While identifying the genetic causes of autism is an exciting prospect for researchers and parents alike, some people with the disorder worry that too much knowledge could make them part of a dying breed.

The concern, self-advocates say, is that research could produce a genetic test for autism leading some parents to choose not to have babies likely to have the disorder. This scenario is currently playing out with parents who learn their babies are likely to have Down syndrome, for example.

But autism represents a large spectrum and those like Ari Ne’eman, founder of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, are on a mission to show the world that autism isn’t a bad thing that must be cured.

While Ne’eman doesn’t oppose genetic research, he worries that the information uncovered will lead people down a slippery slope. And, he says that in the process of researching the disorder scientists and many advocates are sending a message to people living with autism that they are not wanted, reports Newsweek. To read more click here.

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