The message of "mitigating not curing" autism comes from adults who have been through really bad attempts at cures (usually marketed to their parents). Some you

The message of "mitigating not curing" autism comes from adults who have been through really bad attempts at cures (usually marketed to their parents). Some young adults with autism I knew had undergone "applied behavior analysis" that manifested as corporal punishment (being squirted in the eyes with a water bottle; being denied access to the bathroom; being beaten with a stick; having drugs hidden in food) that are completely unacceptable for a child. I truly believe that every person with autism would vastly prefer being able to live independently. Science needs to find a "mechanism of action" for autism before it would be possible to find a "cure", which means people with autism being subjected to medical research. (Have you ever tried to get a person with autism to lie still in a MRI?) In the meantime, the best standard of care is to teach strategies to help them live as independent a life as possible -- and to teach these strategies in a caring and humane way. For what it's worth, psychiatrists are doctors, and therefore covered under the single-payer health care in Canada. If you live in the United States, consider whether moving north could be beneficial for your daughter. (If she has friends at school, though, I would avoid moving her.)