Is Autism A Disorder Or A Difference to Be Celebrated? Take the 2023 PBS Survey: https://to.pbs.org/pbssurvey2023edition What If You Take ADHD Drugs But You Don’t Have ADHD? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_49BC6_UUg SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a video! https://bit.ly/3tNKzhV And follow us on Instagram and Twitter https://www.instagram.com/abovethenoi… https://twitter.com/ATN_PBS *What is autism?* If you look up the definition of autism, you’ll get something like this: autism is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain that can affect how people behave, communicate, interact, and learn. The OFFICIAL diagnosis goes by ASD – Autism Spectrum Disorder. But, there’s no one look or symptom you can point to and decree – this person has autism! It exists on a spectrum, meaning it shows up differently depending on the person. *What is neurodiversity?* The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that everyone’s brain develops in a unique way. That’s how we get the concept of neurodiversity, which is the idea that there is no one, universally accepted definition of what a “normal” brain is. It basically focuses on how the kinds of behaviors we consider “normal” vary depending on the culture we live in. When someone behaves as expected by their society, they can be considered neurotypical. Most of society is built around how neurotypicals go about their day. But as I’m sure you know, there are tons of people who don’t fit in with how society expects them to be. This includes many people with brain-base disabilities like autism, ADHD, Tourette’s – the list goes on. Many of them consider themselves neurodivergent. *What is the difference between the medical model of disability and the social model?* Most disabilities have historically been viewed through the lens of the medical model. Using this view, a disability is something that needs to be fixed or cured. Like, if someone needs to get into a building, but that person is in a wheelchair, they need to adapt in order to get up the stairs to get through the door. The social model, on the other hand, focuses more on how the environment can be adapted to better fit the person. Using this model, you would build a ramp, so the person in a wheelchair could get into the building. SOURCES Autism spectrum disorder https://www.nature.com/articles/s41572-020-0146-4 The Myth of the Normal Brain: Embracing Neurodiversity https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/myth-normal-brain-embracing-neurodiversity/2015-04 Why the focus of autism research is shifting away from searching for a 'cure' https://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/cure-autism-not-so-fast-n1055921 Clearing Up Some Misconceptions about Neurodiversity https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/clearing-up-some-misconceptions-about-neurodiversity/ History of autism. The beginnings. Collusions or serendipity chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1244751.pdf It’s time we dispelled these myths about autism https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20151006-its-time-we-dispelled-these-myths-about-autism The Vaccine-Autism Myth Started 20 Years Ago. https://time.com/5175704/andrew-wakefield-vaccine-autism/ About KQED KQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. An NPR and PBS member station based in San Francisco, KQED is home to one of the most listened-to public radio stations in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services, and an award-winning education program helping students and educators thrive in 21st-century classrooms. Funding for KQED’s education services is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Koret Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the AT&T Foundation, the Crescent Porter Hale Foundation, the Silver Giving Foundation, Campaign 21 donors, and members of KQED. CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 0:59 The Concept of Neurodiversity 2:12 Neurodivergent vs Neurotypical 5:33 History of Autism 7:12 Medical Model vs Social Model #autism