I am interested in the reactions to the Newsweek article, Understanding Autism

-- lois england (loloengland@aol.com), July 26, 2000

Answers

On one hand, anything that increases awareness of autism is positive, assuming you accept the notion that there's no such thing as negative publicity.On the other, I resented use of the term "epidemic," and "public health problem" in the story since it encourages the notion that autism is somehow communicable.The blather about rising "incidence" rates only serves to further this utter falsehood.Overall, it was the usual dog's breakfast of convenient half-truths.I've long resented use of the term "spectrum" in describing autistic disorders;"archipelago" seems a better term.There's nothing linear or formulaic about the mix of ability and disability among autistic individuals. Newsweek isn't authoritive on anything.The piece was oddly similar in tone to the infamous "Dateline" segment on autism some time ago.

-- Gary Watson (cg.watson@sympatico.ca), August 09, 2000.