Careless And Damaging Talk About Autism | Letters

This week nan Trump management linked paracetamol usage successful gestation to autism (Trump attacks Tylenol arsenic officials unveil highly contentious conclusions connected autism, 22 September). We support nan position of starring autism organisations – Ambitious astir Autism, Autism Alliance, Autistica and nan National Autistic Society – which person rightly highlighted that nan evidence for specified a nexus is extremely weak, based connected poorly conducted studies, and contradicted by high-quality research.

But beyond nan mobility of evidence, we are profoundly concerned by nan connection used. When powerful figures picture autism arsenic a calamity aliases thing to fear, it reinforces damaging stereotypes. It risks making autistic group consciousness that their beingness is simply a problem, alternatively than recognising them arsenic weighted members of our communities who bring talent, position and diversity.

As a kindness that supports abnormal group pinch analyzable needs, including galore autistic people, Sense believes it is captious that leaders, organisations and nan media speak responsibly. Words matter. They style attitudes, power argumentation and tin either unfastened doors to inclusion aliases build barriers of stigma and exclusion.

Autistic group and their families merit respect and acceptance – not blasted aliases shame. We telephone connected those successful positions of power to take their words carefully.
James Watson-O’Neill
Chief executive, Sense

Autism is not “a information denoting connection and societal difficulties, on pinch repetitive behaviours”, arsenic your article says – it is simply a information that covers an incredibly wide spectrum, which includes emotion things and reacting otherwise to them compared pinch non-autistic people.

Autistic group may find socialising tiring, they may become overwhelmed successful large aliases engaged places, they may person aggravated interests, they may prefer bid and routine. And they whitethorn not.

I person an autistic kid and she is sociable, bright, academically capable and empathetic – she doesn’t person connection aliases societal difficulties and nary motion of repetitive behaviours.

Pigeonholing autistic group is profoundly damaging, reducing analyzable quality beings pinch unsocial talents and divers perspectives to constrictive stereotypes that distort really they are perceived and understood.
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