[quote=bravesj858]
http://www.cbs news.c om/sto ries/2 008/04/0 2/ea rlyshow/he alth/main3988 928.shtml
here's something, show me a child that doesn't require 100% attention growing up. oh wait, these people think nt children are perfect little angels that can take care of themselves and that the parents can do whatever they want and treat the child as a trophy and go about their high power careers. they also treat their children as a checklist, listing off things needed to do instead of adjusting themselves to the child. sounds like yuppie life.
Braves j858 - I so agree with what you said above. The poor regular, average folks are sure having a tough time of it- the hamster wheel has dulled htere senses ... I feel that is what ills society these days. I feel bad for some of the kids stcuk in mainstream .. no freedom for them at all.
Interestingly enough, the psychiatrist at the Aspie clinic had a point about the diagnosis of Autism which I had never considered. He mentioned that often times people in lower socio-economic groups have children with issues of some kind, whatever they may be, and they seek help from the "Regional Centers" here in the US (which help people who have mental issues, I believe - to be honest I have not researched it enough to say exactly what their role is). In order to get all of the funding for care for these kids, they must attach a diagnosis to their issues, and the easy diagnosis is often Autism. He said that may play a part in why there are so many diagnoses of Autism as of late.
I have had a very difficult time in finding information and/or assistance for my husband, even people who would see and diagnose him (which was what he wanted). We had to go out of town and pay out of our own pocket before I could find someone that would work with an adult Autistic. The information about Asperger's and Autism in adults is much less prevalent, like you "grow out of it" or something. Drives me MAD!
Interestingly enough, the psychiatrist at the Aspie clinic had a point about the diagnosis of Autism which I had never considered. He mentioned that often times people in lower socio-economic groups have children with issues of some kind, whatever they may be, and they seek help from the "Regional Centers" here in the US (which help people who have mental issues, I believe - to be honest I have not researched it enough to say exactly what their role is). In order to get all of the funding for care for these kids, they must attach a diagnosis to their issues, and the easy diagnosis is often Autism. He said that may play a part in why there are so many diagnoses of Autism as of late.
I have had a very difficult time in finding information and/or assistance for my husband, even people who would see and diagnose him (which was what he wanted). We had to go out of town and pay out of our own pocket before I could find someone that would work with an adult Autistic. The information about Asperger's and Autism in adults is much less prevalent, like you "grow out of it" or something. Drives me MAD!
The Regional Centers in the US are run by the government, so government funding rules apply, as does government bureaucracy. Legally, the Regional Centers can only help those of low IQ, I believe it's IQ lower than 65 or 70. Since autistics are presumed to have low IQ, many times parents of "troubled kids" will push for an autism diagnosis just so the kid is classified as low IQ and thus eligible for help.
RC docs are all too willing to hand out autism diagnoses, since then the kids are in the system and the RC gets funding for the kid. Since medical care is so hard to get in the US, the only option for even middle class parents is the RC, so the parents are willing to let the kid be diagnosed with whatever the docs want to so that they can get medical assistance for the child.
I'm convinced that the "my heart broke when they diagnosed him with autism" wailing is in large part coached by groups such as Autism Squawks that the parents turn to for medical help only to be exploited to further an agenda. Most of these parents are not too smart themselves, and are vulnerable to false memories and coaching. The whole root is really a ruined health care system and kids who act out because the parents are not stable, on drugs, or something similar.
It affects some 500,000 American children, at an estimated annual cost of $35 billion.
That's seventy grand a kid. I wonder how much is going on chelation, crystals and witch-doctors?
I wonder where they get these numbers. I wonder how much of the $35 billion is spent by the government on bureaucracy and special education. I suppose that some people, when told "your kid has a dreaded disease with no cause and no cure that will disable him for life" will automatically seek out the witch-doctor contingent in a desperate search for answers. Sufferers of terminal cancer also tend to put total faith in witch doctors, and end up just as dead, only with massive debt for their families to deal with.
I think the worst of the witch doctors are Defeat Autism Now!, who also tend to be the most militant. DAN has its own doctor network, and the docs try chelation, biomed, and other "approved" treatments for kids of desperate parents. The parents will argue endlessly on Autism Squawks webboard over which witchypoo treatment is the best one, with the discussions getting quite heated and parents calling each other names. Wheat and dairy free diets help some kids (digestive problems are common among a certain type of autie) but not all.
