So I was reading through a newsweek I had from back in May and came across this article:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/197813 After reading,I felt saddened, upset even. I can relate to the man Ari and how he feels about scientists coming closer to creating a genetic test for autism, similar to what they have to test for down syndrome during pregnancy. In one part of the article he says "If a test is developed one day,it will be used. And that means people like him may cease to exist." This is a 21 year old who has done very well for himself that also has Aspergers.
I can understand to some extent why people would be in favor of it, seeing how different each aspy case is. When you are watching your child harm themselves I am the right there in wishing I could take that pain or frustration away. But to create tests to help decide whether or not to eliminate that life seems so unnecessary. there are so many things that are debilitating for children, I don't feel that autism is one of them.
At the end of the article he makes a statement which is just true and simple and really touched me as Rory came bouncing into my room, flapping his arms and screaming for joy because he found a balloon, and it was this "Our futures have not been stolen, our lives are not tragedies. Our message is clear: We stand before you. Don't make us go away."
1 comment:
I think there is a genetic predisposition to autism, but whether or not you "pull the trigger" depends on the choices you make. I do not hope that a test becomes available in utero, but it would be nice to have one to determine which children should stay away from vaccines. I think this has already been accomplished, the nutrigenomic test. :)
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