Stamp: Commission - Autism Research

Here's what they shared for the description: 

"Autism research can bring a wealth of knowledge, it can help many people who have autism to have a better quality of life. The majority of Autistic people I hear complaining that this research is bigotry are people with high function autism. People who CAN speak, who CAN articulate, and be heard. I have worked with autistic children many of them can't speak 5 words, and have a hard time being in public because people do not understand how they experience life and they can't articulate it. they suffer from severe frustration (how would you feel if you couldn't communicate effectively with someone who was doing something you didn't like? or was hurting you?) that usually leaves them screaming and crying. 

I have witnessed first hand what research into Autism can do. I have seen the communication devices that have been developed from autism research literally change peoples lives. I have seen the sheer joy on a child's face when a device lets them communicate their feelings to other people nearly effortlessly. I have seen this research give comfort to parents, showing them that their child can live a wonderful life so long as you put in the effort to understand who they are as a person. 
If anything this research could debunk the myths that Autism is caused by vaccines and ultrasounds. Which seems more harmful to the acceptance of Autism then research into the field does. 

I also support Autism being in the DSM-V , many argue that it marginalizes the people as "wrong" , I would argue that it helps millions of autistic people around the country. Without it being in the DSM-V it would not be diagnose-able , meaning any counselling, any extra care, any devices needed to help them live fully, could and would be easily rejected by insurance companies. They could also be rejected from special education class, or special accommodations in schools. Since I worked with Special Ed at my school and had special accommodations myself I know for a fact you almost always need a doctors note to get them. 

Without Autism being a diagnosable condition people might just go back to thinking these people are plain stupid, instead of biologically different. And that would be going backwards, not forwards. It is the same reason transgender-ism is in the DSM-V, no one is saying it is wrong, but having it there allows access to therapy/counseling, hormone treatments, and other things, with the insurance companies covering some of the cost.  Well... yeah that's what I think."

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