Detached Children With Autism Theory Faces Serious Challenge

Emotional Reactions of children with Autism, Ms Heather Nuske 

Olga Tennsion Autism Research Centre, Latrobe University

For years the autism professional community accepted the non evidence based speculation that autism disorders were caused by detached, cold mothers.  The professions' embrace of this fantasy caused serious harm to many families.  The other side of the coin is that persons with autism disorders are also cold, detached, do not show typical emotional responses.  The cold autistic persons theory has endured but is now under serious challenge from some of the innovative, fresh thinkers at the Latrobe University's Olga Tennison Autism Research Center.

Our family's personal (anecdotal), direct observation  evidence, if such evidence were not strictly verboten in autism research circles, would demolish the cold kids with autism speculation. Through my autism advocacy in New Brunswick I have met other children with autism disorders, from both ends of the autism spectrum, who have displayed emotional responses once they got to know me, including some wonderful smiles, laughs and humor. Many posts on my Facing Autism in New Brunswick blog and the borders on my blog contain pictures of our wonderful, severely autistic son and his warm embraces and brilliant smile. As direct experience evidence from a family  such evidence is given no weight in autism research circles (as opposed to the serious consideration given by autism professionals to the views of persons with very high functioning autism).

Conor's Mom said he was anxious this past February when I was in the 

local Acute Care Unit for a week with respiratory problems.  In the 

picture above Conor, upon visiting me at the ACU, displays emotional 

response, and support, for his old Dad.

Conor displaying emotional responses to his Mom.

Now comes news from the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre at Latrobe University in Australia that the detached, cold person with autism theory/speculation is  under serious challenge by researchers at the OTARC.  In essence Heather Nuske and her colleagues at the OTARC are exploring the idea that persons with autism probably (more research is necessary) display typical emotional reactions and attachments to caregivers and  persons with whom they are familiar while showing no, or very little, emotion or attachment to persons with whom they are not familiar.

Personally I am happy to see Ms Nuske and the OTARC challenging the cold autistic kids speculation and believe that their idea is entirely consistent with our experience with our wonderful son Conor.