A few interesting notions from the article:
The test typically used to substantiate this view relies heavily on language, social interaction, and cultural knowledge — areas that autistic people, by definition, find difficult. About six years ago, Meredyth Goldberg Edelson, a professor of psychology at Willamette University in Oregon, reviewed 215 articles published over the past 71 years, all making or referring to this link between autism and mental retardation. She found that most of the papers (74 percent) lacked their own research data to back up the assumption. Thirty-nine percent of the articles weren't based on any data, and even the more rigorous studies often used questionable measures of intelligence. "Are the majority of autistics mentally retarded?" Goldberg Edelson asks. "Personally, I don't think they are, but we don't have the data to answer that."
After only a few weeks on the job, Mottron decided the theories were crap. "These children were just of another kind," he says. "You couldn't turn someone autistic or make someone not autistic. It was hardwired." In 1986, Mottron began working with an autistic man who would later become known in the scientific literature as "E.C." A draftsman who specialized in mechanical drawings, E.C. had incredible savant skills in 3-D drawing. He could rotate objects in his mind and make technical drawings without the need for a single revision. After two years of working with E.C., Mottron made his second breakthrough — not about autistics this time but about the rest of us: People with standard-issue brains — so-called neurotypicals — don't have the perceptual abilities to do what E.C. could do. "It's just inconsistent with how our brains work," Mottron says.
From that day forward, he decided to challenge the disease model underlying most autism research. "I wanted to go as far as I could to show that their perception — their brains — are totally different." Not damaged. Not dysfunctional. Just different.
Originally posted by TraderiousHave you read the article I linked? What of those things have you experienced? With what do you agree or don't agree?
Well my son has high functioning autism and I believe that my other son will be similar seeing as he is progressing the same as my older son was at that age. I have first hand knowledge of the subject and see what can and can't be accomplished due to it limitations.
Originally posted by adam warlockMy brother has autism....it can vary greatly individual to individual.
The workings of the brain always fascinated me. The abnormal workings of the brain fascinated me even more. Schizofrenic and autistic related behaviour were alwyas puzzling to me. This article is very interesting.
http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/magazine/16-03/ff_autism?currentPage=1
Is that your kid? Adorable!!!!!!!!!!!
Originally posted by SunburntYep, she's my daughter. She's such a rascal! 😏
My brother has autism....it can vary greatly individual to individual.
Is that your kid? Adorable!!!!!!!!!!!
I think I might be Asperger and I've read quite a bit on autism so I know it can vary. But waht do you feel about the things said on that article. I want to know what people that deal with autistitc people think about it.
Originally posted by adam warlock
A few interesting notions from the article:
I have moderate Asperger's.
Just enough to live "normally" but I'm really "altered".
The test typically used to substantiate this view relies heavily on language,
True.
Heavy problems to understand the spoken language if the structures are getting complex.
When I'm tired, I don't understand almost nothing.
I'm getting functionally deaf.
Very often, I watch the lips in order to catch the words the people say.
But I have no problem to hear the music 🙂
social interaction,
A repulsion to speak to the people.
I'm getting nervous when I don't understand nothing, I'm getting furious when the people insist.
Obsessions, anankastic disorders (perfectionnist and indecisive).
and cultural knowledge — areas that autistic people, by definition, find difficult.
LOL.
I'm MA in linguistics and literature 🙂
But I was very special, I studied medieval Romance languages.
Completely unusable in the "normal" life but very interesting as an intellectual puzzle 🙂
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Cheers
G