Marie Myung-Ok Lee wrote a very nice piece about the politics of autism in Salon. She’s the parent of a severely autistic child. She says with all the attention paid to higher functioning autistic types, people forget about the families who are struggling with kids with severe needs.

Autism is often described as a spectrum. On one end, there are quirky, brilliant people who hold fabulous jobs and lead successful lives. On the other end, there are people who can’t communicate, who require extensive and expensive services, and who may even be of danger to themselves and others.

I actually think of autism more as a tree. Even those who are higher functioning have very different talents and challenges. But, still, there is no question that some people with autism can successfully navigate the modern world, while others require intensive support for their entire lives.

Lee proposes creating new terminology to separate the extreme ends of the spectrum. She doesn’t want people distracted by the Seinfelds and the Zuckerburgs. In order to really support families like hers, she wants a laser focus on the extreme needs of non-verbal, lower functioning kids. She would like greater awareness of the environmental causes that might be underlying the growth of autism.

I think that’s a mistake. The more people that are in the autistic tent, the more money goes to research and schools. All those cars with puzzle piece bumper stickers benefits kids on both ends of the spectrum. Lower functioning kids and their families need more help. No question about it. I just think that cutting loose half of the autistic population won’t help that cause.