tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74166402743854898052024-03-06T12:00:44.665-08:00KindTree - Autism RocksLoretta's Letters Autism Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17583709778714024085noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-18162312863799774542021-02-08T11:10:00.001-08:002021-02-08T11:10:17.274-08:00Get your Vaccination!<p> <strong style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px;"><u style="box-sizing: inherit;">Local Vaccine Roll-Out Information</u></strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px;">:</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lane County Public Health has opened up pre-registration for vaccination to all Lane County residents. </p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This pre-registration information effort will help populate a centralized database to help vaccinating health partners countywide contact those who wish to be vaccinated and schedule an appointment when they are eligible. </p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You can pre-register online in either English or Spanish right now by clicking the link below:</p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.lanecounty.org/covidvaccine" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #0e4d7a; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">www.lanecounty.org/covidvaccine</a></p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Important things to consider when pre-registering</em>:</p><ul style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 8px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 20px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; list-style: outside disc; margin: 4px 0px 4px 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We encourage anyone who has internet access to pre-register on the online portal. </li><li style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; list-style: outside disc; margin: 4px 0px 4px 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">If you have a friend or loved one who does not have internet access, or has difficulty navigating the internet, we encourage you to please help them by assisting them in pre-registering online.</li><li style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; list-style: outside disc; margin: 4px 0px 4px 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We will have phone pre/registration available in the coming days. </li><li style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; list-style: outside disc; margin: 4px 0px 4px 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You only need to pre-register once and by only one method (either phone or online, not both to avoid duplicate entries). </li><li style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; list-style: outside disc; margin: 4px 0px 4px 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">If you have already registered with a provider or with your workplace, please DO NOT register again with the County’s database. We are all working from the same information and doing so will slow down our process. </li><li style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; list-style: outside disc; margin: 4px 0px 4px 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">If you are part of Phase 1A and have not heard from Lane County Public Health or a local provider to receive a vaccine, please DO re-register using the new link.</li><li style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; list-style: outside disc; margin: 4px 0px 4px 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">If you provide an email address you will receive an email confirmation that your registration has been received. </li><li style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; list-style: outside disc; margin: 4px 0px 4px 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pre-Registering to receive the vaccine DOES NOT mean you will be contacted to schedule an appointment right away. We will still follow Oregon Health Authority eligibility guidelines AND as always, our timeline to get you vaccinated depends on supply. In other words, even if you are eligible it may be some time before we have enough doses to offer you a vaccination appointment. Your patience is deeply appreciated. </li><li style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; list-style: outside disc; margin: 4px 0px 4px 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Please remember, Lane County does not determine which groups are eligible nor the supply of vaccine that is available to administer.</li><li style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; list-style: outside disc; margin: 4px 0px 4px 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Once you have pre-registered, we ask that you not call the call center with additional registration questions unless you believe there is a critical error in your registration. </li><li style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; list-style: outside disc; margin: 4px 0px 4px 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This process is NOT first come, first serve. We will be working from the phases and eligibility guidance provided by the Oregon Health Authority. </li><li style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; list-style: outside disc; margin: 4px 0px 4px 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">PRIVACY STATEMENT: Some personal demographics will be collected during registration process to identify which phase/group you are in. Information entered will only be used for the vaccination effort and will not be shared outside of the HIPAA compliant partners distributing vaccines. As vaccine becomes available, you will be contacted via your preferred method by Lane County Public Health OR a vaccinating health partner to schedule an appointment.</li></ul><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">HERE’S HOW THE REGISTRATION PROCESS WORKS:</p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit;"><u style="box-sizing: inherit;">Step 1</u></strong>: Register via the <a href="https://lanecounty.org/covidvaccine" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #0e4d7a; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">online link</a> provided or by phone. Please take your time to answer each question as accurately as possible. </p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit;"><u style="box-sizing: inherit;">Step 2</u></strong>: If you register online and provide an email address, you will receive a confirmation email that we have received your registration. </p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit;"><u style="box-sizing: inherit;">Step 3</u></strong>: You will receive a weekly, automated email letting you know who is currently eligible and that you are still registered. </p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit;"><u style="box-sizing: inherit;">Step 4</u></strong>: When you are eligible and we have doses to vaccinate you, Lane County or a partner agency will contact you to schedule a vaccination appointment via the contact information you provided on the form. </p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">—</p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Loretta McNally, Executive Director</p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">KindTree – Autism Rocks</p>Autism Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17583709778714024085noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-40771877919333601112021-01-07T11:35:00.004-08:002021-01-07T11:59:02.537-08:00Happy New Year 2021!<p><b>This is Tim Mueller, long-time KindTree volunteer and Board member, introducing our new Executive Director Loretta McNally. She will be revitalizing this blog throughout 2021, sharing what we at KindTree are up to, our goals and dreams, and your part in it. Thank you, Loretta, for joining our team!</b></p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Loretta brings 20 years of diverse nonprofit management experience with an extensive resume of creative and positive problem solving. She has worked for White Bird Clinic, Animal Rescue Teaching, Seattle International Film Festival, Washington Women’s Employment & Education, Tibetan Cultural Association with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the 2002 United States Winter Olympics, and more. In addition, she is a crew coordinator with the Oregon Country Fair and the parent of a daughter living with disabilities.