Autism Is A Blessing? Give Thanks That My Son Has A Disorder? Not A Chance

As parents of children with autism spectrum disorders we all have to learn how to come to grips with the realities of our children's autism disorders. Some do the best they can to raise their child to the best of their ability to prepare the child to live the fullest life possible. Some become fierce advocates for services, treatments, research and cures for their child and others with autism disorders. I respect most parent's approaches. One approach that I do not respect, and have never pretended to respect, is to look at my son's autism disorder as a blessing.

I have on several occasions criticized, even ridiculed, Estee Klar, author of the Joy of Autism blog, for promoting autism as a joy or blessing. Yesterday Easter Seals, an organization active in autism advocacy, re-published the views of Barbara Gaither, mother of an autistic child who, like Ms Klar, views her child's autism disorder as a blessing for which she is thankful:

"As the years passed since that initial diagnosis in 2002, I’ve grown more and more thankful for him and his diagnosis. Many would think that I’m crazy — and maybe I am a bit, but he is such a tremendous joy to me and our entire family. He has taught me not to take the little things in life for granted — and by watching him grow and learn, I have learned so very much.

It’s simply amazing. Sometimes, I wonder what life without him would be like, or even life without him being autistic and I cannot imagine it. At this point I don’t even want to. I wouldn’t change a thing about him even if I could."

Ms Gaither is entitled to her own views. Easter Seals, in a democracy, is also entitled to promote her views. Personally I find repugnant the idea of taking joy in, or giving thanks for the fact that my son has a disorder. I can not accept the idea of being thankful that your own child lacks all the abilities to function in the real world, to live a full and complete life as possible, just because it makes a parent feel better to think that way.

I love my son Conor dearly. I regularly feature picture sets of him with he and I enjoying the outdoors and the natural beauty of the city of Fredericton. I love being with him every chance I get and I can not begin to describe how much fun it is to hang out with him or what a great sense of humor he has.

Conor has an Autistic Disorder diagnosis, assessed with profound developmental delays. He has, particularly in the past bitten himself. He has punched holes in glass windows and cut his hands. I can not give thanks for a disorder which results in injury to my son.

At 13 it is clear he will never live an independent life. I have, as an active autism advocate here in New Brunswick, Canada visited institutions where some autistic adults have lived. While I respect the people in those institutions for doing the best they can for the autistic adults in their care it is not a future that I wish for my son. It is not a future, for my son, that I would celebrate as a blessing for which I should be thankful.

I want to see Conor live the fullest, happiest life possible. I want him to have the opportunity of treatment for his autism disorder. If the "it's gotta be genetic" approach to autism research ever truly loses its sway and cures are sought and found I would want Conor to receive real blessings ... treatments or cures which help him live a fuller life when I am gone.

I do not lose sight of the fact that Conor's autism is a ... disorder. One that will continue to restrict his life long after I can care for him, long after I have finished my tour of this planet.

Love my son and be thankful for every minute I am with him? Absolutely.

Give thanks that my son has a serious autism disorder? Never.

autism

Book Review of a Flawed and Mean Spirited Autism Book

Book reviews are not where I would expect to find a good understanding of autism spectrum disorders or the quirky neurodiversity anti-cure ideology which demonizes parents seeking to help their children but there are always exceptions. A review by Professor Guy Dove of Wendy Lawson's Book Concepts of Normality The Autistic and Typical Spectrum is one such exception. Mr Dove is a Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Departments of Philosophy and Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville and his review of Lawson's book is balanced, objective and informative. It sees some merit in the principle author's view of autism as natural variation but also summarizes vary succinctly some of the flaws. Somewhat surprisingly Professor Dover points out the nastiness of two contributing neurodiversity writers in the book including ... no surprise here ... the "joy of autism" neurodiversity blogger Estee Klar (Wolfond).

While Dove finds some merit in what Lawson has to say about viewing autism as part of the natural variation of humanity he suggests that she takes the position too far, relying on unsupported generalizations, ignoring the very real medical challenges of autism and ignoring the various subtypes of autism. His sharpest criticism though is with the lack of empathy shown towards parents seeking biomedical and behavioral treatments for their autistic children. While Lawson demonstrates this lack of empathy the two guest writers Dinah Murray and Estee Klar (Wolfond) are stated to be more pronounced in their hostility and Professor Dove provides some direct quotes to illustrate their nastiness towards parents seeking to cure their autistic children:

"The guest authors, on the other hand, seem openly hostile to such parents. Murray sarcastically remarks, "Some Others [members of the typical population] weep and moan and deplore their autistic child's existence; they wallow in self-pity and congratulate each other on how Truly Dreadful it all is." This statement illegitimately paints a diverse group of people with a broad brush and seems to be little more than a mean-spirited attempt to silence critics. Klar-Wolfond is not much better. In her discussion of the admittedly questionable practice of using scientifically unsupported biomedical therapies, she offers the following rhetorical question, "And to make them what? -- better at maths, quicker on the sports field, or well-mannered?" This is doubly insulting to parents of children who have tried such therapies. First, it belittles their concern. The suggestion is that parents are merely trying to get their children to "act normal" when in fact they are often trying to ameliorate severe challenges with respect to communication and social interaction as well as other difficulties including debilitating anxiety, painful gastrointestinal problems, insomnia, and even violent behavior. Second, it denigrates their reasoning. Many parents who try such therapies agonize over their decision. Although some of these therapies have potentially harmful side effects, most do not. When Klar-Wolfond lumps together treatments as diverse as supplements and detoxification therapies, she is being both misleading and unfair."

