Aspies For Freedom

Adhoc?? How is it ad hoc?? did harmon put that in? It IS a human rights movement

no mention of AFF

Hmm
  That name sound sooo familiar. who is that?

  WOW we actually got a point across!!

Curebies ??? never heard it!!!

I believe I mentioned something along these lines in my protest diary. I knew this what they would say.

This quote is priceless!! and she is not alone. sadly

So what is wrong with mickey mouse custome??Overreaction, if u ask me.

The dispute extends even to the basic terminology of autism.

Dear god!! the mental burden of being ill will severely hurt those poor kids.

Curebies ??? never heard it!!!

You really need to keep up with the times TheASman:



:lol:

:lol: Curebies!

:!: Mich :?:

No Bravo for us!!!

http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/a0034985.cfm

December 21, 2004

Autism Promoted as 'Way of Life'
by Steve Jordahl, correspondent

New thinking on the disease prompts concern among some psychologists.

Some advocates for the autistic community are trying to redefine the condition as merely an alternate form of brain-wiring—prompting concern from some in the psychiatric field.

A group calling itself Autistic Strength, Purpose and Independence in Education (ASPIE) wants the world, and those who are affected, to see autism not as a disease, but as a way of life.

"What we like to do is be able to emphasize and really celebrate what their strengths are and work with what their weaknesses are," explained ASPIE's Valerie Paradiz.

Her group's approach, she added, has been successful in cases of mild autism but would not be effective in more severe cases.

Nonetheless, with studies showing that early diagnosis and treatment are often very successful in curbing the disorder, Focus on the Family Vice President and Psychologist in Residence Bill Maier said ASPIE's agenda could be troubling.

"If this form of advocacy in any way, shape, or form causes parents to ignore or shy away from the help that we know is available," he said, "I believe that their child is going to suffer."

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/22/opinio...oref=login


December 22, 2004
Treating Autism, and Accepting It (6 Letters)


To the Editor:

Re "How About Not 'Curing' Us, Some Autistics Are Pleading" (front page, Dec. 20):

As the mother of a child who recovered from autism through intensive behavioral treatment, I respect that individual differences and the need for treatment are not mutually exclusive.

The article highlighted the school of thought that people with autism should not be treated because their autism is what makes them special.

Everyone, no matter who, should be respected and appreciated for his or her uniqueness. Parents of children with autism want most of the same things as parents of typical children. They want the best for them: to help their children get along in the world, to communicate, interact and to make friends.

Treatment is not the enemy. Treatment for autism can be seen as the equivalent of schooling for the typical child. Both can help children achieve their full potential by identifying and nurturing core strengths and individual differences.

Why shouldn't children with autism have the same opportunities to learn and grow as typical children?

Karen Siff Exkorn
Sparkill, N.Y., Dec. 20, 2004
The writer is the author of a forthcoming book about autism.

•

To the Editor:

As the mother of a young autistic adult, I thank you for acknowledging the pro-autistic point of view. Understanding and acceptance of our kids is a long way down the road, but I look forward to the day they will be welcome to live in the world as autistic people.

Anne Bevington
Pacifica, Calif., Dec. 20, 2004

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To the Editor:

It is so exciting to see in print that maybe autism is not a plague to be stamped out. My son is not a plague or a tragedy; he's a great kid with a good sense of humor and an awesome knowledge of old movies. What really needs to be fixed is how the world looks at autism.

Jeanine Kelly
Chester, Va., Dec. 20, 2004

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To the Editor:

I am 13 years old. I am autistic. My parents did an A.B.A. (Applied Behavior Analysis) program. I am glad I can talk. I can say how I feel. I've been to London. I can talk about what I want to talk about. I am interested in politics. I can talk about politics. I did three years of treatment before A.B.A. I could not talk before I had A.B.A.

Aaron B. Epelbaum
Brooklyn, Dec. 20, 2004

•

To the Editor:

Autism, perhaps more than many other diagnoses, presents a broad range of manifestations, and one treatment (or nontreatment) does not fit all. Your article glosses over this fact and could be misinterpreted as making a case for not investigating the etiologies of autism or possible treatments (for those who need to be treated).

As a doctor who cares for many patients with autism and as the uncle of an autistic nephew, I know that the research needs to be done to help many of my patients and my nephew reach their full potential.

Gary Mirkin, M.D.
Great Neck, N.Y., Dec. 20, 2004

•

To the Editor:

As the parent of a 13-year-old son with autism and as the friend of many families of children with various types of autism, I can say the experiences cited bear little resemblance to the reality faced by most.

One of the hallmarks of autism is the lack of self-awareness, social cognition and behavioral flexibility.

The self-awareness of those representatives of the "autistic liberation movement" you interviewed is something parents and caretakers of children with autism could only wish for.

There are no treatments that change whatever the root causes of autism may be. Nor are there ways of changing the world to make it kinder to our children. What we can and must do is to use proven and humane therapies like Applied Behavior Analysis and encourage research into other treatment methods.