You know, from what the last couple of posts touched on, it occurs to me that, kids being, possibly, diagnosed ipurposefully incorrectly, may be why the school my john is going to is not as learned as they have let on to be. They old us repeatedly that they have alot of experience with aspergers in "this school", and yet they can't get a handle on the most basic premises, of sensory overload, issues occuring during unstructured/unsupervised lunch line, gym, change of classes - Not only that, they keep trying to talk to him thereby disrupting his routine. Bizarro land!
My point was they "think" they have dealt with spectrum kids, but maybe they haven't. I know of one kid, (small town) that used to go there, with aspergers, a neighbors kid, (great kid) and he was so opposite my john. He was a total math and technology whiz, spoke with a kind of a monotone voice and therefore he seemed not to have much of a sense of humor. John on hte other hand has a huge problem with math concepts (slow working memory) gets his younger brother to type for him and log on to the computer etc., (I think someday he'll learn to type more quickly). john is also one of the most clever and witty people I have ever encountered as far as his snese of humor etc., SO I think they tried to enact a program based on a combination of a brillian math wiz and kids that don't have any sensory issues... Perhaps....
Adults with autism are considered an inconvenience, I think, for a couple of reasons...
1. There are those of us who are independent and get by OK, disproving all the dire predictions that the slightest touch of autism automatically dooms a child to a life of dependence and only a million hours of therapy before the age of three will save them.
2. There are those of us who are 40, 50, 60, 70 years old, who fly in the face of the panic-merchants trying to prove that autism is a very recent trend caused by modern vaccines, too much processed food, computer games, television, or whatever's fashionable this week.
3. We exist. Why does there seem to be quite a common mindset that ADD, Aspergers etc disappear when a kid reaches adulthood, and whatever was causing them trouble at school will miraculously not be a problem any more once they move on to uni or work?
i had doom and gloom predictions made about me (i wasn't going to graduate high school, life of dependency, blah blah, and this was in the late 80's), and didn't have a million hours of aba before three and turned out fine (college graduate, and over time, seen as somewhat 'normal). glad i was raised before the autism speaks nonsense went mainstream, probably would have made things worse.
something else that has been bothering me about the article. they say earlier in the article, that half a million kids in america are autistic (implying autistic adults don't exist), then later say autism lasts a lifetime. so what is it, do autistic adults exist or not, because it's a yes and no answer in this article. either that, or all the autistic children all live in institutions when they turn 18 according to them.
bravesj858,
When we turn 18, we're on our own... 
There's not really any charity money to be made in talking about the plight of autistic *adults* - we're not cute and adorable like the kids - so we get bupkis...
I went through my youthful life without being diagnosed as autistic (I wasn't officially diagnosed until I was 31, although I'd been diagnosed as 'hyperactive' when I was about 4). My experiences with school - social ineptness, bullying, etc. - were almost *exactly* the same as anyone here who *was* known to be autistic as they were growing up, though.
-BobB
The trouble is, (in my opinion) with the schools. The environment at schools has been slowly but surely, incrementally coarsening along with the culture of each country to the point of decompisition. Literally, some schools just have too much rot in the core, in how they are set up, in how they are managed. Alot of kids with ASD can not, without, a whole bunch, or a few, so called interventions and modifications (and even with them) they cannot handle the garbage. The rot has (in my opinion) reached a critical mass and that is showing up with the, (excuse the metaphor, canary in the coal mine) ASD kids. Now it looks like an epidemic, it has caught up to us all. The **** is hitting the fan. Garbage in, garbage out. You reap what you sow.. (sorry if this sounds angry, it isn't) This is my opnion about the state of my part of the country - in the USA, in NJ) Where 1 in 115 kids not 1 in 150 are " diagnosed" now. The # is higher if you are a boy...
Also, bullys were always around, but (the US) we, are such a litigious society now, that the school administrators and school boards, are afraid to discipline the "bullys" or to draw attention to the "epidemic" of bullys, (with their rich parents who may sue) or, afraid to have to pay for the bullys being relocated into better programs to teach THEM not to act badly. So blame the ASD kids who expect rules to be followed, like my son, expect that people "should be" kind to one another and not push each other arund in hallways. (Mind you, so far John has been blameless and they can't pin anything on him). But, the people running the schools are tired and inept at handling the spoiled kids who have rarely been disciplined at home and shirk that as their responsibility. No one is responsible any more. Yet they will focus on the FEW kids, in every minute detail, ignoring the many. Anybody know what I mean? The trouble with schools has reached "epidemic" proportions! (in my opinion)
for those that don't want to give the wrongs more web traffic, here's the pukeriffic article.
