As a person who works on behalf of children with disabilities almost 24/7, and who understands from an inside perspective what the term “disability” means to a family and a person, I must express my dismay at the media’s initial reaction to recently released research on the prevalence of Autism. Researchers working with South Korean children and families have reportedly identified a broad population of individuals with features of Autism who bring the ratio of incidence of the disorder from 1 in 110 (already shockingly frequent) to 1 in 38! Ultimately, this means that we can expect almost one in three of the toddlers in our homes and the students in our schools to show evidence of disordered development that can be recognized as within the range of Autistic Spectrum Disorders.
I found the recent discussion of this result in mainstream programming very challenging. On the Today Show (NBC), Dr. Nancy Snyderman, who is the program’s medical expert and knowledgeable on many issues that impact on the health of children and adults, suggested that this means there are many children in the population who have gone undiagnosed and untreated. She suggested that these children, previously missed, should and would now be recognized and receive remedial/rehabilitative services from medical entities and schools. The discussion swooped low over Silicon Valley, where many high functioning but nerdy, quirky people are now considered OK—successful, even—but would, with this redefinition, be revisualized as having an Autistic Spectrum Disorder. My question is, “Why?!”
