There is no doubt that ignorance is always present in large doses when medicine and research is on the cutting edge. We go with past experience which is not a very good guide but all that we can rely upon as we forge forward. Autism will get more media coverage. more research dollars will get dedicated to this area and eventually people will develop better ways of dealing with people who are affected. It is already quite clear that autism is a grab bag and that individuals are affected to different degrees by this condition. Change a society's outlook on something takes time and money. Ask the schizphrenics, as those afflicted with AIDS, ask women. The first case of child abuse was prosecuted under laws which applied to domestic animals. There were laws to protect animals but not children. This was less than 100 years ago. We forget that our evolution is not old. We do not know our history and we do not understand how our society functions. This is a great loss and this is why we are led by the nose by our leaders. Information is power and this power will eventually change the situation of autistic individuals. Do not despair.