(CBS) Despite the explosion in awareness of autism due to heightened media attention, and the skyrocketing number and percentage of children diagnosed with it, progress against the disorder itself hasn't been keeping pace, experts say.
It affects some 500,000 American children, at an estimated annual cost of $35 billion.
CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook says autism has a spectrum of symptoms, including problems with communication, social interaction, and behavior. Symptoms begin before age 3 and last a lifetime. There is no cure.
"This is an epidemic," developmental pediatrician Dr. Cecelia McCarton told LaPook. "You have one out of 150 children being diagnosed with autism. With boys alone there's one out of 94 being diagnosed with it."
LaPook also spoke with a number of parents of kids with autism about the overwhelming emotional and financial impact on their families.
But parents and experts say increased awareness of autism hasn't translated into better treatment and support.
"On a scale of one-to-ten," LaPook asked McCarton, "how well are we doing in treating autism?"
"I think we're at a two," she replied. "Maybe inching toward three."
Parents point to long waiting lists at schools specializing in helping kids with autism, and enormous costs associated with getting their children the support they need, as particular concerns.
And, they tell LaPook, their kids' autism dominates their consciousness, taking a heavy emotional toll.
To see LaPook's report, click here.
General Electric Vice Chairman Bob Wright and his wife Suzanne spoke with Early Show co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez on World Autism Awareness Day Wednesday.
They started Autism Speaks, one of the leading global autism advocacy and research organizations, after their grandson was diagnosed with the disorder.
Autism Speaks played a key role in designating the day, with the United Nations.
The key is "just to keep spreading the word" about autism, Bob said. "It needs so much awareness. This is the first global building step."
Suzanne says improved diagnosis alone can't account for the vast rise in the number and percentage of kids with autism. "Something is going on," she said.
The numbers, Bob, said, are "just staggering."
That is a horrid article.
Here's a just as horrid Sqeaks vid from the 'tubes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwq3LtPWm5k
[New Jersey is an odd case. I heard that their numbers were higher than the average because parents from other states were gravitating there to get access to better services. It's in New Jersey that they have the strictest adherence laws to vaccinations (perhaps too strict to some). So who knows?
[/quote]
Timelord, I'm surprised that you mentions vaccinations. The general consensus on this forum seem to deny any relationship exists - which may well be true. I believe that the timing of johns vaccinationsm his MMR in particular, interupted his development. Whereas, there are definite genetic markers throughout mine and my husbands families, the timing of the outer influence was the trigger. The chemcials entered johns predisposed to be sensitive body and blocked his energy flow. We are a homepathic family, so we unblocked him as soon as we could and now he is developming noramlly. He is ASD, but after his MMR and for about 2 years he was fully autistic. Just our experiences... And as far as school goes, NJ spends a ton of money, ane has a ton of money and people move into my town to get special services. I am not pleased with the management, they tolerate too much from the "regular" kids and don't tolerate enough of the so called "special" ones...
I meant to say homeopathic.. and now he is developing normally for an ASD person. The person he is supposed to be.
That is a horrid article.
Here's a just as horrid Sqeaks vid from the 'tubes. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch">http://www.youtube.com/watch</a>?v=Xwq3LtPWm5k
Of course, they disabled comments, to prevent anyone from trying to give a more balanced view.
Here's a just as horrid Sqeaks vid from the 'tubes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwq3LtPWm5k
Will,
Notice that - unlike "Autism Every Day" - all the children are happy and smiling and playing.
Note that at about 1:55, they say they want "A world that doesn't judge an individual with autism".
And where should *that* start, Autism Speaks???
Also note that at 2:02, the song's lyric is "Be careful what you wish for", and a couple seconds later, the caption is, "Autism Speaks wants a world where autism is a word in the history books."
Savor the irony; Autism Speaks *should* be careful what they wish for...
And *I* want a world where "Autism Speaks" is a word in the history books!!! 
-BobB
Skweek....... Sqwak... Skwak...