in right direction to help our kids/adults afflicted w this horrible disorder.
Have a great weekend.
No — as my daughter is one of the mildly affected, I would not. On the otehr hand, I have a son who is MR and if there were a “cure” for this I would seriously think about it. But I would leave the decision up to him. As he is older (nearly 15), it would be his choice. He is not as bad as some, and is able to make decisions about some things. My daughter with the spectrum disorder is too young to even think about that kind of a decision that would change her life. I would compare her functioning problems at a level of someone with ADHD. She does have alot of problems keeping on task and focused. But with the help she receives at home and school, she is improving. Would I change my daughter ito someone else? Of course not. I love her as she is. Frustrated some days, But this is a part of her. Not something I would change. If she wanted to change that about herself later on in life, it would be her choice, not mine.
It’s good to see people are acknowledging that it depends on the severity. And my son with retardation and autism (described above in the second comment), certainly cannot make this kind of decision himself. He cannot conceptualize anything like that because of the extent of his brain damage/disorder.
Sometimes people are afraid of change — I’ve read that some people prefer to continue dysfunctional relationships, for instance, rather than change. But change is good when it leads to a better quality of life. And my son’s deficits are so severe that there is no question that a cure would lead to a better quality of life for him and everyone else in our family.
As for a cure changing who he fundamentally is — I completely disgree. It’s more like he isn’t able to be who he really is because of his severe limitations.
Cynthia
A cure would be an answer to prayer. Our 13 year old daughter constantly asks why she is different, has so many fears, why her brain is confused, anxious, etc. She feels she doesn’t belong in this world that is so difficult for her. Perhaps it would end her self-inflicted injuries that she sees as her punishment to not handling things as she sees others doing.
Were a cure readily available and not given, seems to me a selfish form of abuse. Who would hold the key for a child locked inside and not open the door?
I love my son just as he is. He is 7 and is diagnosed PDD-NOS. I would not want the cure for him. I would be too afraid that it would change his personality. I would not trade his for anything in the world. He is God’s gift to me
Definetely I give my daughters the cure. Because this hurt my feelings. Everyday I pray for them to enjoy the world around them as way of other people doing. I don’t want them to be something different. But they are my world. I love them very much.
My 17 year old son has mild Aspergers and as a result, had a very difficult childhood (bullied in elementary school, shunned in his old H.S.) He’s often been treated by his peers as socially unacceptable. If I could go back in time, I certainly would do many things differently. If a cure were available, I would give it to him in a heartbeat. I wouldn’t wish his rough times on anyone.
I have a very different perspective on this than may of thoe who have posted - it is my husband, not my child, who has Asperger’s. I agree with the many who have said that it depends on the severity of the Autism. For those of you with children on the Asperger’s end of the spectrum, let me assure you that they can live happy and fulfilling lives. My husband, too, was misunderstood, teased, and bullied when he was younger. He even had his arm broken! It took a lot of courage for him to become the social person he is now. HOWEVER, my husband’s Aspergers has allowed him to unlatch the mysteries of things some of us will never be able to understand. He is BEYOND gifted musically and was considered a prodigy of musical composition. The same can be said of his language skills (he could read the encyclopedia at 3!). He was an accomplished MA in linguistics by 21. He is now happily married and we are trying to have children. He helps me to see things in a new way every single day and I would not “cure” him for the world. On the other hand, our interest in this disease has recently resurfaced because of our desire to have children. The disease is almost certainly genetic. However, as we were advised by our genetic counselor, no one can tell us where our children will fall on the spectrum if they do end up being Autistic. Even my husband agrees that he wished that they could tell us with certainty how our children might be born and, certainly, we both would hope for a cure if our child was severely affected. It’s a complicated question and I think that people need to respect that the answer will be different for everyone. In the meanwhile, a cure needs to be found for this who would wish it.
Boy, is this a complicated question. I love my son and I do love his quirks. He is 7 and has high functioning autism. I love the way he can see the world. It is intriguing to me. But on the other hand he has so much innocence. Too much for this world. He hasn’t quite figured out that he is different from everyone else. He has posed the question about certain tasks, but we usually shrug it off and tell him everyone is different and different is okay. He is incredibly smart but his lack of social awareness is what is going to be the big issue as he grows. That and his odd behavior. I fear so much for him because I know how kids are and I know how they act towards my son because he is different. But he is so nieve that he doesn’t recognize and has ended up is some very scary situations because of it. So my answer is mixed. I love my son’s personality and I wouldn’t change that for the world, but if I could spare him all the heartache and grief that he will have once he does recognize he is different, I would do it in a heartbeat. I agree with the answer above that there should be a cure for the world.
I don’t know if I would consider a cure for my children, but I do know that their impact upon my humanity has been fundamental - that I wouldn’t want to lose.
Best wishes
http://whitterer-autism.blogspot.com
There is no cure for autism and there never will be. But, if a magical elf came up to me and said “Do you want to cure your AS” I’d say “No. Bugger off”.
Now, if I had a child with ASD, despite the seriousnes, if the magical elf came up to me and said “Do you want a cure for your kid?” and I’d say “Well, you shouldn’t be asking me, you should ask my kid”.
Now the elf is magical, so he can talk to anyone, even if they happened to be non-verbal, so if my kid said yes or no to the cure, it’s not my business because it’s ther choice.
I would be a little dissapointed because obviously, I would’ve taught them to accept themselves, but if they REALLY wanted it and I mean REALLY wanted it, like begging on their hands and knees for this, then I would have to respect their choice.
But there are no magical elves and so, no, I wouldn’t give myself or any child a scam Biomedical therapy labled as a “cure” which it obviously isn’t.
I neither want nor need a cure. Autism is a part of who I am. To take it away would make me less. I like myself the way I am.