Since last week's launch of our Autism Awareness campaign, the dialogue on speaking about autism has begun.  In response to some of your posts, our client, Autism Speaks does recognize that autism is a spectrum of disorders and that some individuals are higher functioning than others. One goal of this PSA campaign is to reduce the stigma associated with all autism spectrum disorders by drawing attention to the fact that autism is more common than people think. We appreciate your comments.

Comments

[Raul Walters]

I’ve heard numerous PSAs on the subject of Autism Spectrum Disorder on one of the local radio stations. The ads I’ve heard are somewhat objectionable to me, in that they employ something resembling “fearmongering” in order to make their point: “One out of a hundred sixty is affected by this disorder” a serious female voice is heard to say. As a clinician, I’m always a little concerned about the invention of new disorders – because, with these disorders often come lucrative pharmaceutical contracts. Interestingly, there is no mention of this disorder in the DSMIV. Furthermore, when I inquired about how the epidemiology of this disorder was developed (on the “autismspeaks” website) I received no reply.

Folks, we’ve just gotten rid of a political machine which employed fearmongering and manipulation of facts in order to justify a number of lies and half-truths about the Iraq War. Is Autistic Spectrum Disorder just another bogus threat like terrorism? (The CDC and other national statistical data bases are clear: More people fell to their deaths off of step-ladders or in accidents at home than died from terrorism in the United States over the past 10 years.)

How severe can ASD be? 40,000 die from common influenza every year in America. Another 30,000 from car crashes. One million die from malaria annually across the globe. And, 15,000 people (kids, mostly) die from landmines.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder is not a disorder. Yet. The DSMIV refers to Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Perhaps, that phrase isn't marketable enough?

How about we stop the fearmongering for a while? Or, at least, tell us where this information is coming from. Cite sources, etc. In my view, ASD is just another example of the profitable symbiosis between the psychiatric and pharmaceutical industries.