Let’s get this straight - Autism isn’t a problem to be fixed

It certainly needs better support and understanding, but there is nothing wrong with autism or people who are autistic.

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The recent claims made by US President Donald Trump that assert an unproven link between paracetamol use in pregnancy and autism do nothing more than perpetuate stigma and a lack of genuine understanding of what autism really is. It suggests that something causes it, and that there is something wrong with it. But there isn’t.

Simply put, autism is a neurotype. It’s a type of brain. Some brains are wired one way, others another. Just as some people are tall and some are short, some have brown hair and others have blonde… Some people have autistic brains, and some don’t. It is known to be highly hereditary and is a naturally occurring variance in humans.

The suggestion – by no less than the President of the USA – that this neurotype was caused by the actions of a mother during pregnancy serves to not only make autistic people and children all over the world feel like there is something wrong with them… it places the ‘fault’ on their mother’s shoulders for her choices and actions. (As if mothers need anything else to feel guilty about.)

In recent months and years, there have been concerns about the increasing rates of autism and ADHD diagnoses among children, and the growing number of medications prescribed accordingly. Talkback radio barons wax lyrical about what is behind this surge in diagnosis… is it just a fashion trend, or is something more sinister causing this increase?

You know what’s behind this surge in autism cases?
An increase in understanding and acceptance of what it is, and what it means to be autistic – along with a widening of the diagnostic criteria in 2013. It means that people who for generations would have just been the weird kid, the goth kid, the nerdy kid, or the performing arts kids are now being recognised for their unique brains and are given support not offered to them in previous generations (more on that later).

But first… let’s take a step back and break this down for those not familiar with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism is a spectrum.

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There’s a brilliant expression: “If you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person.” No two autistic people will ever be the same. They don’t all act and behave the same way. In fact, experts are learning that a lot of the diagnostic criteria and behaviours they previously relied on were perhaps only applicable for boys, and that girls often present in entirely different ways.

For example, some girls with autism have no problem making eye contact and are very social and outgoing – the opposite of what was traditionally looked for in boys. Some people on the spectrum are profoundly impacted in their daily lives and need support to function – sensitive to sounds and non-verbal. But others are just like any other person… only with an intense passion for trains, dinosaurs or Lord of the Rings, and a strong distaste for the texture of blueberries or the seams in their underwear.

Intellectually gifted individuals who were previously diagnosed as having Asperger’s are now included as part of the autism spectrum as well.

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Autistic brains see and experience the world in entirely unique ways.

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While this can present big challenges, it can also be a gift. The world’s most creative brains are neurodiverse. They break the mould and push the boundaries. But with this gift also comes a sensitivity to the world th at neurotypical brains might not understand.

This is where, in previous generations when there wasn’t support or understanding, these brilliant minds may have crashed and burned before their time – the creative genius who met a tragic end. Or perhaps they self-medicated to manage the intensity of the world around them and developed a substance abuse or alcohol problem. Maybe they were bullied at school for their odd taste in clothing or unusual behaviours in class, and dropped out or flunked school altogether.

But now we know better, and we are fighting for autistic kids to get the support they need to thrive and make the most of their neurotype. That support might be via support people in day-to-day life, help in the classroom, or through allied health networks like psychologists and occupational therapists. It might also mean they’re medicated to keep their focus or anxiety in check too.

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We’re trying to give a whole generation of autistic minds a chance to thrive.

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And rhetoric like that coming from the highest office in the United States is setting back a generation of progress.

And the irony? A lot of the people who are pushing against this progress are probably undiagnosed autistics themselves! The hurtful stigma around autism perpetuated by previous generations means some people aren’t even remotely open to the idea that they, (or someone they love), might be autistic… (“they’re just really into model trains”).

These are the people who still think it’s something to be ‘fixed’ and not embraced.

Autism isn’t new.

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It might have only been first diagnosed in the 1940s, but look back through history – watch old movies and read old books – and you can spot the previously unlabelled or undiagnosed neurotypes. And this was long before mums started popping Panadol or Tylenol during pregnancy.

Understanding of the genetic origins of autism is still evolving. But if you want to ‘do something about autism’, the best thing you can do is educate yourself with facts and compassion. Learn how to empower and support those around you who are different – and don’t perpetuate harmful and uninformed misinformation.

There is no ‘answer’ to autism.

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Autistic brains are beautiful brains, and we need to embrace the wonderful neurodiversity in our society which has always been there, and always will.