Wired Magazine Article: The New Autism (March 2008 Issue)

February 24, 2008

> Wired Magazine has an article in their March issue (out soon) about a

> new perspective on autistic intelligence and the autistic brain ( " The

> New Autism " ) that is challenging the traditional deficit view of autism

> held by most researchers in the autism community. The article takes a

> detailed look into the life of autistic self-advocates Baggs and

> Dawson and presents an exploration of emerging science on

> autism and intelligence by Dr. Mottron in Canada and others.

>

> Here's the description from their press highlights on the issue:

>

> [Traditional science holds that people with severe autism are prisoners

> in their own minds, severely disabled, and probably mentally retarded.

> Don't tell that to Baggs, an autistic woman who achieved viral

> fame with her YouTube video " In My Language, " which has so far received

> more than 350,000 hits. Wired contributor Wolman gets inside the

> life that Baggs has created for herself, which includes blogging,

> hanging out in Second Life, corresponding with her friends, and a

> " constant conversation " with the world around her. Wolman's conclusion:

> Much of past research about autism and intelligence is catastrophically

> flawed.]

>

> You can download/read the Wired Magazine article by Wolman online

> at this address: <http://www.wired.com/images/press/pdf/autism.pdf>.

>

> Complete press info on that issue is here:

> <http://www.wired.com/services/press/2008/march>

>

February 25, 2008

Thanks for posting the pdf link. When my copy of Wired arrived today and I

saw the

front cover promo, I immediately went to the article. Interesting, to say the

least. We've

(wife and I) have always believed that Luke does not have severe MR and that it

was a

" brain wiring " issue compounded by the fact that he's had MANY years of being

treated as

MR --- the ol' " dual diagnosis " trap that so many have been forced into). It's

nice to see

that someone with significant autism symptoms is able to communicate that that's

the

case with her. One caveat: as long as society treats people with severe autism

as being MR,

it will continue to be a " disability " no matter what label is put on the person.

On the

positive side: hopefully people such as this will open the door to more

research.

Thanks, again.

Ron (who encourages ALL of you to read the link or the magazine even if your

loved one

does not have autism)

>

> > Wired Magazine has an article in their March issue (out soon) about a

> > new perspective on autistic intelligence and the autistic brain ( " The

> > New Autism " ) that is challenging the traditional deficit view of autism

> > held by most researchers in the autism community. The article takes a

> > detailed look into the life of autistic self-advocates Baggs and

> > Dawson and presents an exploration of emerging science on

> > autism and intelligence by Dr. Mottron in Canada and others.

> >

> > Here's the description from their press highlights on the issue:

> >

> > [Traditional science holds that people with severe autism are prisoners

> > in their own minds, severely disabled, and probably mentally retarded.

> > Don't tell that to Baggs, an autistic woman who achieved viral

> > fame with her YouTube video " In My Language, " which has so far received

> > more than 350,000 hits. Wired contributor Wolman gets inside the

> > life that Baggs has created for herself, which includes blogging,

> > hanging out in Second Life, corresponding with her friends, and a

> > " constant conversation " with the world around her. Wolman's conclusion:

> > Much of past research about autism and intelligence is catastrophically

> > flawed.]

> >

> > You can download/read the Wired Magazine article by Wolman online

> > at this address: <http://www.wired.com/images/press/pdf/autism.pdf>.

> >

> > Complete press info on that issue is here:

> > <http://www.wired.com/services/press/2008/march>

> >

>

February 25, 2008

I agree completely, Ron...it is fascinating. The U-tube that this woman did was

also very cool.

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

Re: Wired Magazine Article: " The New Autism " (March 2008

Issue)

Thanks for posting the pdf link. When my copy of Wired arrived today and

I saw the

front cover promo, I immediately went to the article. Interesting, to say the

least. We've

(wife and I) have always believed that Luke does not have severe MR and that

it was a

" brain wiring " issue compounded by the fact that he's had MANY years of being

treated as

MR --- the ol' " dual diagnosis " trap that so many have been forced into). It's

nice to see

that someone with significant autism symptoms is able to communicate that

that's the

case with her. One caveat: as long as society treats people with severe autism

as being MR,

it will continue to be a " disability " no matter what label is put on the

person. On the