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Loretta is excited to bring her skills and energy to our team of dedicated volunteers and staff as we grow our presence in the community. With the assistance of Charli Overman, STiLE Coordinator, the organization will be focusing on expanding our Skill Training for an Independent Living Experience (STiLE) Program, our Art Program, and of course our unique and essential Friends & Family Camp, coming up on its 24<sup style="box-sizing: inherit;">th</sup> year. The organization is looking forward to hosting Social Skill Building Fundraisers and developing strong working relationships with our community.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Most importantly, Loretta shares KindTree – Autism Rocks core belief, that providing an environment of acceptance and respect for all people, and freely giving each individual the support they need to succeed, is the true key to unlocking the hidden talents, strengths, and potential in all of us that lead to a successful and happy life.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>We look forward to a long and productive relationship, and hope you will follow this blog to get to know her and what KindTree is up to! Autism Rocks!</b></p><p style="background-color: white; border: none; box-sizing: inherit; color: #303030; font-family: Arimo, sans-serif; font-size: 15.008px; list-style: none; margin: 4px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4a5c1UUjtq4R1Rr2DAxkreLgyOgUDmml6wAxHMRtmC2NCkrn8pePGSU8TQvXD196CDdheyehPsT2MUeTiXL3FCt659VSUhXcUephY-mnPA0eHkYv9koxT-pys3h2ULC1UcwLXbB8cWQ/s1024/Loretta-857x1024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="857" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4a5c1UUjtq4R1Rr2DAxkreLgyOgUDmml6wAxHMRtmC2NCkrn8pePGSU8TQvXD196CDdheyehPsT2MUeTiXL3FCt659VSUhXcUephY-mnPA0eHkYv9koxT-pys3h2ULC1UcwLXbB8cWQ/s320/Loretta-857x1024.jpg" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p>Autism Rockshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17583709778714024085noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-6430822640055875822016-10-28T17:12:00.000-07:002016-10-28T17:12:28.429-07:00The Importance of Service Dogs and Why We Should Include Them and Their Handlers in Our Community<div>
Amber Perry wrote a wonderful article about the KindTree Autism Rocks camp, a fun and relaxing trip where autistics "can just be themselves, free to stim, socialize with others without having to worry about ridicule or having any kind of authority forced on them, eat food that suits their dietary needs, enjoy plenty of arts and crafts and other activities to ground them and exercise their never-ending minds." I've gone twice before and it was a lot of fun, just as her article describes. I was excited to volunteer this year. I want to get more involved in the autism community, and of course thought this was a great way to do it. I was, however, disappointed to find out I would not be able to volunteer, or even go at all. It is upsetting to find out that a community that prides itself on being accepting of all types of people, can truly fail to be.</div>
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I wasn't allowed to go because the camp doesn't permit service dogs.</div>
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When I attended camp years before I didn't have my service dog yet. A service dog is a dog which is trained to do specific tasks that aid a disabled person. A service dog, by law, must be allowed to go with their owner anywhere the public is allowed. Camp Baker Boy Scout camp is where KindTree's retreat is held, and due to some loopholes in the law the Boy Scouts are legally able to ban service dogs because they identify as a private club. This is like banning a person with a cane, or a wheelchair, or insulin to treat diabetes. And because the Boy Scouts have decided to grant KindTree’s Autism Rocks camp access to Camp Baker, it leaves little leverage for KindTree to advocate on behalf of its community members for ADA law without risk of dislodgement.</div>
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Service dogs are a life-saver for thousands of people with a variety of disabilities. These dogs can be trained to smell the breath of a diabetic in order to assess their glucose level. They are trained to open doors, pick things up, aid in balance, alert people of imminent seizures, and call for help. They can provide a focus point for someone who is overwhelmed by their environment or events going on; this is called grounding and it's what my dog does for me. From an outsider’s view it looks like an excited puppy jumping up and down, being extremely adorable, and licking my face continuously. But even though T’Pol is an incredibly cute dog she has been trained to act that way. She is small, and easily fits onto my chest where she is trained to lay down just beneath my chin so she has perfect access to kiss my nose. When T’Pol does this I can focus on her, ignore the world, try to get my head together, and enjoy life.</div>
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We are all familiar with meltdowns. Sometimes our brains just can't deal with the overload of information the world offers. I have found, personally, that I can't focus on just something, but my sentient 3lb ball of furry energy can force me to focus by going, "Hey! They don't matter! Look at me! I'm so cute and soft!" I can sit and concentrate on her and then after a short time get back in there and deal with that horrible bright light called sunshine and those awful florescent bulbs. I can cope better when my neighbor decides he enjoys blasting "music" with overly heavy bass at odd hours, and I can make it through all the different kinds of social interactions I’m presented with without shutting down and running away. A simple addition of a fuzzy friend in a blue vest (not required by law, but often used to mark service dogs) is all I need to calm down instead of freaking out to the point of exhaustion, resulting in the need to sleep for the next 6 hours or more.</div>
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Not everyone on the autism spectrum uses service dogs, but many do for issues caused by autism as well as other disabilities not connected to autism. They are part of the autism community, but they are not welcome at this amazing, so-called accepting retreat so many of you look forward to all year. The Boy Scouts have been in the news numerous times for discriminating against a variety of people. Most likely you have heard about the lawsuits pertaining to the LGBTQ community, however there are others affecting wheelchair users, blind and deaf folks, as well as Down Syndrome and other disabilities.</div>
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I understand why KindTree felt they couldn’t press the Boy Scouts to support ADA law so I could attend this year. They had all of you to protect too. The needs of the many can certainly outweigh the needs of a few, but sometimes the needs of a few represent the needs of the many, and their rights. Should we be having our most beloved event held at place owned by such an unaccepting, discriminatory group? I don't have a solution. It’s a tough thing; where else would we have the retreat? I am sure it would take some searching, but I have to believe there are other places where everyone truly will be accepted.</div>
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As we continue to learn and advance and grow as an autism community, so will the tools we use to help us navigate life, like service dogs, giving us a wider degree of access and security in our crazy world. I will not be the last person to be denied access to an otherwise safe and accepting place I have every right to be. I sincerely hope we as a community find a path that allows the freedom we’ve fought so hard to find come to fruition for everyone, fairly and equally.</div>
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Zadearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15209766074636699038noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-75089260679349758492016-08-07T12:08:00.001-07:002016-08-07T12:08:26.318-07:00What Autism Is Not: 10 Myths About Autism
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Autism awareness has
increased several times over in the last two decades. Autism is now a
household word. This awareness, however, has not significantly
decreased some of the misconceptions about autism.</div>
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It's easy to find
material about what autism is. You probably already know a fair
amount. It's a developmental disability marked by deficits in
communication and social navigation, as well as displaying intense,
narrow interests.</div>
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Unfortunately, it
can be more difficult to find information about what autism is not.
