The biggest issue AU has with Dr. Offit:
"is the lack of reference to real evidence but rather an attack on anyone that wants to try to help their autistic child try to recover from this neurological state."
Autism's False Proffit is a well written, informative, pull no puches, commentary both about Offit's book and the ways in which parents seeking to help their autistic children are dismissed by the pretentious pseudo-scientists who populate certain blogs. A good read for anyone with an open mind on issues relating to causation of autism.
autism
2 comments:
Thanks for the link, and the comment on my blog.
Pretentious pseudo-scientists is precisely right.
Best,
unherdof
Autism Reality: I am sorry if what I wrote in my blog "I'm out and I'm proud"
offended you or anyone you care about/for.
From the perspective of informing others, consider this; History has taught us that it easy to discriminate against those with whom we cannot identify and therefore empathise,
And what is the denial of appropriate evidence based education and clinical therapy, other than discrimination against a section of our community with specific needs? The state pays for education that suits one sector of our population; ie Typically developing children and young adults, why can't it fund the education and therapeutic support of all according to need? (sorry if that sounds Marxist but you know what I mean)
I am merely asking that if we as parents and carers can think carefully about what is challenging to us, it can help us to understand and forgive what may be very difficult and frustrating for our kids. And if the general population can do that too, all the better.
From a personal perspective, I find it easier to forgive my son for attacking me (as he did two days ago) when I compare it with my need to hit out verbally at someone who is challenging me to do something I don't like. Or to understand why my daughter simply must put all the dirty washing back on the floor when I equate it with my own need to hoover or tidy, before I can relax.
I still feel frustrated and wounded, but I don't resent my kids for it, as I can imagine the same inclinations in myself.
And I can most definitely identify with the "severely impaired" autistic population and their loved ones as both my children would for different reasons have been "written" off by less enlightened educational and clinical professionals.
However I am lucky in that they have recently been accepted by one of few schools that accepts 9 and 11 year olds with communication and behavioural challenges. It is never too late for "early intervention" and the improvements to our quality of life as a result are proof of that. Bitten scalps and scattered dirty washing, not withstanding!
I hope that by our example we can continue to coax and cajole the private and public sectors to fund more evidence based intervention and an improved quality of life, across the world.
I won't presume to know where you are coming from, but I suspect the New Macarthyist "cure-alls" have inspired a backlash amongst the Highly Able autistic population.
But what I will say is that the willingness of parents and carers to defend and advocate will perhaps go some way to readdressing the balance.
Thankyou for visiting the new blog.
xx
ps. I thought NB stood for Please Note! which is an excellent thought to use when advocating.
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