How This Works

Each and every person must understand that each and every case under the Pervasive Developmental Disorder Spectrum is individual. There may be common causes or factors or symptoms. But each is different. And forums like this are not a place to divide and insult people for their opinions. At this particular time I do not think we have the answers yet. If we had the answer we would not be having these discussions. This is a place to come together and support and encourage each other so all can live to the fullest. Please be more kind to each other. Until you walk in our shoes you will never know how it feels. And that is for anything under the sun not just autism.
posted by Cyndi on 8/12/08 5:00: PM

Laura - You have no idea what you are talking about. I was a therapist for years working with these autistic children. They DO NOT WANT to be like this. A 2 year old is so proud of themselves when they can finally respond with a look, you have NO IDEA! It takes months to get that response but once it's learned, it's learned and these children can learn to relate, even if it is with just a look! They are so frustrated that they can't communicate! Thank goodness everyone look at facts and THANKS SO MUCH to influential groups, like FIVE FOR FIGHTING who know the truth and raise awareness to people as ignorant as you and hope for these children.
posted by Heidi on 8/12/08 7:34: AM

Thank you for what you are doing. I am an old granny who had a younger brother diagnosed as 'retarded' & 'brain damaged' back in the early '60's. Not much was known about Autism in those days. Unfortunately, like many Autistic children, he had a special ability, the ability to get out of any locked door, no matter how many locks were on it. He was also extremely hyperactive and completely non-communicative. My mother took a 1 hour nap after he finally fell asleep after constant sleeplessness and when she awoke he was gone and the locked door open. He was found in a swimming pool a few hours later as the police and we were still searching for him. His life might have been spared if he had been properly diagnosed at the time. When I 1st heard about autism, it described my brother to a T. I know that was what he had and should have had treatment instead of wanting us to warehouse him in a mental ward, which my parents, who were at the end of their rope were considering about the time of his death. I pray that diagnoses will come sooner as well as help for all children despite income levels as soon as possible.
posted by prayer warrior on 8/09/08 10:50: PM

Thank you so much for helping open peoples eyes who's lives are not affected by autism. Hopefully this alone can inspire even more people to assist with research and high cost of therapy for sufferers like my little brother. Thank You and God Bless!
posted by Jimmy on 8/08/08 5:44: PM

INVESTIGATE BEFORE YOU VACCINATE. This is what is required in this age where the bond of trust has been broken by the corruption and greed from the various government and private sector groups. You have to be the best advocate for your child. If nothing else always go on with the knowledge that Thimerosal is 49.6% Ethyl Mercury by weight, and mercury in ANY FORM IS THE SECOND MOST TOXIC SUBSTANCE KNOWN TO HUMAN BEINGS ON THE FACE OF THIS PLANET!!! THAT IS A DOCUMENTED FACT!!!
posted by Mark on 8/05/08 9:17: AM

I believe, from the research I have done on the relationship of Vaccines and Autism, that there is a connection, especially with the Pertussis Vaccine, and wish there was more information given to parents before they can truly make an "informed" decision about whether to vaccinate or not vaccinate their children. I am not against Vaccinations, I am against doing so with misinformation or no information given ahead of time. Maddie
posted by Maddie Fiori-Wilcox on 8/03/08 7:42: AM

A moving message indeed! Seems to me that we need more legislation in order to cover the mounting costs for treatment and research. We need to come together as a society to support and encourage the families of people with Autism. Hats off to all of them!
posted by abaad on 8/01/08 8:28: AM

to all, I know I'm going to get negative flack for sharing my point of view. Tis life I guess, I can't make everyone happy. I don't say what I say out of spite or to appear better than anyone else. It's just my hope that some people out there will take what I say to heart and see things a bit less negative then they are made out to be. PS before I get accused: I don't agree with drug treatments either... Just look up Tardive dyskinesia...
posted by MJI on 7/31/08 11:09: PM

Laura, well said. To the parents, pay attention to what you believe. It does make a difference. If you believe your child is suffering from a chronic illness, then your child will suffer too. If you give them encouragement and support them for their unique strengths at the same time discouraging negative behavior, that will build the self confidence that will help them stand up to bullies and have confidence. This may all sound silly to some of you out there, but please take it to heart. It made a difference in my life and helped me get through middle and high school without being bullied. People respected me for my differences because I learned not to think of myself as "wasting away". I am different but no less a person. One thing that will make the difference between whether your child will constantly bullied or not is the amount of confidence they feel towards themselves. So let's start by turning away from the doom and gloom videos like this one and work on the strengths of each person. Here is something I want everyone to read that I wrote in response to those who feel pity for me and others: http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/18411 and my blog: http://detailedthinker.blogspot.com/
posted by MJI on 7/31/08 10:46: PM