That's what I would like to focus on in this piece. I've chosen ten
of the most destructive myths about autism.</div>
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<b>1. Autistic
people do not experience empathy.</b></div>
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Let's start with one of the more pervasive myths. This is still
frequently quoted by experts when describing autism. However, it's
simply not true.</div>
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Empathy is usually described as the ability to copy another person's
emotions. Doing this correctly requires at least some understanding
of how th other person's mind works. That is always more difficult
when the other person has a different neurotype.</div>
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It may appear that autistic people have more trouble with that
because most of the people around us have minds that work different
from ours. Once we can learn how the neuronormal mind works, empathy
becomes much easier, and in fact, it tends to be easier with other
autistic people.</div>
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<b>2. Autistic
people do not experience emotions.</b></div>
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Perhaps the root of this myth has to do with the fact that autistic
people, especially children, do not tend to use nonverbal
communication the same way as the people around them. This means that
we tend to show emotions in different ways that most people are not
used to seeing. In addition, the same situation will often trigger
different emotions in autistic people from what it might cause in a
neuronormal person.</div>
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<b>3. Autistic
people can't form relationships.</b></div>
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From what I can tell, most autistic people do place more importance
on our own personal interests than other people. However, that does
not mean that relationships, whether familial, friendship, or
romantic, are any less important to us.</div>
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Don't forget that a relationship is a two-way process. If an autistic
person is interested in pursuing a relationship with a person, and
the other person is willing to reciprocate, autistic people can and
do form meaningful relationships with others.</div>
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<b>4. Autism is
usually accompanied by an intellectual disability.</b></div>
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There have been times when the majority, or even all, of recognized
autism diagnoses came with an intellectual disability. For a time,
that was even part of the definition. It was reinforced by the fact
that autistic children were often institutionalized and placed in a
setting where learning opportunities were not present.</div>
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With the recognition of “high-functioning” autism and the
addition of Asperger's syndrome, we know that autistic people are
often quite intelligent. In fact, upwards of 70% of recognized cases
of autism have no intellectual disability.</div>
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This has also led to a belief that all autistic people are geniuses,
which is equally untrue. We are all individuals, and each of us is
different. Autistic people exist along the entire range of human
intelligence.</div>
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<b>5. Autistic
people are all the same.</b></div>
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This usually takes the form of, “I've seen [insert TV show or movie
here],” or, “My [insert relation here] is autistic, so I know all
about autism.” It can even take the form of, “I'm autistic, so
all autistic people can be like me.”</div>
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The truth is that there appears to be several different kinds of
autism. Even within that, we're all individuals. Each of us has
different abilities and different needs. Some of us struggle with
things that others find easy. A common saying in the Autistic
community states that “if you know one autistic person, you know
one autistic person.”</div>
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<b>6. There is a
normal child trapped inside an autistic shell.</b></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">This
can be a particularly destructive myth. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">It's
typically quoted by those claiming to provide a cure or a miracle
treatment, playing on parents' desperation. It often leads to parents
focusing so much on trying to save their child from being swallowed
up by autism that they forget to build a relationship with their
child.</span></div>
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The truth is that building a relationship is the most important thing
you can do. Nurturing the child's interests, planning activities with
the child, and just generally having fun are the best ways to cause
the child to open up and grow as a person. The child will always be
autistic, but that doesn't have to be a setback.</div>
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<b>7. There is
something in the environment that caused autism or aggravated
symptoms.</b></div>
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</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
Whether it's vaccines, lead, smoking while pregnant, or any number of
others, something must have caused this autism.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
In all likelihood, autism appears to be genetic. Unfortunately, the
myth of an environmental cause often diverts resources away from
needed supports and services, and directs them instead to trying to
find the source of the autism. It can also lead to some off the same
problems caused by myth #6 in this list.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
This myth is also built on the next one:</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<b>8. There is a massive autism epidemic.</b></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
Autism rates have increased from 1 in 10,000 in the 1960's to 1 in 68
now. That's a huge increase.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">For
this, it's important to recognize the difference between autism and
an autism diagnosis. The definition of autism has increased
dramatically since it was first described by Leo Kanner. The vast
majority of us are in a part of the spectrum that wasn't even
recognized in most of the world until the 1980's, and wasn't broadly
known by professionals until the 1990's.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
Furthermore, several studies have shown that when you use consistent
definitions across the generations, there appears to be no
significant increase.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<b>9. Autism is a childhood disorder.</b></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
Autistic children grow up into autistic adults. It should seem obvious when
you think about it. The problem is that most people don't think about
it. That can lead to inadequate services for adults.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<b>10. Autistic people can't achieve success.</b></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is usually
based on the idea that there are no benefits to autism. We have
plenty of advantages that we can use. Logical thinking, intense
focus, and attention to detail, just to name a few. Additionally, as
I've said before, we're all different, and we all have our own
strengths and weaknesses. If given a chance, there is no reason an
autistic person can't succeed in life.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've had to condense
most of these to fit them all in one piece. If you want to know more
about any of them, keep checking back, or read any of the many other
autistic bloggers out there. I look forward to exploring these myths
further, as well as other autism-related thoughts, in the future.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-78945277111234297932016-05-17T14:18:00.001-07:002016-05-17T14:18:09.133-07:00Autiism in girls vs boys
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At
he risk of sounding sexist, when I read </span><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-02/girls-with-autism-often-misdiagnosed/7289258"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">this article</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"> my first
thought was of course they are going to look at boys more than girls. Girls are
supposed to be quieter and shy. Boys are expected to noisy and active, if they
don't, parents and doctors rush to his aid and try to fix the problem, lest the
boy grow up to be different. There's a lot of social politics about how a child
develops, especially boys.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Another
problem the article points out, is how long it took for girls to be properly
diagnosed. They just didn't see the significance of the girls behavior. Again,
less attention is paid to girls.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Think I'm
exaggerating? I wasn't diagnosed until I was fifty, the psychologist merely
confirmed what I told him and despite having friends who had it or had children
with ASD, no one saw it in me.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">"But
you act so normal," they explained when I questioned them. Yes, after decades
of imitating neuronormals as a coping skill.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
Lesson here is that adults need to get past gender expectations and pay
attention to girls as much as boys or it will lead to the stress of undiagnosed
girls struggling to develop or fit in.</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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AMchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00789572215292636848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-69274190832231563742016-03-03T21:52:00.002-08:002016-03-03T21:53:23.851-08:00Say Thank you instead of I'm SorryThis is excellent advise for those on the spectrum<a href="http://./">.</a> Try it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://brightside.me/article/stop-saying-sorry-if-you-want-to-say-thank-you-a-seriously-insightful-cartoon-57255/">http://brightside.me/article/stop-saying-sorry-if-you-want-to-say-thank-you-a-seriously-insightful-cartoon-57255/ </a>AMchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00789572215292636848noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-1457536362857091532015-10-18T17:14:00.001-07:002015-10-18T17:14:09.684-07:00Aren't We All A Little Bit Autistic?
<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }</style>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You seem pretty
normal. Aren't we all just a little bit autistic? What is normal?
Labels go on soup cans.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You may have heard
some of these before. If you have an autistic friend, you've probably
even said them. In all likelihood, you meant to be inclusive and
open-minded. After all, your friend isn't that different from you.