Mean spirited? Misleading and unfair? Standard fare from autism's anti-treatment, anti-cure ideologues.

autism

Autism Murder Charges - Time To Pull Our Heads Out Of The Sand

In recent days and weeks two severely autistic young men have been implicated in homicides. In one case, a young man with autism has been implicated in the death of his mother who publicly professed her deep love for her son and the joy that he brought to her. In each case the legal process will unfold and determinations will probably have to be made about the competency of the young men charged. The evidence and facts will determine each case, not the opinions of internet bloggers and media editorialists.

In a general sense though both cases, regardless of the outcomes of the legal processes, point to the need to discuss autism honestly, to describe realistically the challenges faced by persons with autism disorders and family members and others who care for them. As the father of a boy with Autistic Disorder, assessed with profound developmental delay I have seen our beloved son injure himself with biting, and expose himself to greater risks by putting his hand through glass windows and wandering off onto busy streets oblivious to the dangers of automobile traffic. I have also watched with dismay the persistent attempts by some persons with high functioning autism and Aspergers Disorder, and some misguided parents of autistic children, to whitewash the unpleasant realities faced by some persons with autism disorders, their family members and caregivers.

The end result, whether it be court proceedings, where I have occasionally appeared on behalf of some persons with Aspergers Disorder, or lives spent in institutions, two of which I have visited here in New Brunswick, Canada, is not always pretty. We do no favors, no favors at all, to the autistic persons in our lives, if we ignore the negative realities faced by some with autism challenges because other persons with higher functioning autism or Aspergers will feel offended.

Jim Sinclair, Amanda Baggs, Ari Ne'eman, Michelle Dawson, Jypsy, Estee Klar, Kristina Chew, Dora Raymaker and other Neurodiversity ideologues take offense whenever someone discusses negative autism realities. They sign petitions, launch media petitions and attempt to suppress any negative imagery or description of the more severe autism challenges. Such suppression will only prevent the development of possible cures and treatments, or prevent the application of existing well substantiated interventions like ABA. In fact Neurodiversity ideologues openly oppose existing, effective ABA and the search for future cures and treatments. Searches for causes and cures of autism are opposed relentlessly and those seeking cures for their own autistic children are villified by Neurodiversity ideologues. Even the reference to autism disorders as medical disorders is verboten.

Neurodiversity ideologues are unlikely to change. Their views are entrenched and tied to their own public careers as professional "autistics" or "enlightened" autism parents. The truth is that they discourage society from addressing the harsher realities of autism by effective therapy, treatment or cure. They help keep members of the public from understanding the full nature of autism, particularly as it affects the most severely autistic. Theirs is a movement whose aim is to keep everyone from facing autism reality. Theirs is a movement which wants society to keep our heads in the sand and ignore autism reality.

The murder charges against two young autistic men who may have had little control over their actions, who may have had no intent as the law, and society generally, understands that term should be a call that we all hear - a call to pull our heads out of the sand.

autism

Johns Hopkins Reports ECT Helped Autistic Child Reduce Severe Self Injury

Deanna Chieco, in the Johns Hopkins Newsletter, reports on a case study in which ECT, electro convulsive therapy, was used to treat a young autistic child who was incurring 109 self injurious incidents per hour. With ECT the self injurious behavior was reduced from 109 to 19 incidents per hour, permitting the child to be able to attend educational programs, behavioral therapies and family activities and thus dramatically improving the child's quality of life.

This article and the study on which it reports should be must reads for parents of autistic children, neurodiversity ideologues, autism therapists and health care professionals and researchers. Reducing severe self injurious behavior should have no ideological component. Even Michelle Dawson, Ari Ne'eman and Estee Klar will have a difficult time arguing that dangerous, life restricting behaviors should not be reduced by treatment.

autism

Sorry Conor, No School Today, No ABA

Conor's school day includes ABA based academic instruction. Contrary to those with very little actual knowledge of, or real involvement with, ABA it is not oppressive and does not turn autistic children into robots. Conor looks forward to visits at home from ABA therapists and going to school where he receives ABA.

In the picture above Conor set his lunch bag in front of the door before going to bed last night, a sure sign he was eager to get to school where educators impose what Michelle Dawson, Estee Klar, and other anti-ABA activists, would call "oppressive" ABA. As the lunch bag shows Conor does not share their opinion of ABA. And he has a lot more actual experience with ABA than Ms Dawson or Ms Klar.

Unfortunately there was no school today. It was another snow day in Fredericton with police warning people to stay off the roads. Dad has to grab a shovel and tackle some of the snow. Weather permitting, Conor will be glad to get back to school tomorrow.

autism