NPR show on autism/aspergers

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Registered: 03-26-2003
NPR show on autism/aspergers
5
Fri, 06-30-2006 - 12:24am

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5488463

Check out this article. You can listen to the show as well. Some of it relates to some of our recent discussions.

Renee

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Registered: 01-19-2005
Fri, 06-30-2006 - 7:43am

Thanks for posting this Renee. Very interesting article. NPR has done a few good autism reports lately.

Katherine

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Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 06-30-2006 - 9:30am

Thank you! this pretty much sums up how I've felt about autism since I came to terms w/ Weston's Dx. (but of course I couldn't put into words) He's a very special person, there are lots and lots of things he does much better than those of us that are 'nt'.

I've had a hard time trying to figure out how to explain his Dx with others w/o using the "high functioning" autism part. I will tell people that he's autistic and they'll think I'm crazy-- oh, but he doesn't sit in the corner and rock, or but he talks and communicates-- he must be very high functioning. I usually smile and say, "he has had great teachers and therapists to help him get along ok in this world". But they continue to push the "high functioning" or maybe the Dx is wrong. sigh.

How do you get acceptance in this world where everyone needs to feel superior and to do that they pigeon hole others?

Betsy

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Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 06-30-2006 - 10:22am

I agree. It is too hard to get into descriptions of how a child is autistic. Just because it doesn't show up as readily on the surface. Should they put on an autistic show for strangers so they aren't questioned for goodness sakes.

The lady in the report who typed using aug communication. She actually posts on the braintalk communities where I have lurked on occasion. They have some knowledgable folks on biomed and some older parents there as well as adults with autism so it is interesting. It can get heated and nasty on occasion though.At anyrate, that womans oppinions are one I have often respected (the nonverbal adult) but recently I was under the impression she was using facilitated communication which I have mixed feelings about. However, reading that she does this on her own and reading her posts and such again I think I likely was wrong about splitting the spectrum but don't know.

This is coming up alot for me in the last 2 days. Last night I was at a PTA meeting and met another mom who's son would be in Mike's class next year. She asked me what Mike's challenges were and I said he was autistic. After a bit more she asked me if he was able to talk at all. I don't know how she didn't get that he was very verbal from what I was saying but she had assumed that if he was autistic he was non-verbal or close to it or had to be. Then yesterday afternoon we were at the aquarium. Mike was actually doing and excellent job and as such was blending in pretty well. So was Cait. 2 adults who were autistic walked nearby with thier staff. They were verbal and "higher functioning" as well but one did some stimming and as a mom you can just tell in these situations. I noticed that one of the workers saw my autism awareness bracelet and you could tell she was looking over there trying to figure out who was autistic, lol.

Renee

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Registered: 10-03-2004
Fri, 06-30-2006 - 12:18pm

Hey!!! I know him, too. Well, them. His AS kid is friends with Malcolm from school!!! Great kid, super smart and fun. And Dad is the way coolest guy!

Boy, this is my "Who-do-you-know" month on this Board!

Sara
ilovemalcolm

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Registered: 03-22-2006
Tue, 07-04-2006 - 1:35am
Wow, I learned a lot from that article and audio.