Health
People with autism have some advantages over those who do not have autism, so some scientists believe that considering autism only as a defect, which should be corrected is not worth it.
If autism is considered a disease, scientists will find it difficult to fully understand this condition, says Dr. Laurent Mottron, professor of psychiatry at the University of Montreal.
“Recent research results, as well as my own observations, suggest that autism has several benefits in certain areas,” Mottron told Nature.
For example, when scientists see activity in certain parts of the brain of autistic people that is different from that of others, they believe that this is a defect but not an alternative to brain development, who may sometimes speak of a better job.
The benefits of autism
Mottron said that he does not want to ignore the problems of autistic people. “One in ten autistic patients cannot speak, nine out of ten do not have a permanent job, and four out of five autistic adults are still dependent on parental care,” the professor said.
However, he added that autism can bring many benefits to society in a certain environment. Several autistic people work at Mottron's laboratory, including researcher Michelle Dawson, who has made an important contribution to understanding autism as a disease due to your work and your ability to get to the bottom of the problem.
Autistic people often have an exceptional memory and can keep in mind information they read about a few weeks ago. They also very rarely reproduce the information received inaccurately, which is why such people are very useful for working in scientific fields.
Recent studies have shown that autistic people are often ahead of normal people when given auditory and visual memory assignments, and are better at writing intelligence tests. In one study, Mottron noted that autistic people did 40 percent faster than healthy people in tasks that needed to complete their visual image.
In fact, the mental capabilities of autistic people are often underestimated, because scientists often use tasks that are not suitable for them to experiment. “Tests that include sign language are often used to determine the mental abilities of people with hearing impairments. Why not try using similar methods for autistic people as well?” , says Mottron. He is sure that if you conduct tests without using verbal assignments, autistic people will show excellent results.
And yet it's a disease
Some experts support Mottron's view that scientists should not treat autism solely as a defect. However, autism is still a disease, not just a distinctive feature of the brain.
People with severe autism are unable to lead a normal life and perform routine daily tasks. Even those who don't have very strong autism can easily become victims of fraud because they can't determine where the truth is and where is false. Only the intervention of others can help them lead a normal life. Both pros and cons should be taken into account.
In the past, scientists did not pay attention to the disadvantages of autism, but it also has its advantages that require more detailed study. By understanding the benefits of this condition, it will be possible to provide more opportunities for people with autism.