How This Works

Everyone needs not to judge but to love, you never know until you walk in someone else's shoes what their life is. For all those keep pushing and keep fighting to help everyone with autism and those whom are not born yet.......
posted by terry on 4/25/08 4:12: AM

This video is beautiful and everyone should watch it, your daighter is adorable and I wish you the best of luck in the future. I would like to thank Bobby Joe for sharing your thoughts on your autism experience. I am so glad, and proud that you have accepted this and made it into a very positive and amazing way of living your life...however it is not that easy for everyone. I work at a camp for children and adults with a handicap and have seem many people with autism. I know that it is a very frustrating problem to deal with for the person with autism, and for the family. I dont mean to insult you in any way, Bobby joe, but i just want to say that although autism is a good experience for you it is not so good for most people in the spectrum. I have worked with many people who have had problems at school and would do anything to be able to cure there autism. I really look up to you for turning autism into such a postive thing but i just wanted to make a statement that it is not so postive for everyone else. Thank you for being such an inspiration to all autistic people, i wish they all could have the same attitude you have...its just harder for other to think that way.
posted by mary on 4/24/08 9:22: PM

I have an autistic nephew that for many years his autism was hard to deal with for many in my family. Thankfully he has been able to make progress and the effort of awarness has helped many in my family to finally uderstand his disabilities. If we continue to make our voices heard and make others aware only good thing can happen. I truely am blessed to have my nephew in my life and treasure his progress and I am proud to of the courage of so many others dealing and willing to share their stories. May God look down upon you all and bless each and everyone with his love.
posted by Steve on 4/24/08 7:28: PM

give big Nascar does.
posted by Jan Wilson on 4/24/08 2:43: PM

I want to respond to the comments from Bobby Joe, who has autism/aspergers. Thank you for the courage to speak out and ask to be treated first and foremost as a HUMAN BEING. I believe that you are a person who is created in the image of God and who is deeply loved by God. In addition, as a part of the whole human family, you are an important person. I have three sons. One of them, Matthew (age 16), has autism. I find that he does best when we treat him as a person and include him in everything we do as a family. Matthew's name means "gift of God" and he has truly been a gift of God to our family. He has taught us many things about ourselves and taught us how to be better, more loving, more patient people. He has taught us to accept people for who they are, as they are, without conditions. This is not to deny that we have had very difficult times in trying to be good parents for Matthew, in trying to understand how autism impacts him, etc. At the end of the day, though, Bobby Joe, you are right on. Keep speaking your truth to the world. Feel free to call me if you ever want to talk about any of these issues. You can call me at my office: 303-398-6207. I work as a chaplain at The Denver Hospice in Denver, Colorado. Thanks to all who love and support people with autism/aspergers and their families. Many blessings and heartfelt thanks. Kevin Clark
posted by Kevin Clark on 4/24/08 11:21: AM

Thank you so much......for caring!
posted by Mary Ann on 4/24/08 10:10: AM

I have a boy 3 years old. we thought he had autism because he presented some characteristics, but after some evaluations the doctor told us it was only speech delay, any way my point is that even my son is not autistic I know the feeling like a parent, to do not know what to do, how to help him. So my support is for the parents of this lovely kids, they work so hard, the double than any other regular parent.
posted by Carola on 4/24/08 10:09: AM

THANK YOU
posted by Jeffrey J. Remington on 4/24/08 4:21: AM

and I've noticed that it seems no one, other then Jenna, reacted to my message. They're still saying we need to find a cure and saying they want it to stop...Guess they just don't understand. Mary the basic symptoms of Autism are: it being HARDER to read people, it being HARDER to communicate clearly, it being HARDER to make real friends. Basically everything that has to do with socializeing. (I put emphasis on the HARDER because, from what I've seen, it seems people think its impossible)
posted by Bobby Joe on 4/23/08 10:02: PM

Guys, please stop saying you need to find a "cure" I'm happy with my autism. I understand many of your daughters/sons/nephews/brothers have problems, but don't speak for everyone and say "lets wipe out this 'disease'!" Don't generalize. And I'd really like to hear autistic people speak themselves instead of all these people that pity them. I've had/have many of the problems you brought up, Jenna, and they've frusturated me aswell. I've been unable to read people, communicate, be understood, make real friends instead of friendly acquantices, and I'm still working on allot of them, but that doesn't mean I want your pity. Because for a long time I was the one everyone felt sorry before. Saying "Oh you understand this because of your aspergers" or "this is you're aspergers ruining you" and I HATED it. Everyone's pity makes many feel less then human. Like you can't do things on your own. Fortunatly, I've closely observed and analyzed people who have the skills I lack and have been able to fit in better. And I didnt have intensive therapy or anyones help. That's why I'm trying to oppose allot of what people are naively saying. But as an autistic person I understand your brother’s problems and I wish him the best of luck. If he needs someone to talk to about his aspergers I would be more than happy to. It would probably help both of us. I guarantee you talking to him (like he’s a normal person and you’re not worried about him) will help him more then anything.
posted by Bobby Joe on 4/23/08 9:53: PM