Right? It doesn't make sense to slap a different label on them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
While this mindset
doesn't go entirely unappreciated, many of us in the Autistic
community feel that it's dismissive of the different challenges we
face on a daily basis. Even those of us who might appear on the
outside to be mostly normal have worked hard to be able to function
in a neuronormal world.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For many of us, the
difficulties are primarily centered around communication and social
norms. These are things that do not come naturally to us. That's not
to say we can't learn those skills. It just takes conscious effort
for us.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The truth is that we
autistic people are very well aware of our differences. Most of us
have come to terms with them, and are not ashamed of them. Most of us
have no problem with others acknowledging that those differences
exist. In short, there would be no word to describe the differences
if the differences weren't there.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
What about severely
autistic people? Surely it's a compliment to say those of us at the
Asperger's end of the spectrum aren't like them?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In a word, no. Don't
forget that we have the same diagnosis as them, usually for many of
the same traits. To compliment someone by saying they aren't like
severely autistic people is to say that it's more preferable to be
'normal.' Such statements can make us uncomfortable sharing more
about ourselves too.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
And let's not forget
the people we're making the comparison to. Let's imagine for a moment
if someone were to say that at least their friend isn't like you. My
guess is that you would find that insulting. It should always be
assumed that severely autistic people have feelings and know what's
being said about them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There does appear to
be one time when no one seems to want to include themselves on the
autism spectrum. That would be immediately following a mass shooting,
such as the recent tragedy in Roseburg, Oregon.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Thankfully, the news
media has made a decision to not mention autism in a story without
some degree of relevance. When autism is mentioned without an
explanation of relevance, most people will determine the relevance on
their own, even when there is none. For example, speculating if a
mass shooter is autistic may lead people to believe that autism
caused the shooter's actions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Unfortunately, most
pundits and bloggers don't hold themselves to the same standard. In
an attempt to understand what led a person to kill several people,
some will attempt to diagnose the shooter. Not only is this
impossible to do simply from a news story and some vague descriptions
from friends and family of the shooter, but it's also highly
irresponsible.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Making
unprofessional autism diagnoses for mass shooters in an attempt to
understand their actions has in the past caused autistic people to be
afraid to go to work or school out of fear for how they might be
treated. It has also spawned organizations, such as Families Against
Autistic Shooters. The world this creates, even though it's
temporary, only adds to the difficulties of living with autism, while
doing nothing to promote understanding.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In summary, we in
the Autistic community have no problem with society recognizing
differences between us and those surrounding us. The differences are
very real. The problem only comes when those differences are used to
explain unrelated behaviors.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ignoring or fearing
difference only drives people further apart. In order to fully
integrate the human family, differences need to be understood and
celebrated. This is the part where I call for autistic people to be
proud of yourselves and educate those around you, as well as for
non-autistic people to talk to and learn from your autistic friends
and family members. After all, we might have differences, but we're
all human beings first.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-37705563338630294372015-09-20T21:24:00.002-07:002015-09-21T14:46:46.671-07:00Neurotypical Disorder Causes Problems for Some, Hope for Others<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }</style>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>The following is
a satirical work. All of the people are fictional. Any resemblance to
real people is purely coincidental.</i></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sammy Henderson may
seem at first glance like a typical six-year-old boy. He is very
active, playful, and talkative. He shows a lot of enthusiasm when
excited, such as by running where he's going or talking extremely
loudly about areas of interest.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But Sammy is one of
the 67 in 68 children who suffers from neurotypical disorder.
Neurotypical disorder impedes the sufferer's ability to function
separately from a social group, as well as limiting the logical
thought process.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
According to Sammy's
parents, Peter and Caroline, Sammy has difficulties in establishing a
functional routine, adhering instead to his habits of procrastination
or refusal to accomplish required tasks.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Even something as
simple as washing hands after using the bathroom can be difficult.
Caroline tells me that Sammy often dishonestly claims to have washed
his hands, even though she did not hear the water running. “It's
difficult. I don't go in [the bathroom] with him anymore, so I can't
stand over him and make sure he does it. I'm not really sure what to
do.”</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
More complicated
tasks often present greater difficulties. “It's always a chore
getting him into bed,” says Caroline. “He knows he's tired, but
he refuses to acknowledge it.” Instead, she often finds him
creating battles between action figures depicting characters who have
never actually met in any official storyline. “I don't know why he
has the Hulk fighting Megatron,” explains Peter, “but he seems to
enjoy it.”</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Although
unrealistic, Sammy's imagination appears to be quite complex. When I
met the Hendersons, Sammy spent much of the visit insisting that he
was a dragon, going so far as to explain when he was “breathing
fire” at us. This belief persisted, despite explanations that he is
not a dragon, and, in fact, dragons do not exist. These facts simply
did not appear to enter his awareness.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sadly, these
behaviors are far too common among children who suffer from
neurotypical disorder. Many parents will also report that their
children will run into a street in front of cars, for no other
purpose than to chase a toy. This is obviously contrary to common
sense, which would tell us that personal safety should take
precedence over retrieval of a toy.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
However, not all
believe neurotypical disorder to be something to be feared. Meet
Debbie Garrickson. Her daughter, Emylie, recently started her
sophomore year of high school. Like Sammy, Emylie also suffers form
neurotypical disorder.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Last year was a
particularly difficult time for Emylie's family. The Garricksons had
recently moved, and Emylie began her first year of high school, with
no friends sharing the same school.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Emylie has always
been really attached to her friends,” says Debbie. “She kinda got
real depressed without anyone to hang out with.” Debbie explained
to me the effect this had on the family. “She didn't join in any
family activities. Sometimes she yelled at us for moving away from
her friends, but she mostly just holed up in her room.”</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It wasn't long
before Emylie found new friends. Debbie encourages this coping
mechanism. “Sure, she still doesn't want to play on family game
night or anything, but at least she's getting out and doing stuff.”</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In addition to
encouraging her daughter to spend so much time with her friends
instead of at home, Debbie offers a lot of freedom to Emylie. “Oh,
I don't know [what they're doing]. Hanging out at the mall, looking
at boys, whatever they do….Sure I worry, but what can you do? It's
not like I can follow them around everywhere they go. You gotta let
go some time.”</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This approach to
raising children with neurotypical disorder appears to show a lot of
success. When they grow up, the symptoms of neurotypical disorder may
impede children like Sammy or Emylie in jobs, such as scientific
research or computer programming, that require logical thinking and
attention to fine details. However, the inherent social skills and
desire to succeed in a competitive situation may help in careers such
as sales and professional sports.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As of yet, there is
no known cure for neurotypical disorder. Many have suggested that the
measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine may play a key role in
curing neurotypical disorder, but the vast majority of current
scientific research suggests that there is no link.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Others believe that
a high-gluten diet may reduce the risk of neurotypical disorder in
children. Gluten may kill off harmful gastrointestinal bacteria that
cause a high dependency on social interactions. There is little
evidence to support this theory, but it may be worth further
investigation.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Still others believe
that neurotypical disorder has always existed at its current rate.
