Trick or treatment – the pursuit of a cure for autism

Emma Sanderson, Managing Director of Options Autism, shares her thoughts on the pursuit of a ‘cure’ for autism and recent claims that it can be ‘reversed’.

Over the many years that I have been working in schools providing specialist education for neurodivergent children and young people, I have witnessed an immense change in the way that society as a whole, regards neurodiversity, and the positive steps taken towards inclusivity.

Across the state and commercial sectors, companies, health and public services, and other establishments, are adopting strategies and publishing policies and guidelines about accommodating neurodiverse individuals. Our schools are becoming more inclusive, recognising and celebrating differences and accepting other’s knowledge, understanding and skills. Community facilities are making adaptations to their environments, and even airports are providing quiet spaces for neurodivergent travellers.

Therefore, I was surprised to read recent media coverage about claims from scientists at Maryland University in the US, that autism ‘symptoms’ could be ‘reversed’. Since it was published, the case study, led by Dr Christopher D’Adamo, which involved a single pair of non-identical twin girls, has come under extensive expert scrutiny, with questions about the methodology and validity of the results – which were based solely on anecdotal observations from the parents, with no evidence-based interventions. Sensationalist reporting by some newspapers, with an unquestioned focus on the research alone, served only to dehumanise autistic individuals, and ignore their voices.

The most important question for me, is why there still remains a need to try and find a ‘cure’? What message do headlines like these send to our autistic children and young people?

The desperate search for autism treatments is nothing new. In a bid to restore what some people believe to be ‘normal functioning’ in autistic individuals, researchers have spent years looking for ways to ‘fix’ it.

For many neurodiverse people, autism is a part of their identity and who they are – they don’t want to be ‘cured’. 

Rather than spending time and money on researching  ways to ‘reverse’ autism, we should channel that effort into continuing to create and improve an inclusive community. One which ensures that barriers do not exclude autistic people from a fulfilling life. We must continue building greater acceptance of autistic people, celebrated for who they are, supported to thrive as they are, instead of suggesting it would be better to eradicate a part of themselves.

When I reflect about the autistic children and young people I have taught over the past 23 years, and what they went onto achieve – careers in medicine, computer programming or simply living independently and completing voluntary work in the community, they all taught me the importance of seeing from a different perspective. After all, some of the most influential people in both the past and present were or are neurodiverse. 

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