While echoing the positive reaction to the new autistic Sesame Street character and the call for more research into language difficulties in autism, I object to the assumptions inherent in Professor Boucher’s remark that people with “high functioning” autism (how she defines that is not stated in the published letter) can make a contribution to academia and “for these people” it is possible that a high quality of life can be achieved (Letters, 24 March). This intimates that for autistic people not deemed to be “high functioning” the quality of life is impaired and their value to society diminished. My son is probably not what Professor Boucher would classify as “high functioning”. He has no verbal speech – although he does have language – and he has other difficulties which limit some areas of academic learning. Despite this, he has an excellent quality of life and contributes positively to the lives and mental well-being of all who know him. There is not an “unanswerable case for the value of people with high-functioning autism to society”. There is an unanswerable case for the value of all people with autism to society. Or how about just “all people”?
Dr Nikki de Taranto
London
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