The decline in prevalence may simply be due to our increasing ability
to discern it from other, healthy types of brains.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Many other theories
about the cause and declining prevalence of neurotypical disorder
exist. Obviously, further research is required. My hope is that we
can find the cause, so we can help children like Sammy and Emylie,
and perhaps prevent other children from suffering from this disorder
in the future.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-57716107696771728102015-09-06T14:11:00.003-07:002015-09-06T16:26:11.338-07:00#AutismUnity<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }a:link { }</style>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Columnist and autism
advocate Steve Silberman recently published a column in the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-0824-silberman-autism-speaks-20150824-story.html">LosAngeles Times</a>,
in which he thoroughly criticized the actions of Autism Speaks,
accusing the organization of not actually listening to the people
they claim to be helping. I recommend reading Silberman's piece. He
is a well-spoken advocate, sharing many views with the majority of
the Autistic community.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In response,
president of Autism Speaks Liz Feld wrote a piece the
<a href="https://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2015/08/25/call-unity">organization's blog</a>,
in which she attempted to refute the allegations made by Silberman,
as well as calling for unity in the autism community. Much of the
piece was spent seemingly confirming Silberman's criticisms,
presenting them as positives. I do not wish to spend this post
untangling those, or addressing the half-truths and outright lies
embedded in Feld's writing.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Instead, I would
like to focus my attention on the community's response to Feld's call
for unity. On September 3<sup>rd</sup>, the organization <a href="http://www.boycottautismspeaks.com/">BoycottAutism Speaks</a> organized a message bombing campaign on Twitter, using the
#AutismUnity hashtag, encouraging members of the community to voice
their opposition to Autism Speaks' message.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I understand there
is a certain irony to promoting unity by shutting out some people
from the discussion. The truth of the matter is that no one has done
more to leave autistic people and differing points of view out of the
discussion about autism that Autism Speaks.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In fact, we do need
to promote more unity within the autism community. There are multiple
facets of the community, including autistic adults and children,
parents, professionals, and researchers. All have something to gain
from and offer to each other.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've felt for a long
time that autistic people should be at the forefront of the autism
discussion. We're the ones who are being talked about, and it's our
futures that are being decided. I feel that many of us can make a
difference simply by allying ourselves and talking to parents, as
well as becoming role models for autistic children, who will become
the next generation of autistic adults.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Almost as important
in the discussion as autistic people are parents. Aside from raising
us to adulthood, and in some cases, much further, parents tend to
learn a lot about the system that is designed to help us function in
the world. As such, they learn about many of the problems in the
system that many self-advocates are all but unaware of. Communication
of these problems is essential to make progress and improve the
system.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would also
encourage professionals and researchers to take part in the
community. I personally know some professionals who have done this.
They appear to come away with a better idea of what autistic people
need for our daily lives. It's also much harder to not think of
members of your social circle as fully fleshed out human beings, as
appears to have traditionally been a problem among researchers.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This kind of unity
requires that we abandon the demeaning types of messaging promoted by
Autism Speaks. We need to stop thinking of autism as a disease or
affliction. There is no room in unity to say that some of us are
“barely living.”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's time to
celebrate the diversity that exists within our society. We need to
embrace autism as a part of the larger human family. Only then can we
create the accommodations necessary for equality.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Let me leave you
with a few examples of #AutismUnity from Twitter:</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span lang="en-US">Autism Speaks, stop speaking for people who can
already communicate 4 themselves! </span><b><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AutismUnity?src=hash"><strike><span lang="en-US">#</span></strike><b><span lang="en-US">AutismUnity</span></b></a></b><span lang="en-US">
means it’s time to sit down and LISTEN!</span><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AutismUnity?src=hash"><strike><span lang="en-US">#</span></strike><b><span lang="en-US"><b>AutismUnity</b></span></b></a><span lang="en-US">
means we can't let the vile things Autism Speaks says about us and
our neuro-siblings go unchallenged</span><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AutismUnity?src=hash"><strike><span lang="en-US">#</span></strike><b><span lang="en-US"><b>AutismUnity</b></span></b></a><span lang="en-US">:
Respect, Dignity & Acceptance for </span><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ActuallyAutistic?src=hash"><strike><span lang="en-US">#</span></strike><span lang="en-US"><b>ActuallyAutistic</b></span></a><span lang="en-US">
people, the opposite of what Autism Speaks does to us, without us!</span><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AutismUnity?src=hash"><strike><span lang="en-US">#</span></strike><b><span lang="en-US"><b>AutismUnity</b></span></b></a><span lang="en-US">
shouldn't mean erasure. Autism acceptance doesn't mean giving up on
learning coping or self care skills. We can do both.</span><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AutismUnity?src=hash"><strike><span lang="en-US">#</span></strike><b><span lang="en-US"><b>AutismUnity</b></span></b></a><span lang="en-US">
is sitting with an autistic friend, stimming in sync. Being who we
are. Supporting each other. Autism doesn't stop friendships</span><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AutismUnity?src=hash"><strike><span lang="en-US">#</span></strike><b><span lang="en-US"><b>AutismUnity</b></span></b></a><span lang="en-US">
is autistic people talking back to </span><a href="https://twitter.com/autismspeaks"><strike><span lang="en-US">@</span></strike><span lang="en-US"><b>AutismSpeaks</b></span></a><span lang="en-US">,
an organization that claims to speak for them. It's time to listen.</span><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AutismUnity?src=hash"><strike><span lang="en-US">#</span></strike><b><span lang="en-US"><b>AutismUnity</b></span></b></a><span lang="en-US">
is acceptance, accommodation, celebration of the diverse individuals
that make up the autism spectrum. It is not cure culture.</span><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AutismUnity?src=hash"><strike><span lang="en-US">#</span></strike><b><span lang="en-US"><b>AutismUnity</b></span></b></a><span lang="en-US">
means listening to Autistic people. We should be leading the
conversation about our own lives.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-24931337365403564042015-08-02T17:23:00.004-07:002015-08-02T20:28:47.949-07:00Neurotypical Disorder<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }</style>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Diagnostic
Criteria for Neurotypical Disorder</b></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
A. Persistent dependence on social communication and social
interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by the following,
currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive):</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in; text-decoration: none;">
1. Heavy reliance on nonverbal communicative behaviors in social
interaction, ranging, for example, from automatically fixating on
another's eyes; to use of facial expressions, body language, and
gestures in place of words or phrases.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in; text-decoration: none;">
2. Dependence on developing and maintaining relationships, ranging,
for example, from altering behavior according to various social
situations; to absence of interest in solitary activities.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">3.
</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Visible
distress when social-emotional reciprocity, ranging, for example,
from social approach and normal back-and-forth conversation; to
sharing of interests, emotions, or affect, is not given.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">B.
