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Turning Autism on Its Ear

Sanctions: 17
Sanctions: 17
Sanctions: 17
Turning Autism on Its Ear

The television show Elementary recently introduced a new love interest for Sherlock Holmes named Fiona.  She has autism but prefers to identify herself as "neuro-atypical" (NA) instead.  Consequently, those without autism she labels as "neurotypical" (NT).  This led me to a Web search that stumbled across a site that made me laugh so hard I had to share.  Some of the passages made me think of Objectivism's disdain for social metaphysics in general.

 

The Institute for the Study of the Neurologically Typical arose from a newly diagnosed person's sense of outrage at the patronizing attitudes of those who lack the gift of autism.  The Web site owner takes disdain for social metaphysics to new heights with zingers like these:

What Is NT?

Neurotypical syndrome is a neurobiological disorder characterized by preoccupation with social concerns, delusions of superiority, and obsession with conformity.

 

Neurotypical individuals often assume that their experience of the world is either the only one, or the only correct one. NTs find it difficult to be alone. NTs are often intolerant of seemingly minor differences in others. When in groups NTs are socially and behaviorally rigid, and frequently insist upon the performance of dysfunctional, destructive, and even impossible rituals as a way of maintaining group identity. NTs find it difficult to communicate directly, and have a much higher incidence of lying as compared to persons on the autistic spectrum.

 

NT is believed to be genetic in origin. Autopsies have shown the brain of the neurotypical is typically smaller than that of an autistic individual and may have overdeveloped areas related to social behavior.

How Common Is It?

Tragically, as many as 9625 out of every 10,000 individuals may be neurotypical.

Are There Any Treatments For NT?

There is no known cure for Neurotypical Syndrome.

 

However, many NTs have learned to compensate for their disabilities and interact normally with autistic persons.

DSN-IV (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of 'Normal' Disorders)

Disorders Usually First Evident in Infancy, Childhood, or Adolescence

666.00 Neurotypic Disorder

The essential features constitute a severe form of Invasive Developmental Disorder, with onset in infancy or childhood.

B. Qualitative impairment in verbal and nonverbal communication, and in imaginative activity, as manifested by the following:(The numbered items are arranged so that those first listed are more likely to apply to younger or more handicapped, and the later ones, to older or less handicapped, persons with this disorder.)

(1) blatent overuse of all modes of communication, such as communicative babbling, facial expression, gesture, mime, or spoken language

(2) markedly abnormal nonverbal communication, as in the use of eye-to- eye gaze, facial expression, body posture, or gestures to initiate or modulate social interaction (e.g., anticipates and enjoys being held, does not stiffens when held, constantly looks at the other person or smiles when making a social approach, compulsively greets parents or visitors,insists on invasively stares into the eyes of others in social situations)

(3) excessive imaginative irrelevant activity, such as playacting of adult roles, fantasy characters, or animals, lack of interest in computers or other logical fullfilling pastimes

(4) marked abnormalities in the production of speech, including volume, pitch, stress, rate, rhythm, and intonation (e.g., gregarious grandious tone, overly emotional or syrupy melody, or overcontrolled pitch)

(5) marked abnormalities in the form or content of speech, including stereotyped and repetitive use of speech (e.g., immediate mindless or mechanical repetition of NT peers' latest 'in' or catch phrases) (e.g., "whatever" to mean "I am saying I disagree with you but I want you to be upset by my saying so in this way"); idiosyncratic use of words of phrases (e.g., "are you dissing me?" to mean "don't disrespect me"); or frequent irrelevant remarks (e.g., starts talking about the behavour of autistics at a table nearby during a meal at a restaurant)

(6) marked impairment in the ability to refrain from initiating a conversation or once initated to sustain a full thought during conversation with others, despite adequate speech (e.g., unable to stay ontopic/on thought due to the interjections from other Neurotypics)

C. Markedly restricted repertoire of activities and interests, as manifested by the following:

(1) inability or lack of understanding for or interest in stereotyped body movements, e.g., hand-flicking or -twisting, spinning, head-banging (except for during certain types of rock concerts), complex whole-body movements

(5) markedly restricted range of interest and a preoccupation with one narrow interest, e.g., interested only in status quo climbing, impressing friends, or in pretending to be smarter or better than they are.


Added by Luke Setzer
on 3/10, 1:15pm

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