My son Zack is 12 (13 in a couple of weeks) he is mid-high functioning autistic. He was not diagnosed until he was 3yrs old. (I was a parent that was told to wait and see what happens) He now is doing very well for his age, he can even talk though he cannot convey thoughts very well. He has been in theropy since he was 3, then it was easier to get help because there were not that many cases, I think only 1 in 10,000 (boy has it increased!). These days it is so hard to get what these children need. There is no cure, so these children need help! Everyone who helps is greatly appreciated.
posted by Sarah on 4/23/08 8:14: AM

This is a wonderful way of trying to help Autism. I am 12. I have a 21 year old brother with a type of Autism. I love him to death hoping that some day he will be able to say "I love you, too!" And say it by himself, without us having to tell him to say it, and I want him to say it to me, and mean it. I keep saying to myself, "It's ok, he's going to get cured any year now." But I have to think, it's too late. But it's not too late for the future Autistic kids. I did a fund-raiser at my school last year. We raised $4,???. I raised it for an orphanage of disabled kids in Bosnia. I hope that everyone will send this to anyone that is willing to help, and I will keep watching this until there's a cure. Please help, for my brother's sake, and all of the other present and future Autistic kids.
posted by Christi on 4/22/08 8:27: PM

Every little bit helps!
posted by Jill on 4/22/08 11:46: AM

AUTISM
posted by brandi on 4/22/08 9:44: AM

Anything to help!
posted by Jennifer Winters on 4/21/08 8:15: PM

Bobby Joe, it's great to hear you have learned to cope with Asperger's as you have. That's wonderful. But please don't be so quick to generalize. My brother Cale is 18 and he also has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. He, however, has trouble coping with the disorder. Cale was diagnosed at a young age and began speech therapy at age 2. Now 16 years later, though he has come a long way, he still struggles to get along. Cale has trouble reading people and often gets his feelings greatly hurt when others don't understand him. He has difficulty making friends, or rather, real friends. He has numerous acquaintances but no one to call up just to hang out. While he is, like you said, very intelligent and does possess an AMAZING memory, he still doesn't seem to live in the "real" world, but rather one of his own. Cale is an 18 year old with the mindset of about a 12 year old. We all love him very much, but it hurts to see his struggles. So Bobby Joe, while you may enjoy your autism, not everyone does. Cale (and I'm sure many others on the Autism Spectrum) years to be "normal" and have people other than his family understand and accept him.
posted by Jenna on 4/21/08 8:05: PM

Yes, it is always sad when a PARENT'S EXPECTATION is not what the child brings us. As parents, we grieve a loss of hopes and dreams, but we learn to love in a different way. I work for an insurance company and there are limits. Our heathcare system is in big trouble. There are no easy answers. Yes, lets look at treatment, but lets first look deeper and attempt to discover why there has been such a huge jump in the number of cases. Could it be related to our horribly toxic food supply? If we want to solve our healthcare problems, lets clean up our food. . .and water. . .and air. It's cumulative.
posted by Toni on 4/21/08 7:58: PM

WOW , to have a world where EVERYONE truly cared about each other !! If one of my biggest worries didn't have to be , whether my son were accepted for being the wonderful person "I" KNOW he is , yet MOST folks out there aren't accepting of ANYTHING different !!!! We are ALL apart of the same world , and it would be great to make it the best world ever - for all of us....GOOD LUCK !!!The luckiest momma in the world , Cynthia
posted by cynthia on 4/21/08 7:57: PM

Thanks for sharing the beautiful pages. My oldest son whose is eleven and half years old was diagnosed over eight years. You just one day at a time, remember the whole smiles, the little words if any, and just keeping loving your child every day. Just don't forget your other children and spouse. Autism is here but each day is a miracle whether it is a big or small one. Please take the time to donate, you never know how close of a connection you may have !!
posted by shari on 4/21/08 7:55: PM

Great PSA
posted by A. Ottinger on 4/21/08 5:50: PM