</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Mindless,
routine patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested
by at least two of the following, currently or by history (examples
are illustrative, not exhaustive):</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in; text-decoration: none;">
1. Specified or vague motor movements, use of objects, or speech
(e.g., linguistic gestures, pretending a block is a car or a stick is
a gun, metaphoric phrases, expectation that others will understand
the meaning).</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">2.
</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Lack
of awareness of differences, mindless adherence to routines, or
ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior (e.g.,
obliviousness to small changes, scripted greeting rituals, taking the
same route when going somewhere else).</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">3.
</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">S</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">hallow,
unfocused interests (e.g., little attachment to or preoccupation with
unusual objects, lack of in-depth knowledge into recent interests).</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in; text-decoration: none;">
4. Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or lack of interest in
sensory aspects of the environment (e.g., adverse response to
pain/temperature, apparent indifference to specific sounds or
textures, little smelling or touching objects, no interest toward
lights or movement).</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">C.
Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (but may
not be fully apparent </span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">until
social situations allow full manifestation, or may be masked in
non-social situations).</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
D. Symptoms cause significant impairment in logical reasoning,
interactions with inanimate objects, and other non-social areas of
functioning.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
E. These disturbances are not better explained by stalking behaviors.
Stalking behaviors and neurotypical disorder frequently co-occur; to
make comorbid diagnosis of neurotypical disorder and stalking
behaviors, normal social behavior should be at expected developmental
level.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<b>Early Development:</b></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
Though diagnosis is usually not possible so early, research suggests
that an early marker of neurotypical disorder may be strange and
repetitive babbling during infanthood. This usually transitions into
words and complete sentences during the child's second year.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Children with neurotypical disorder
often gravitate toward other </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">children</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
with a similar condition. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Groups
of children with neurotypical disorder will often mimic characters or
event they have seen in entertainment, such as acting like
superheroes or behaving as if they are in space. Some will attempt to
convince adults that they are animals, such as dogs or dinosaurs.</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
Many children with neurotypical disorder will specifically exclude
children from play who are not suitably similar to them, sometimes to
the point of bullying. A child may have no explanation for this
behavior, other than “he's weird” or “she's gross.”</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">In the absence of a suitable
companion, many children with neurotypical disorder will create a
friend out of thin air. They will play with this “friend” as
though he or she were there, and often introduce the “friend” to
parents. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Most will grow out
of this behavior by adolescent years.</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<b>Adulthood:</b></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
Adults with neurotypical disorder are often more willing to engage in
non-social activities, as required. They are still highly dependent
on social interactions. Most show a preference to spending free time
in public with friends, instead of, for example, staying home with a
jigsaw puzzle.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">An adult with neurotypical disorder
will often take intense interest in the private lives of celebrities.
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Many, especially males, will
exhibit screaming and yelling behaviors while observing sporting
events. Much importance appears to be placed on the outcome of such
events, though they appear to have little impact on the individuals'
lives.</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
Many adults with neurotypical disorder seem to be more accepting than
children of non-neurotypical individuals. Most, however, will still
consider behaviors that they do not understand to be wrong, and will
usually attempt to correct them.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<b>Causes:</b></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
The primary factor in the development of neurotypical disorder
appears to be genetic, though it may be possible that this works in
conjunction with environmental triggers or the lack thereof.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<b>Treatments:</b></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
Neurotypical disorder appears to be a lifelong condition, though some
individuals appear to grow out of it, often by acquiring a different diagnosis.
This is not common.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
There is no known cure for neurotypical disorder. No medications have
shown conclusive results. Research suggests that being in a group
composed mainly of people without neurotypical disorder can relieve
some symptoms.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
Some adults attempt to self-medicate using alcohol, cannabis, or
other substances. This is not recommended, as many can have sometimes
unpredictable side effects, or even exaggerate symptoms.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<b>Prevalence:</b></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
Current estimates place the prevalence of neurotypical disorder at 67
in 68. This has declined from 87 in 88 in the year 2008. Scientists
are currently attempting to discover the cause of the decline in
rates.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-50598910495077638992015-07-19T17:15:00.001-07:002015-07-19T17:15:30.261-07:00Autism Miracle Cures
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<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Stephen Hawking once
said, “The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, but the
illusion of knowledge.” When we think we know something, we tend to
ignore evidence to the contrary and look for things to support what
we think we know. This isn't much of a problem when it comes to
things like Hawking's area of expertise, black holes. However, there
are some more commonplace subjects where the illusion of knowledge
can cause some real damage.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One particular case
that jumps to my mind is so-called miracle cures for autism. I will
say up front that there is no cure for autism, nor do I think there
ever will be one, short of a complete brain transplant. Despite this,
there is no shortage of self-proclaimed experts selling their miracle
cures over the internet, usually at great costs to their customers.
It should also be noted that the intended recipients of these
treatments are typically children, who are at greater risk of harmful
side effects.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some miracle
treatments are relatively harmless, such as broccoli or camel's milk.
These can even be beneficial, in that they provide nutrients that
everyone needs. However, after having read about them, I'm
unconvinced that there is any benefit to be gained from either beyond
what a neuronormal person would experience.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is one miracle
cure from the 1990's that I'd like us to keep in mind throughout the
rest of the list: auditory training. The theory was that autism is
caused by a sensitivity to certain sound frequencies. Those selling
this therapy hoped that by regularly exposing autistic people to
these often painful frequencies, the sensitivity would be overcome,
and therefore, the autism would be cured.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You may or may not
see some problems with this theory. Either way, we'll come back to it
later.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Looking back again
at current miracle cures, one of the more common is chelation.
Chelation is meant to extract harmful heavy metals, such as mercury
or lead, out of the body. Its use as a treatment for autism stems
from the belief that autism is caused by exposure to mercury from
vaccines or other sources. The problem is that there is no evidence
that autism has anything to do with heavy metals of any kind.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Further, chelation
can be dangerous. When administered properly, it can cause low blood
calcium, dehydration, and kidney damage. When it's used improperly,
including when there is no heavy metal poisoning, it can cause an
increased risk of cancer, neurodevelopmental disorders, and even
death.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If I were
experiencing obvious symptoms of heavy metal poisoning, I would
probably take my chances on chelation. However, <b>there is no
medical or scientific reason to use chelation as a treatment for
autism. Doing so can be very dangerous.</b></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Another
treatment </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">that has been
under scrutiny since 2008 is a solution called Miracle Mineral
Solution (MMS). MMS is sodium chlorite dissolved in distilled water.
It's said to cure anything from colds and flus, to cancer, to HIV,
and yes, even autism.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">What
its promoters do not say is that the combination of sodium chlorite
and water produces industrial-strength bleach. I shouldn't have to
tell you that even small amounts can cause some very unpleasant side
effects, up to and including death. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Knowing
that, it should be common sense to stay away from it.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Other common miracle cures include CocoKefir products, which have
fallen under FDA investigation for false claims, and Epsom Salt.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
We all know that Epsom Salt can be relaxing, which can benefit anyone
who lives with a lot of stress, including overwhelming sensory input.
