Autism Is Not a Superpower

Autism is not a superpower. It may be a good image for a poster, but it is not reality. Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulty in social interaction and communication and by restricted or repetitive patterns of thought and behavior. Does that sound like a superhuman, superior power to you? 

Superpowers do things like allow people to fly, become invisible, have superhuman strength, heal themselves, teleport, etc. Superpowers don't tear families apart. They don't make you contemplate whether life is worth living. They don't make little kids self-injure or hurt those they love. Superpowers don't keep people from being able to care for themselves. They don't cause adults to wear diapers forever. They don't keep children from communicating with their parents.

The term "neurodiversity" makes me crazy. Kids with autism are not just born different. They have to acquire a diagnosis which then requires treatment. That is not something to celebrate. Bring awareness? Sure, absolutely. But not celebrate that your child has a medical condition. That would be like throwing a party because your child was diagnosed with diabetes. If they were simply different then hundreds of thousands of parents wouldn't be struggling to catch them up to their peers. Kids are recovering from autism all over the world, but doctors are still telling parents it just is what it is. It is how they were born. Instead of solving the problem, they are celebrating it. 

By all means, I celebrate all of my children's individual gifts, strengths, and achievements no matter what that looks like for them. But I will not celebrate autism. Autism has brought a level of pain and suffering to our life that I would not wish on anyone. It is not a superpower. If thinking that is what helps you sleep at night, that's fine. You do you. In my house we don't celebrate autism, we overcome it.




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