Dawn Adams
Endowed Chair in Autism Research in the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre at La Trobe University
The suggestion of using leucovorin to 'treat' autism is worrying. Firstly, because the research in this area is poor quality and not at the level that we would expect when making recommendations for approvals. It is also worrying because such statements impact how people understand and perceive autism.
Autism is not something that needs treating or to be cured, it’s a neurodevelopmental difference. When we frame it as a condition that needs 'fixing', we risk adding to the stigma autistic people already face.
What really makes a difference for autistic people is the right supports: inclusive classrooms, workplaces that adapt to needs, communities that understand communication and sensory differences, and policies shaped by good-quality research. These are the things that help autistic people thrive and the things that governments have the opportunity to create.
Autistic people don’t need treatments or cures. They need a world that accepts and values them for who they are.