Tina Fougere and the Canadian National Autism Foundation Do Not Speak For My Autistic Son

Stoney Creek News reports that the Canadian "National" Autism Foundation was honored for its financial contribution to autism research at the Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation Donor Recognition Event last month. The CNAF was honored for a contribution of $12,000 to autism research which will fund research by noted autism researcher Dr. Peter Szatmari director of the Offord Centre for Child Studies.

All well and good. In the course of the event though Tina Fougere, CNAF Founder and President, and herself the mother of an autistic child stated that:

“It’s not so much about finding a cure –because people with autism, a lot of them don’t want to be cured because then you’re taking that identity away from them – it’s about finding out why autism has come to be and why now it’s becoming so predominant,” she said. “It doesn’t matter who you meet, you know somebody that has autism. Back in 1998 to 2000, it was one in 25,000; now, it’s one in 150, so that tells you how much it’s grown.”

In fact there are autistic people who would like to be cured. And there are many parents who desperately seek cures for their autistic children. The anti-autism cure ideology is promoted by SOME high functioning autistic persons and SOME persons with Aspergers.

There are many autistic persons who do not enjoy the intellectual and communication gifts of the anti-cure autistic leadership. There are autistic persons who will live their adult lives dependent upon the care of others, without jobs, families or even the ability to walk about safely in their communities without risk of harm, even fatal harm, to themselves.

If Ms Fougere followed autism news at all she would know that there are regular accounts of autistic children going missing. Sometimes they end well as they did yesteday in New Orleans. Sometimes they do not.

Ms Fougere should also understand that some autistic children require tertiary level rehabilitation services because of severe self injurious behavior like brain injury resulting from severe head banging, self inflicted bite wounds, self starvation and so on. For some families as severely autistic children grow up they become too much for aging parents to care for and they are given over to the care of the state. For many autistic persons and their families autism research, contrary to Ms Fougere's ill considered remarks, is about finding a cure for a serious neurological disorder.

My son has profound developmental "delays" associated with his Autistic Disorder diagnosis. He is a great joy and blessing in my life. I love him with every ounce of my being. But he can not be left unattended to wander away on City streets. Today he can be overwhelmed by busy shopping mall or mainstream classroom environments to the extent that he hurts himself with biting or hitting. His life prospects after I can no longer care for him will be those of residential care by strangers.

Ms Fougere and the Canadian "National" Autism Foundation do not speak for my son when they say that autism research is not, or should not, be about finding a cure. This "National" Foundation which I have never heard of in this part of Canada did not consult my son or me before offering their anti-autism cure opinions.

If an effective, safe, cure became available I would want it for my son, so that he could live as independent, full, safe and rewarding a life as possible. He is unable to offer an opinion on the subject but I speak for him as his father and caregiver. Tina Fougere, and the Canadian "National" Autism Foundation do not.

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