There are challenges in having Autism Spectrum Disorder, but do the challenges outweigh the benefits? Two authors eloquently expressed different viewpoints on the concept of neurodiversity, and whether having a differently wired brain can be a strength in spite of the challenges that people with communication differences may face. One author, Steve Silberman believes that neurodiversity is a gift that should be embraced and better understood by the world we live in. The other author, Jonathan Mitchell expresses some of the struggles of living as an autistic person in the United States, and in a global society in the twenty first century. The first paper which I read, written as a proponent to the neurodiversity movement, by Silberman, emphasized
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He suggested making schools with more sensitivity to people who might be easily overwhelmed by stimuli in the form of noise, light and environment. There was also emphasis placed on how easily a Broadway show could be made less challenging for people with Autism to experience. For example, “At these events, the use of strobe lights and pyrotechnics onstage was limited, quiet areas were set aside in the theater lobby, and social stories were made available to parents beforehand so that their children could know what to expect.” (Silberman, 2015). In none of the examples in this writing did they suggest that all children with autism experienced the same sensory integration, or that people with Autism experienced their symptoms in a similar way. “Autreat,” one of the first conferences to really take into account the spectrum of needs and comfort levels of people with autism, had the saying “All of the conference events were optional, including the orientation itself; the overriding principle was “opportunity but not …show more content…
He used his own experiences struggling with Autism his entire life to counterbalance the suggestion that well known people who represented the Autistic were shining examples of success. He felt that very few “successful” autistic people struggled long term with communication, oppression or communication therapy techniques. “They use historical figures like Einstein and Thomas Jefferson and Isaac Newton to claim autism is something great and should not be cured.” (Mitchell, 2007). Even in his efforts, however, to speak for the people he thought were not usually represented in the medical and media communication circles, he seemed to generalize that his experience was all bad, with absolutely no positive outcomes. In this, I got the impression that Mr. Mitchel was closed to the conversation of theoretical treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorders. To generalize something with such a wide range of effects on people, not only the Autistic person, but their family and community was erroneous, in my opinion. The Silberman writing never suggested that we leave every suffering child to have their tantrums or every family without support, nor did it say we intervene in every case of distress, but it did suggest and propose viable options for support of families and communities in
He suggested making schools with more sensitivity to people who might be easily overwhelmed by stimuli in the form of noise, light and environment. There was also emphasis placed on how easily a Broadway show could be made less challenging for people with Autism to experience. For example, “At these events, the use of strobe lights and pyrotechnics onstage was limited, quiet areas were set aside in the theater lobby, and social stories were made available to parents beforehand so that their children could know what to expect.” (Silberman, 2015). In none of the examples in this writing did they suggest that all children with autism experienced the same sensory integration, or that people with Autism experienced their symptoms in a similar way. “Autreat,” one of the first conferences to really take into account the spectrum of needs and comfort levels of people with autism, had the saying “All of the conference events were optional, including the orientation itself; the overriding principle was “opportunity but not …show more content…
He used his own experiences struggling with Autism his entire life to counterbalance the suggestion that well known people who represented the Autistic were shining examples of success. He felt that very few “successful” autistic people struggled long term with communication, oppression or communication therapy techniques. “They use historical figures like Einstein and Thomas Jefferson and Isaac Newton to claim autism is something great and should not be cured.” (Mitchell, 2007). Even in his efforts, however, to speak for the people he thought were not usually represented in the medical and media communication circles, he seemed to generalize that his experience was all bad, with absolutely no positive outcomes. In this, I got the impression that Mr. Mitchel was closed to the conversation of theoretical treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorders. To generalize something with such a wide range of effects on people, not only the Autistic person, but their family and community was erroneous, in my opinion. The Silberman writing never suggested that we leave every suffering child to have their tantrums or every family without support, nor did it say we intervene in every case of distress, but it did suggest and propose viable options for support of families and communities in