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Does Autism Need to be Cured?


Geraldine Dawson, PhD

Director, Duke Center for Autism Diagnosis and Treatment, Duke University

Well, people's attitudes about whether we should cure autism — whether we shouldn't cure autism — are as varied as the spectrum itself. So for a child who has very severe seizures, who never can talk, who can't even be in a public environment, who needs 24 hour care, of course that parent wants a cure for that condition. That child is suffering and so is the family. At the other end we have people that are doing very well and are thrilled to have the talents and the unusual behaviors that go along with being autistic. And for that person what we want is for them to be able to be empowered, to be accepted, for them not to have stigma associated with the condition so that they can just use those talents in a most productive way as possible.

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