Hey Laura 7/20 7:42am...glad you are proud of who you are. I hope someday my 3 yr. old is full of self worth too..HOWEVER, as the parent of a child with Autism, you can not judge me or any of us. When you give birth you hope for everything for your new life...not people staring and pointing when your child is "flapping" his ears in public or stimming out on the floor in a humping motion. the world is beautiful, but full of mean people who like to build themselves up by tearing others down. My 55 yr. old cousin spent his childhood pulling his pants back up because the bullys on his walk home tormented his little soul. He has Asbergers...Fix his heart..can you unbreak it Laura?? no...then please..shut your pie hole!
posted by Mikey's proud mom on 7/25/08 10:14: AM

I am a special educatior who works with child with Autism everyday. Please know that there are supportivve and educated teachers out there who are will and able to help these very special children.
posted by Wendy Walsh on 7/22/08 8:20: AM

i am sorry for those parents who have to watch there children go through this. my four year old cousin, who is like my baby sister was dianosed with autism, when she was 3. I know it kills me to watch her go through this. i cant even imagine what a parent must go through. i again say that every one must have paitent, strength, love, and understanding even when you don't feel it. hope will live. dont give up on her.
posted by morgan on 7/21/08 10:02: AM

Edit: my last comment was meant for Laura who posted on 7/20/08 7:42: AM
posted by CamJam on 7/20/08 8:02: PM

To Laura, who posted on 07/02/2008 at 5:36 pm: Obviously you are not a parent of a child with Autism. You are not a parent of twin boys, like we are of which ONE gradually REGRESSED into autism around the age of 34 months old! This after seeing him achieve all the early developmental milestones right along with his twin brother. HOW DARE YOU spew your "I have Autism and do NOT want to be cured!" message on this beautiful video and the message it is giving! How dare YOU disgrace the parents and calling them selfish. HOW DARE YOU! I am a parent of an almost 5 year old twin boy with Autism - he was diagnosed Aug 13 2007 shortly after they turned 4 years old. WE SAW HIM REGRESS into Autism - he was NOT born like this but that's not the point. We (like the parents of this video) are not asking for a CURE but want HELP!!! And all our KAISER Insurance wants to do is shove DRUGS like Ritalin down our NON aggressive son's throat without even giving our son a chance with Therapy! And don't even get me going on the Public Education system that runs on a shoe string budget! Early Intervention was NOT all that it was cracked up to be - for us anyway, but beggars living on one income for a family of 4 can't be choosers right? We are NOT asking for a cure, but we would LIKE our son to get proper therapy from our insurance (without the Drugs, thank you very much!) and proper help and funding with our public schools for children with Autism. Look up on Youtube for "NO DRUGS for Cameron!" How frustrating it is to be stuck with Kaiser who is apparently above Oregon's mandated Health Parity Law HB 2918 that went into affect Jan 1 2008.. It's another year of help for our son down the tubes. I just hope the public school system does not insist our son to be put on DRUGS. He and others like him deserve better treatment than this.
posted by CamJam on 7/20/08 7:10: PM

How dare you see your beautiful child as marred or sullied by your standards. That you deem her unacceptable when compared to the imaginary perfect children of society. Your child is not 'slipping away' from you. Do not kid yourselves of this. Do not hold a pity party while someone plays the world's smallest violin for you. You are in for a tough life, raising a child like this, but you are in an age where you are no longer alone. THEY are no longer alone. Neither of you need to feel isolated by society anymore, because there is awareness and research into coping. Coping. Not curing. Let me tell you about autism from someone who is capable "of expressing her love to her parents" Autism is not some degenerative disease like cancer. It is a different way of seeing the world. Your senses are more acute, your emotions are more intense, and your view of the world is dynamic. Your child being autistic does not prevent them from loving you. Your child being autistic does not prevent them from thinking or feeling. Rather, they receive information in a much different way than you do, therefore it is only logical that they express their interpretation of this information in a different way than is expected. When I watch this video, I see selfish parents who do not want to face the challenges and rewards of raising a special, unique human being. I see a video that plays to ignorance and fear to garner support. This is the last kind of publicity a person like me needs. For you, the parents, to tell me that the world won't accept me right off the bat, and to tell the world that I am damaged goods. I am an autistic individual and I do NOT want to be cured.
posted by Laura on 7/20/08 7:42: AM

Thanks for doing this
posted by shahnaz on 7/16/08 6:21: AM

My 5 year old son was diagnosed at 2. I cannot say enough about early intervention even when the universe has come crashing in on your reality as a family, please take the help that is out there. Thank you for keeping the awareness and information flowing!
posted by Jill on 7/15/08 7:51: AM

Please view this!! its wonderful
posted by kim on 7/15/08 1:16: AM

Once again this posting is for Nicole and all others who want to read the TRUTH, not some slanted, or conflict of interest version of it. Please go to www.mercury-freedrugs.org. and read some of the articles on that. There is also an article just released on 7/13/08 from the US Courts that isn't even on the website yet, but is entitled "Government's Defense of Mercury in Vaccines Shanken By Withdrawl of Expert Reports". Keep checking on the US Courts website at www.uscfc.uscourts.gov. Hope this opens your eyes, before it affects you or your family directly.
posted by Mark on 7/14/08 10:41: AM

Thanks
posted by peterjohn on 7/14/08 9:12: AM