However, long term use can have some unpleasant side effects as well,
including dizziness, heart problems, skin irritation, and muscle
weakness. I would suspect there wouldn't be a problem with periodic
use, but don't expect it to cure your child's autism.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">I
should probably say something about gluten-free or casein-free diets.
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">There is a movement claiming
that autism is caused by gastrointestinal problems. I've seen several
studies claiming anywhere from a strong link to no link at all. I
don't know the details of most of them well enough to comment on the
accuracy, but I can say a few things.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you have a child that is unable to properly digest certain foods,
it's obviously a good idea not to feed your child those foods,
regardless of any other diagnoses they might have. I can also imagine
the combination of autism and gluten intolerance to be a huge
problem. Imagine if your stomach is in horrible pain, and you have
little to no ability to communicate that to the person controlling
your diet.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On the other hand, if there are no apparent issues with digestion or
food allergies, it doesn't seem like there's any reason to avoid
certain foods.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">I
won't talk about all of the products and therapies out there
purported to cure autism. There are simply too many to list here. If
you find one, some word</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">s</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
to watch out for are “miracle” and “scientific breakthrough.”
If you see those, view the report with a healthy amount of
skepticism. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">You should also
be suspicious of long lists of conditions the treatment is supposed
to cure. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">And let me
reiterate, </span><b>there is no cure for autism.</b></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So what about auditory training? It seems that for the most part,
science happened to it. For one, we know that hypersensitive hearing
and autism often go hand in hand. In this case, I think we can agree
now that we may have mistaken the symptom for the cause.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Additionally,
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">it's auditory training has
not been convincingly proven effective. A huge part of this is having
never been tested against a control group, partially because no
convincing placebo has been found. It's difficult to prove the
effectiveness of a treatment when you can't tell how much of the
progress came from the illusion of receiving treatment, or even how
much would naturally happen without treatment.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Before I finish, I want to say that I do understand the desperation
that some parents go through when their child is diagnosed with
autism. You're often given some very bleak predictions. You probably
only want your child to reach their full potential.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">The
thing is, your child's full potential may not be less than if he/she
were neuronormal. It's probably just on a different path. I'm not
even talking necessarily about the Temple Grandins or the (possibly)
Bill Gates's of the world. Severely autistic people have proven
themselves as highly talented artists. Some have also shown more
practical skills, such as assembling </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">IKEA</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
furniture.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So what kinds of therapies would I suggest? There's a few things that
have worked for me, as well as many of my autistic friends. Speech
therapy has been shown to have a positive effect. Also, many autistic
children find it easier to communicate when they have a pet to focus
on.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">The
most important things, however, are to interact with and communicate
with your child as though he/she were normal, and to nurture and
encourage your child's interests, no matter how bizarre or obsessive
they may seem. You never know which path may lead to your child's
full potential. Be creative.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-75806808038166090432015-07-05T16:50:00.001-07:002015-07-05T16:50:49.316-07:00Are Autistic Hobbies Really Obsessive?
<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }</style>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Several Decembers
ago, I found myself with some newly acquired Christmas money in my
pocket and some time off work with nothing to do. I went to the local
hobby shop to find something to remedy both of these problems. While
perusing the plastic model aisle, my eye caught a Master Grade Gundam
Mk-II. I wasn't especially familiar with Gundam at the time, but the
fact that it was like an action figure that you build from a kit shot
the cool factor off the charts.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After discovering
the variety of Gundam models available, I quickly developed a new
hobby. My latest project, which I just finished applying the decals
to yesterday, was a Perfect Grade Unicorn Gundam, complete with the
LED unit and Full Armor unit. It took me nearly a week to build it
all, and another week just to apply decals.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Full disclosure, I
am not a professional model builder, nor do I aspire to become one. I
would not say that what I build is suitable for display outside my
own place of residence. I just enjoy building Gundam models, as well
as similar types of robot models from Japan, and then posing them and
displaying them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The only reason I
bring this up is because of hobbies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One of the defining
traits of autism is obsessive hobbies. Activities that we will tend
to devote most of our free time to. They stay on our minds when we
aren't doing them, and we talk about them a lot to other people.
Whenever our minds idle, they tend to gravitate toward our hobbies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To be honest, this
is a concept that I find difficult to understand. To me, the above
paragraph defines not an obsessive hobby, but a hobby. If something
doesn't fit that description, I consider it to by at most a mild
interest.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That has made me
wonder how it is that an autistic person's interests differ from
those of a neuronormal person.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To be clear, I'm not
talking about obsessions that we might consider unhealthy, that
negatively impact other parts of the person's life. Things like
hoarding decades' worth of newspapers or losing your life savings to
gambling. I'm talking about interests that those around us might be
bothered or concerned by, but otherwise don't have many negative
consequences, such as my Gundam hobby I mentioned at the beginning.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The first thing I
think of when I hear “obsessive hobby” is how much time and
resources a person spends on his/her hobby. It is true that when I'm
in the middle of a project, I tend to spend the vast majority of my
time working on it. Other times, I want to make sure I have adequate
tools and supplies and a functional workspace.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is not
dissimilar to the habits of other autistic people I know. I
personally know people on the autism spectrum who spend most of their
free time painting, writing fan fics, or just sketching characters
for future projects. I've also known people who spend their time
drawing road maps or researching the weather or various points in
history.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
However, I have to
ask how this differs from how a neuronormal person spends his/her
free time. For example, I remember my mom used to spend hours alone
in her sewing room. She seemed to lose track of what was else was
going on while she was working. I also remember a coworker of mine,
who enjoys metalworking, excitedly telling me about acquiring a $500
toolbox for his garage.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Another prime
example is musicians. We all know how often musicians will take out
their instruments and start playing, given the chance. They also tend
to spend a lot of time and money customizing and maintaining their
instruments. In fact, it would be fair to say that music is a full
time hobby. Some may consider musicians to be obsessive, but I've
never heard anyone describe that level of interest in music to be
autistic.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So, if we're more
obsessive about our interests, I don't think it's because of the
amount of time and resources we put into them. Maybe it's how much we
talk about our interests.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Again, I'm going to
have to disagree. If you know a car guy, you have almost certainly
seen pictures of his latest accomplishment. It's not unlikely that
you've even seen before and after pictures, along with verbal
descriptions of what he's done. He's not obsessive. He's just sharing
his interest with you, whether you care or not.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'll also have to
point to sports culture. Before and after every game, I'm always
