NARA - Neurodiversity's Autism Research Agenda

I am impressed by The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research - January 26, 2009. It is balanced and comprehensive with a clear focus on actually helping autistic persons and their families. There are of course competing perspectives on any important topic. Following is what I assume, based on past readings, the Neurodiversity movement might offer for an autism spectrum disorders research agenda:

1. Conduct research to demonstrate that high functioning autistic persons, and persons with Asperger's, have a different, in many cases superior, intelligence.

2. Conduct research to demonstrate that the cognitive deficits which afflict some persons with autistic disorder are unrelated to their autistic conditions. The mental retartdation and cognitive deficits shown by some with autistic disorders should not be associated with autism disorders but described as separate disorders.

3. Conduct research to prove that all of history's scientific, artistic, literary and philosophical geniuses were in fact autistic.

4. Conduct no research of possible environmental causes or triggers of autism. Autism is just a natural variation. It is a waste of time to conduct research of possible environmental causes of autism.

5. Conduct no research of the genetic bases of autism. If genetic markers of autism are found "autistics" could be the target of a genocidal eugenics campaign by evil Neurotypicals.

6. Conduct no research of possible treatments or cures of autism disorders. After all autism disorders are not really medical disorders at all. It is abuse, and a violation of their human rights, to treat or cure persons with autism spectrum disorders.

autism