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[Indigo]

Well April is Autism Awareness Month and for 5 years I went nuts in April and October (Canadas Autism Month was October... dont know if it has now changed) promoting autism awareness... I dont know if I am into it this year (I get sick of people calling my every time Jenny McCarthy is on TV) but the Untied Nations has deemed April as Autism Awareness Month world wide and April 2nd as World Autism Day.

http://blog.masslive.com/parentingproject/2008/04/autism_awarness_month_2.html

I have 3 boys with varying degrees of Autism (Mild to Severe) and this whole awareness month thing seems like a farce to me. Is it really making a difference?? I still encounter people all the time who think my kids are rainmen (well one kinda is but,) or they should be institutionalized... ugh

OK I started this as a sort of *Yay Its Autism awareness month* (note the sarcasm in that one)but now I am like *ugh*

Maybe I am so pissed they have no answers for Autism and I am just annoyed to no end... I might get into the cause eventually... or force myself to!

[Kitten7]

I hope you DO find the cause yourself, then you can stick it in all the ignorant or uninformed peoples faces!! Good luck with this. What do you personally have to do? Your boys are lucky to have a mom like you!

[Todd]

my neighbors' son has autism and the other has Ashburgers sp??? syndrom both are good kids they get a little hyper at times but other than that they are cool kids the oldest one is into Airsoft guns as am i so i try to help him out with repairs and stuff the youngest is pretty quite most of the time til he get bored and then he gets hyper so i deal with it pretty regularly myself

[Augustine]

My 13 year old nephew is autistic.  He has PDDNOS--Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified.  He's high functioning as far as autistic kids go, although I don't see him being able to live alone or function unattended for long periods even when he's an adult.  He's very intelligent, but he has some social difficulties and frequent outbursts whenever things don't go exactly his way.

My sister-in-law and her husband have had a very difficult time with his education.  It is so hard to find a teacher (even those with advanced degrees in special ed) who really understands how this kid works.  During his outbursts, he injures himself, lashes out at people (not maliciously), screams, name calls, makes empty threats, hurls objects, and takes off running. 

Even teachers who supposedly have "autism training" tend to freak out, call security, and refuse to allow him back in their class.  The security guards treat him like a criminal and the school admin trucks out their "zero tolerance" routine and expells him.  His mother (who should have won the Nobel Prize for Patience by now) does her best to explain his condition.  But of course the schools don't understand or don't care.  The longest he's ever lasted under a single teacher is a few months, max.

You can probably imagine the comments people make in public.  He'll have one of his outbursts and the "that kid needs his ass beat" or "his parents spoil that brat rotten" remarks start flying.  Again, his mom approaches these people and calmly tries to explain what's really going on.  They usually turn their heads and walk away.  His mom finally got him a giant button that says "I'm Autistic" to pin to his clothing.  It's meant as an explanation, not as an excuse.  But do any of these ignorant bystanders bother to ask what Autism means?  Nope.

I do think that the public needs to become more educated about Autism.  I'm just not quite sure how to go about it.  There are so many people who don't WANT to understand and would rather just laugh or judge.  Sadly, I'm not sure there's any way to overcome that obstacle.

[bill door]

Whoops... Today is World Autism Day?

I'm typing this at a school where about 25% of the kids have ASD, and it seems to have passed us by. I shall mention it in the staff briefing in an hour!!

[Indigo]

Yes April 2nd = World Autism Day... Apparently I was the only one who knew! None of the boys schools knew and another forum I am on I was the one to break the news.
My oldest has PPD-NOS, OCD, ADHD
My middle son has High Functioning Autism (HFA)/Borderline Asperger's Syndrome, ODD and ADHD.
My youngest is classified as Severely Autistic.
When I get like this I call it being "Autism'd out" cause I live it everyday all day long.

Anyways tonight on TV they are featuring a "new" device to help ASD kids speak... at $5000 a pop! Like I can afford any of that... ugh and provincial programs do not help... wait lists galore.

Thanks for replying guys I really appreciate it.

To see that device here is the link : http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080401/autism_Avis_080401/20080401?hub=Canada

[nutsy fagin]

Hi Indigo, I find the whole autism diagnosis very interesting. I am an MCH maternal child health nurse, and I have seen first hand the frustration you describe. The whole medical commmunity will totally disagree with this, but I do believe that in some cases, thimerazol, the preservative "fomerly" used in routine infant immunizations, is a causative factor. In the 17 years I have been doing this job, at least 4 kids who were perfectly well, meeting all their milestones, began losing ground, i.e. speech, then motor. after the 15 month mmr immmunization. It just makes sense, if you consider that infants received 22 shots by their 2nd birthday, that at around that 15month mark, their little brains couldn't take any more mercury. Also, very interestingly, the U.S government provides educational literature, which all pediatric offices provide, that states that "although side effects from these immmunizations are rare, government monies are available to assist...."  Supposedly the thimerazol has been removed as the preservative, to be replaced by what??? It's time pediatricians stretched out the immmunizations.. so that the same immmunizations can be given, but over a longer stretch of time. Not routine 1,2,4,6, month immunizations followed by the 13 month 15month 18mont shots. Btw, some of the better Pedi practices provide the more expensive "combi" shots. Are they available at your local clinic, sadly probably not. They are expensive.....Indigo, I am sorry to rant on your thread, but this is a topic that frustrates me as a nurse, and a human being

[Indigo]

Nusty.. I agree to a degree... hear me out cause I think a lot is related.
I used to be on several MSN groups and Yahoo groups about Autism, PDD and Mental Health issues.
I am a bit of a numbers and coincedence/conspiracy theory nut. I found a map of the most polluted areas of North America, I also started asking parents about immunizations and time frames in chats and emails. I read the studies that the news mashes down our throats daily about stupid probabilities and what ifs that total out to be ridiculous... I came up with a theory.

