Autism has a combination of traits, some of which are negative and some of which are just differences. It is good to want to remove an autistic person's negative characteristics,
but other traits which are really only differences should be respected as they are. It is therefore important to distinguish between the negative characteristics that should be
removed and the characteristics which are differences which should not be removed.
The following are characteristics which should be changed in an autistic person:
Self-injurous behavior
Physical aggression towards others
Sensory issues which significantly interfere with the autistic person's life
Inability to communicate with others
Inability to make friends if and only if the autistic person has expressed the desire to have friends
The following are characteristics which should not be changed in an autistic person:
Awkward and unusual behavior or "quirkiness"
Interests which differ from a "normal" person's interests
Inability to make friends if and only if the autistic person has not expressed the desire to have friends
Autism has a combination of traits, some of which are negative and some of which are just differences. It is good to want to remove an autistic person's negative characteristics,
but other traits which are really only differences should be respected as they are. It is therefore important to distinguish between the negative characteristics that should be
removed and the characteristics which are differences which should not be removed.
The following are characteristics which should be changed in an autistic person: