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People with autism have advantages, in some ways, over people without the condition, and scientists need to stop viewing the traits of autism as flaws that need to be corrected, one autism researcher argues.
By seeing autism's differences as defects, researchers may fail to fully understand the condition, said Dr. Laurent Mottron, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Montreal.
"Recent data and my own personal experience suggest it's time to start thinking of autism as an advantage in some spheres, not a cross to bear," Mottron wrote in a commentary published today (Nov. 2) in the journal Nature.
For instance, when researchers see activation in regions of
autistic people's brains that differ from others' brains, they report these differences as deficits, "rather than evidence simply of their alternative, yet sometimes successful, brain organization," Mottron said.
By emphasizing the strengths of people with autism, deciphering how people with autism learn and avoiding language that frames autism as a defect, researchers can shape the discussion of autism in society, Mottron said.
Autism's advantagesMottron said he does not want to minimize the challenges of autism. "One out of 10 autistics cannot speak, nine out of 10 have no regular job and four out of five autistic adults are still dependent on their parents," Mottron said.
But people with autism can make significant contributions to society
in the right environment, he said.
The research setting is one of those environments. Several people with autism work in Mottron's lab, and one researcher in particular, Michelle Dawson, has made major contributions to the lab's understanding of the condition through her work and insight.
People with autism often have exceptional memories, and can remember information they read weeks ago. They are also less likely to misremember something, which comes in handy in a science lab. Dawson can instantly recall the methods used to study
face-perception in autism, Mottron said.
Recent research has shown people with autism often outperform others in auditory and visual tasks, and also do better on non-verbal tests of intelligence. In one study by Mottron, on a test that involved completing a visual pattern, people with autism finished 40 percent faster than those without the condition.
In fact, intellectual disability may be over-estimated among people with autism, because researchers use inappropriate tests, Mottron said. "In measuring the intelligence of a person with a hearing impairment, we wouldn't hesitate to eliminate components of the test that can't be explained using sign language; why shouldn't we do the same for autistics?" Mottron said.
"I no longer believe that
intellectual disability is intrinsic to autism," Mottron said. "To estimate the true rate, scientists should use only those tests that require no verbal explanation."
Still a disorderRajesh Kana, an assistant professor in the department of psychology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, agreed that researchers shouldn't solely focus on the deficits of autism. However, autism should still be thought of as a disorder, and not merely a difference, Kana said.
People with severe autism have problems functioning in their day-to-day lives, and even people with less severe autism can fall victim to deception, because of their limited ability to understand when someone is lying. Proper interventions can improve the lives of these people.
"A comprehensive account of autism should take into consideration the strengths and weaknesses" of the condition, Kana said.
While it may have been true in the past that researchers concentrated mainly on deficits in autism, the field is now taking a broader and deeper view of the disorder.
Understanding autism's strengths is important for providing support for those with the condition, Kana said. For instance, if a child has minimal verbal ability, then you probably want to find a visual route to help him.
"Your intervention should target the deficits, but work with the strengths," Kana said.
Reader Comments
but that they're not being realized with a toxic diet, especially one that includes gluten and casein, and especially elements that may be contributing to a mercury toxicity in them.
"The age of Autism: Gluten clue from case 2"
[Link]
Of all the "mental health problems" being pushed on us, I have run across few so revered as autism.
Perhaps this is because it pops up in rather young children and can be very obvious. Those affected usually stay quite lovable, so instead of marginalizing them, society has decided to consider them as "special."
They should do this with all "mental disorders!"
The thing is: I have seen people who can function in society - walk, talk, study, work - proudly tell me or the world, "I have autism." I can't think with that.
When I was still quite young, I saw a TV show about autism. It showed a little boy who had to wear a helmet because he would spend quite a lot of time banging his head against the wall. Also, he refused to talk to anyone. Now, that's autism!
They don't know what makes the little kids refuse to talk, or how to make them better, so why expand the condition to more people by inventing the "autism spectrum?" So you can pretend to treat them and collect money from their health insurance?
I'm not saying these conditions aren't real. All I'm saying is that we are allowing this field to be dominated by a gang of shysters who have no interest in helping anyone and only want to find new and creative ways to make money without really doing anything productive. Take this field out of their hands and find researchers and practitioners who are honest, caring and responsible, and I am confident that "mental health" would start to have real meaning.
Mottron makes a good example of how 'black is white'.
Autism is caused by some sort of damage to the brain. It is not normal, it is not good and it definately has no advantages. A pity they can't (or won't) find the cause....
When authors say, "people with autism can remember something they've read weeks before," they are referring to those with high functioning aspbergers. My niece is 7, can't talk (and reading is further down on the list). This year's goal in first grade is to toilet-train her. Many of these kids are in PAIN. Severe gastrointestinal discomfort is estimated to affect 85% of this population. So the "let's not fix these children, let's just appreciate their unique value" argument is adding salt to the wound for those who don't want to see their kids suffer day in and day out. If, after doctors dealt with repairing/mitigating the neurological damage that resulted in pain, underlying differences remained, parents could accept that ... but let's be precise in saying that this approach applies only to those who are exceedingly high functioning on the spectrum.
I agree that more should be done to help people with Austism take advantage with whatever skills/abilities they have. Unfortunately, even high functioning adults (HFA) are often lumped in with all Autistics as being "unable to do much, if anything at all." This is a disservice to those who have a lot to offer society. People with Asperger's Syndrome are often at a real disadvantage, because people see that many can function at a very high level, so they are either ignored for any help, or worse yet, shunned for their quirks. In an age when connections & networking are important to everyday living, people with AS are at a real disadvantage. AS is a sort of "social Autism" where people have extreme difficulty in relating to other people and the world around them. Can you imaging trying to find a job, interview for a job, and keep a job when you find it difficult, or even impossible, to talk to or relate to other people? It doesn't mean that people with AS are "anti social," it's just that they are made that way. It's true that many "Aspies" have "special gifts" that may include a great memory, ability to work with numbers, musical talent, computer programing talent, extreme focus, etc., But what good are these "gifts" if there is no one to help relate them to the rest of the world? It would be nice to see more programs to help any Autistic person use their gifts/talents in the world and make a better living for themselves.
BTW, I have Aspeger's Syndrome. Please don't waste time trying to "cure me." Instead, how about a helping hand once in a while…