User:Caroline Ward-Goldsmith/sandbox

Caroline Ward-Goldsmith is a Psychologist working in Ireland. She specialises in Autism and is a leading advocate for Neurodiversity. Neurodiversity is a concept where neurological differences are to be recognized and respected as any other human variation. These differences can include those labelled with Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Dyscalculia, Autistic Spectrum, Tourette Syndrome, and others. Previously we have been trying to fit neurodiverse people into some preconceived neurotypical frame to 'normalise' them. When what is required is understanding, acceptance and most of all accommodation for their differences. "We would not dream of trying to change left handedness nowadays but once upon a time there was a standard treatment for it, which usually resulted in the children going through their lives not only with the clumsy unnatural feeling of the difficulty of being forced to be right handed but with additional neurological impairments caused to them such as pronounced stuttering."

Caroline has been a practising psychologist for the last 20 years in private practice and has seen hundreds of cases which form the vast experience of the condition from which she was able to advise on the condition for the European Parliament Disability Intergroup Vice-Chair from 2006 - 2009 among others.

Caroline is also a parent of a child with Asperger's and like many researchers and practitioners before her it was this determination to do the best for her son which has underpinned her drive in the field to fight for better understanding of the condition.

Understanding Autism and Neurodiversity

Understanding of Autism and Neurodiversity has grown considerably since Caroline was starting off way back in the 1980's and like many people of the time she was caught up in the vaccines debates and biomedical movement of the times. speaking recently at a parents group she said "We have to be open to change our ideas as scientists and however cosy or comfortable our position is we have to be able to embrace new knowledge and new understanding" Caroline now firmly believes that researchers, practitioners and parents have to adapt to new advances in genetics, epigenetics and biosciences to fully understand Neurodiversity.

Seeking a Cure for Autism

The historical thinking had been to seek a 'cure' when parents were faced with children who found it so hard to connect with the world and thought that they were in pain and suffering, which is understandable when looking at the situation from the negatives point of view, viewing neurodiversity as a deficit and being surrounded by professionals who would be advocating the best 'normalisation' of the child. Some interventions were more successful than others and it would appear now that some children did benefit from behavioural interventions that taught them to cope with sensory issues and relieved other symptoms such as digestive troubles. However those things should be viewed as additional issues and not what had caused the Autism. The children may have been more comfortable or less stressed but they were still Autistic if Autism was what they truly had to start with, considering misdiagnosis which is a factor also.

Silicone Valley and Autistics

The children from the 80's and 90's grew up in the new computer age and it was here that they would find their area of dominance in the world. Computers were logical and easy to understand and didn't keep changing their minds, expressions and re-interpreting themselves like people so they found them predictable and hence safe. Silicone valley is the most fitting tribute to what Autistics quietly got on with and built. The world must realise if all the computer geniuses were 'cured' who could take their place.

Historical stance re vaccines and biomedical movement

Vaccines entered the arena of autism back in the 1980's with links being cited from vaccine ingredients and vaccine mechanisms. The ingredients debate focused on heavy metal poisoning from Thimerasol a mercury derived preservative used in vaccines. The mechanisms debate centered on the findings of one of the most famous controversies in modern times which linked the triple vaccine for Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) to autism.

Female Aspergers

Quietly sitting aside and often content to watch the boys running around, being much more free to display unacceptable behaviour the little girls of the 70's 80's and 90's were steeped in an anxiety they found hard to share or express. Now grown up to accomplished young women we see more and more older females coming for diagnosis 'just to know' and understand that there is a name and term for how they feel and how they have grown up. Often the realisation is a freedom in itself that there is nothing wrong with them they are just Neurodiverse.