Is it a miracle, or were Toni Braxton’s words misunderstood? This week in an interview with Access Hollywood, Braxton said her son Diezel no longer shows signs of being autistic.
She said, “Our lives have changed. He has no signs of autism. He’s our social butterfly… I’m very, very fortunate… He’s doing pretty wonderful. I’m pretty proud of him,” she said. “I’m one of the lucky parents. Early diagnosis changes everything,” she continued. “(Autism activist) Suzanne Wright, who unfortunately just passed, she called me immediately and said, ‘Get him in this program, do this, do that.’ She’s been an advocate and helped me so much; I miss her already, I can’t believe she’s gone,” Toni said.
Great to hear he’s improved! But many people took her words to mean her son was cured, however, autism is supposed to be a non-curable disorder. According to Inverse.com, Diezel is most likely not cured per se, rather, he’s on a different spectrum. They write:
“Autism and autism spectrum disorder are terms referring to a group of brain development disorders whose symptoms — which can include intellectual disability, problems with social interactions, and repetitive behaviors, among others — generally show up around age 2 or 3. With an early diagnosis and the right interventions, these behaviors can be curbed, allowing autistic individuals to manage their disabilities. But autism is a disorder, not a disease that can be cured.
…It’s fair to say that what Braxton most likely meant in her interview was that her son’s behavioral therapy had reduced his symptoms to a negligible level, allowing him to function as an average human being.”
Either way, it’s good news!
