My point was that if the autistic population does not stay level or increase, the only other option is for it to decrease from one generation to the next. This could very easily happen if a pre-natal test was found - the majority of autistic foetuses would most likely be aborted, leading to a gradual "thinning" of the population. We have already seen this with downs syndrome.
Gareth, can you give me any stats on the effect of abortion on Downs Syndrome births? I am writing an article about the ethics of pre-natal screening and such information would help.
Thanks,
Jerry Newport
[quote="jerrynewport I am writing an article about the ethics of pre-natal screening and such information would help.
Thanks,
Jerry Newport[/quote]
Jerry I would be very interested in reading this article when it is finished- could you give me the detail where I can read it.
Thanks
[quote="jerrynewport I am writing an article about the ethics of pre-natal screening and such information would help.
Thanks,
Jerry Newport
Jerry I would be very interested in reading this article when it is finished- could you give me the detail where I can read it.
Thanks[/quote]
I have put off writing it until I have enough time to maintain a clear head about it. Every time I start to write it, I feel so much anger about what I fear will happen to us that I can't continue.
Jerry
Great write up Amy, very enjoyable read.
I just posted a short article about genetic testing:
Autism Research and Prenatal Testing
Paula, please feel free to pass on the link to your friend, if you wish.
To everyone else: We need a lot more people writing about this issue. Build more websites and get busy. Silence is death.
Thanks I will pass it on, but I have to say I don't think it will change her mind. 
I really enjoyed reading your article, and I have to agree with Amy we need a lot more information out on the web to try and tell parents and others that Autism is not the end of the world - its just a different world that we need to learn how to understand and be part of.
there is a major difference in the tenor of the debate here in Britain and in the US - whereas in the US the 'cure autism' lobby seems all-powerful and the very extreme language e.g autism = cancer, is common, here in the UK the debate is more nuanced with many professionals and even parents open to the idea that, yes autistic people do often suffer serious difficulties, but there *is* a positive side also!
This is probably because the US pharmaceutical industry's advertising has resulted in a widespread attitude that there ought to be a pill for every problem.