I believe autism is caused by environmental causes for the most part. Now with me having 3 boys with it, of course I think genetics plays into it (if you saw our family tree and the hits and misses it would facsinate you I am sure.. it friggin floors me! lol) but, the HIGHEST instances of autism happen in the most polluted areas of North America. Heavy metals are in the water, the soil we grow our food, the air we breathe and the vaccinations we inject into our children.

You can find my map discovery here... http://www.scorecard.org/env-releases/us-map.tcl

Most people I met online were from Southern Ontario, New Jersey, North Carolina, Illinois, California (From San diego, LA and San Fran), Houston area, Ohio and New York or the parents of these children were originally from those places.

It was amazing though when I brought up this theory how many wave it off and me being silly, over obsessive etc.
I think the mercury, thermosal(sp?), lead etc. has built up in the parents bodies and it is passed on to the children then their own pollutions end up happening shortly after birth. The cycle wont end, it will get worse before it gets better.

OK Now I am done my rant. lol for now. 

Augustine, I am PMing you... i want more info please as I think I may be able to help... I will try at least! You just described my children in one... I can completely relate to it all.

[nutsy fagin]

hi Indigo I totally agree with the external pollutants. Let me share with you. My Early Intervention friends tell me of a whole neighborhood of autistic kids in Bellingham Mass, they refer to them as the "something Street kids" I purposely did not identify the street, Anyhow it seems that there is at least one autistic child in every house onthis street, Most interesting, is the fact that some of the kids developed autism AFTER they moved there. The common thread is a small stream that runs throughthe back yards of all those houses. There is also a really high incidence of autism inthe city of Leominster Masss where Foster Grant used to have a huge factory. A woman I know who grew up In Leominster, went to college moved away started a family.. well her son is autistic. Iagree with you, what is alll this poison doing to us and our kids?

[Indigo]

It is bringing on a new world order that we can not explain or control.

[spedteacher]

I teach some autistic kids.  I do believe it is environmental in some cases.  We have too many children coming up with the same characteristics.  I think the case could be made that we have finally screwed up our food enough with genetically modified plants and hormonally modified animals that we've increased the autism rate in our children.  There's too much *stuff* in our food now that hasn't been fully researched!  The brain simply does not develop correctly with all this junk in its nutrients. 

The worst part is bad parenting.  Bad parenting for a "normal" kid is risky enough -- for an autistic kid its heartbreaking!   (not the parents discussing here -- just parents who I've known professionally)  They are either so oblivious to the child's disability that they deny it completely OR they want the child to BE Rainman and a standout.  They worry about the kid being on the "same page" academically with peers while the kid is barely able to tell you how he's getting home everyday. They antigonize, unnecessarily enable and spoil their kids into being more disabled. 
They want special treatment, but then gripe if we need to pull them out of a regular program to do so.  These kids have very special needs and it's so hard to walk the line between helping or hindering them.

Let's not forget that the media is in love with "awareness month" and they are busy selling books, programs and products to parents who really need a network of supportive friends and well-informed professionals instead of gadgets and inspirational novels by an uber rich mom.

 

BTW, I've used the big communicators for kids.  It helps, but so would a communication notebook with snapshots of daily events to prompt language.  It's the same thing for about $4700 less than the fancy communication screen. 

[Richard Davies]

I've got Aspergers Syndrome, & from (UK) National Autistic Society litrature autism can occur almost regardless of ethnic group & eithnic group.

Currently I'm reading With The Light by Keiko Tobe, it's a Manga story of a mother's struggle to raise her autistic son.

[spedteacher]

Richard, I'm glad to see you've read about Asperger's Syndrome.  It's very empowering to have information about AS so you can make informed decisions about your needs!!

Manga is an illustrated novel written by Japanese artists?   

[bakenate]

indigo

I feel your pain and frustration. I have the same issues with my boys. both are autistic both have varying degrees. Seems my youngest has it worse.  I was big into autism awareness Even have a slide show for the state.  I wasnt digging it this year.  i dont know about you but we have fight after fight for the boys with the school system.

[Richard Davies]

Richard, I'm glad to see you've read about Asperger's Syndrome.  It's very empowering to have information about AS so you can make informed decisions about your needs!!

Manga is an illustrated novel written by Japanese artists?   

Thanks,

Youre right about Manga, the author was inspired by the son of a friend with an autistic condition. 

Sorry I've taken nearly a month to reply, I had almost forgot about this thread.