David Schwartz
Spring, Tex., Dec. 20, 2004

I have seen this false arguement before.,  What is the most effective counter arguement? I have seen several. I believe for the majority of NTs  
this would be very persuasive since they dont have all the facts

Stella

I understand your sentiment but harmon is NOT the villain!!! She is an impartial 3rd party observer. She is a journalist. We will never achieve anything unless we can be civil with the reporters.

I think that while stella a valued member of AFF is entitled to her opinion, Amy harmon should know that  I think AFF as a whole values her journalistic integrity and her basic decency in the manner with which she interacts with us.  Her coverage is balanced on the whole and is appreciated

Yes they already have!! and will continue to do so in the future

I think some of the parents will claim we don't have ASD as a way of neutralizing our criticism.

To the Editor:

Re "How About Not 'Curing' Us, Some Autistics Are Pleading" (front page, Dec. 20):

I know of few people with autism who are as verbally adept as those quoted in the article. Most people with autism are more severely affected.

My children developed normally in infancy and then stopped talking or looking at us by age 2. Emily had continuous tantrums, self-injurious behavior and sleepless nights as she descended into the world of autism.

Most parents I know would clearly consider autism a disorder as opposed to a trendy diagnosis. My son would not be speaking or dressing if we had not started intensive therapy, which lasted several years.

I don't care if people with Asperger's syndrome want to remain different. I just don't them to keep children with real autism from getting needed help.

Kit Weintraub
Monroe, Wis., Dec. 20, 2004

From: link

So we are just faking it then?

Being Verbal is not a necessarity look at sign language.

Also Everyone here  including Amy never said nor implied that LFA should not be helped. But I believe our point is a child when he or she is autistic they will remain autistic.

Bonnie

Have you tried to pursue your interests under the crush of a 40+ hour work week that leaves you tired. Rent or mortgage/property is always due therefore u must work. If you bought your house and paid it off you must pay yearly taxes which is nothing more than rent to the modern day equivalent of land barons from the feudal era. You dont really own it. YOU MUST WORK!! you are never free to pursue passions unless wealthy.  a minority can get paid for their passion

no not at all

I'm not sure exactly what I'd say in that case kim, I'm a self-dx'd Aspie and mother of a HFA son that was by all means LFA before he was dx'd stated by a few therapists (speech, occupational, etc). We have never done ABA, Floortime, RDI or the other therapies and interventions like biomedical that most parents seem to go towards like a bugs to a light. The only therapies my son receives (I'm in Canada) and will receive is Speech and Occupational therapy as well as using ProEFA (essential fatty acids in form of fish oil to help with apraxia, a neurological speech disorder) by my choice. I've done my research into ABA and other therapies/interventions and didn't feel it would do my son the most benefit and found most failed to provide any real 'outcomes' study from them. Lovaas studied several children, and claimed some were recovered, why don't we hear anything about them as adults? Yes we all want the best for our children and some kids 'seem' to benefit from some of the therapies, but people forget, autism is neurological and likely 90%+ genetic-based, 'recovery' and 'cures' are for diseases, not for the essential differences in one's neurological makeup and overall being.

My son is going to be 4 in February. As an infant he would have likely been labelled severely autistic and low functioning, he is now considered moderately autistic and high functioning. The only real help he's had that made any difference between what functioning he had and all back 2 yrs ago and what he has now, is my understanding, my love and acceptance of his differences, and 2 days a week at a regular preschool with other NT children that seem to not really care much that he is different, he tries to communicate with them, back at 34 months (Dec. 2003) he had one word, "Wow." At 46 months (Dec. 2004), he is speaking in full sentences, even though not always spontaneous, it's vast improvement, most due to the ProEFA started in late July 2004. At 28 months of age, he was at a 4-5 month old infant expressive language level, as well as had a receptive language delay of 6 months, that has closed to low-average for his age (back in June 2004), his expressive language level has likely exceeded the 9-12 months level shown in his speech re-evaluation at 36 months of age. At 30 months, he was 8 months delayed in fine motor skills, at 35 months, he was only 2 months delayed and mainly only in the area of pencil grasp. In Nova Scotia, we didn't have ABA and such readily offered, that whole thing only recently came into effect, I've already expressed my views on the fact that even if it is offered, I don't wish it, whether it uses aversives or not. He has done so much more with me just being for him there as a mother and having a younger brother that is more social and has helped him in many areas of learning. I have worked with him on practicing his pencil grasp and drawing as well as helped him with his speech. I've sat on his level and enjoyed him for who he is and in the long run, nothing could ever make me want him 'indistinguishable' or 'normal', I always knew I was different growing up but I learned to adapt in some ways to help myself out and will do the same for my son.

In any therapies in any situation be in a child on the autism spectrum or ones in other areas of developmental delays or difficulties, not every therapy works for every child. ABA isn't the best therapy for every situation, neither is RDI or whatever. Playing and loving your child and accepting the differences so that child doesn't think that their parents are just out there to 'fix' their problems is what is needed. People act like children as young as 3 or 4 don't understand what people are doing with them... they do, they can just as easily develop a low self-esteem if they feel like all they do is present a problem to others.

I dont think it matters if a word is real or made up, all words were made up at some point, and if it helps someone to put their idea across, then why not.
Diffability is a new word for instance, some people like it.

Lewis Carroll made words up, brillig!