There is currently no cure for ASDs, so why the debate? And why "infamous"? Intermittently on a.s.a., someone brings up the subject: "What if there was a cure for ASDs?

Not a treatment for unpleasant symptoms, not relief from discomforts, but a permanant, irreversible cure for whatever it is in the brain of a person, that causes them to be autistic.

The first aspect to the debate is the meaning of the word "cure", which some would see as relief from discomfort and psychological pain; and others would see as completely transforming the AC to be NT. Generally, the people who are opposed to a "cure" are those who would see it in absolute terms, as the total removal of the differences that make a person fit under the diagnostic criteria as "ASD". Those in favour often use the word interchangably with the word "treatment".

Invariably, a huge debate is generated. There are two main "sides" to this debate:

1. Those who feel that their ASD is an intrinsic part of who they are. Remove the ASD, you remove their personality, and they cease to exist. This group see "cure" as a kind of death.
2. Those who feel that the person is still the same person without the ASD, and that since the ASD causes suffering, it should be removed, should that ever become possible. Or, that the AC would not be quite the same person without the ASD, but changing personality, when your life is full of suffering, isn't much of a loss.

The former group believe that it is not ASDs themselves that cause suffering, but society's treatment of ACs and associated mental illnesses (such as OCD) which could be treated without changing the personality. The latter group believe that it the ASD itself that causes the suffering, and that relieving suffering is their principal goal (and of course, there are a lot of people in the middle who believe that ASDs cause suffering, but still don't want to be cured.)

As ever on a.s.a., it was all forgotten quickly, but if you dare to mention the word "cure", be warned. It could all start up again!

Originally compiled by Anna Hayward on behalf of the alt.support.autism newsgroup, November 2000. Original site design and HTML by Kalen Molton. Please address any general queries to Mike Stanton. Broken links and problems of a technical nature should be addressed to John Muggleton by entering details in the comments box of the form here. Any opinions expressed in this article are personal and should not be construed as medical advice. We are not representatives of any of the companies discussed, nor do we receive any form of commission.

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