surrounded by talk of football, something I have absolutely no
interest in. People talk about not only the players and coaches, and
who they think will win and why, but also how the results of the game
will affect the rest of the season and who will go to the playoffs.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This aspect of
sports culture is fully acknowledged and accepted, as evidenced by
the fact that some will ask that others around them not talk about
the game that they recorded to watch later. That request is almost
always respected.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course, when an
autistic person is talking about his/her hobbies, the conversation
seems a little more one-sided. I will not dispute that. However, I
will dispute that it's indicative of obsession. You have to remember
that autism is a social disability, which affects our conversational
skills. We have a tendency to monologue at people when we talk, no
matter what the subject is. Taking that into consideration, I think
we can discount that as well.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Looking at the
evidence, I think it's only reasonable to conclude that either
autistic people are not obsessive about their hobbies or that
neuronormal people are. It's simply a normal human behavior, filtered
through a different type of brain.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-31820985219164959622015-06-21T16:26:00.003-07:002015-06-21T16:26:47.112-07:00Minorities Have Made Gains, But Still Have Far to Go
<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }</style>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This Thursday, June
18<sup>th</sup>, was the tenth annual Autistic Pride Day. A day for
autistic people to celebrate our differences. It's a day for verbal
and nonverbal people, those with intellectual disability or not, all
across the autism spectrum to come together and focus on the
positives of being autistic.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since the creation
of Autistic Pride Day, more and more people have become comfortable
being openly autistic. Awareness and acceptance of autism have
spread. It's becoming more common for even those outside the autism
community to be accepting of autism as a natural variant of a healthy
brain.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Unfortunately,
tragedy struck on the same day in the United States, in the form of a
domestic terrorist attack. A man entered a public building and
announced of the inhabitants that they have “raped our women, and
[they] are taking over the country ... I have to do what I have to
do.” He then proceeded to kill nine people, including South
Carolina State Senator Clementa Pinckney.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you've been
paying any attention at all to the news the past few days, you know
what I'm talking about. I will not name the shooter here because I
don't want to give him any more recognition than is necessary, nor
will I talk about the politics of gun control, since I think that's
best left for another time.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will, however, say
a few things about the mental health discussion. There seems to be a
pattern in the reporting of high profile crimes like this. When the
suspect is Muslim, we tend to hear talk about the supposedly inherent
violence within Islam. If the suspect is black, there's talk of
family structure and parental responsibility. In the case of a white
suspect, the discussion often turns to mental health.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'll say up front
that I believe all of these to be inappropriate, since they all
attempt to draw a line between 'us' and 'them.' Instead, I feel it's
more important to look at the real motivation for each case. In this
case, whether the shooter was mentally ill or not, this crime was not
caused by mental illness. It was clearly caused by hate. Unlike
mental illness, hate is taught by others. It's important to fight
that by spreading not just tolerance, but acceptance of diversity.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Personally, I feel
that the most offensive part of this story is the way it was covered
on Fox News. Fox has presented story after story saying that this
man's motivation was to kill Christians. While it is reasonable to
assume that the victims were all Christian, comedian Mike Yard asked
the question on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, how many
churches this man passed on the way to this one, occupied by entirely
black people? This, combined with what he said himself before opening
fire, strongly suggests that this crime was racially motivated.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is a reason I
mention both of these events together, Autistic Pride Day and the
attack in South Carolina. Few people would argue that the racial
equality movement has made considerable progress. The fact that this
attack has gotten so much attention, when similar attacks were common
in the 1960's, demonstrates that. However, the fact that this attack
happened at all in the 21<sup>st</sup> century illustrates another
point that I want to highlight.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
No matter how far an
equality movement comes, and no matter how unpopular hate against a
minority gets, there will always be those who oppose equality. It is
important to always continue pushing forward. Otherwise, the movement
can easily lose ground and start slipping back.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The support of those
outside a minority is vitally important. It's expected, for example,
to hear a black person talking about racial equality. It tends to
mean more to those who need to learn to hear it from someone they
perceive as being one of their own.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now, I know in the
autistic community, we don't usually have to worry about mass
shooters targeting us. We do have our own concerns, though. We are
often shut out of the job market. Several of our number have been
killed by their own caregivers, who are then made to look like only a
victim in the story. We even have our own self-appointed advocates
who actively speak against our message.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In fact, all
minorities have their own sets of concerns and problems. Whether
we're talking about racial or religious minorities, women, Native
Americans, the LGBT community, or those with any type of disability,
we need to stand together. Find out what each movement wants to say,
and stand up for them. Never give up the push for equality. We're all
human beings first.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-84198286246786787632015-06-07T14:49:00.002-07:002015-06-12T21:36:16.245-07:00An Overdue Apology<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }</style>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Shortly after the
first time I was published in our local newspaper, The Register
Guard, I was contacted by a woman whom we'll call Mary. She was
impressed by what I had written, and wanted to meet me. She also
wanted me to meet her son, we'll call him Jim, who is also autistic.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Mary is friendly and
outgoing. She came across as a caring and open-minded mother. I might
also add generous (thanks again for lunch, if you're reading this).
Jim seemed kind of shy, but not at all unfriendly. He's independent,
and one of the autistic people lucky enough to have found a steady
job.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Overall, I thought
it was a fun meeting. Although, I feel like I owe Jim an apology.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Naturally, most of
our conversation centered around the subjects of autism and the
autism community. As you may know from reading my writings, I have a
lot to say about that, and I can get rather passionate about it. That
may not have been a problem in a less public space.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm pretty open
about my own autism. Of course, I don't tell every single person I
meet. There are a couple of reasons. The most obvious is that I don't
want to spend that much time explaining what it means. The other is
that I do notice that people tend to treat me differently depending
on whether I tell them I'm autistic right away, or if I give them a
chance to get to know me first. By and large, though, I don't feel as
though I should have to hide that I'm autistic.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jim, on the other
hand, takes a very different view. Mary was telling me that he's
somewhat embarrassed by his diagnosis, which I should have noticed
while we were talking. My understanding is that he doesn't share it
with his friends and coworkers, for fear of being judged.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The thing is Jim's
fears aren't entirely unfounded. In my experience, most Millennials
and many Gen Xers tend to be willing to see autism as it is when it's
presented to them. However, many people still think of Dustin
Hoffman's Rainman when they hear autism. It can be frustrating trying
to show someone that you're not stupid, while simultaneously telling
them to do their own math.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Other people will
sometimes appoint themselves as social skills teachers. While this
can be appropriate coming from parents, teachers, caregivers, and
significant others, it's probably best left alone by friends and
coworkers. A lot of people often get the lessons wrong, and even if
it's correct, it can still feel demeaning.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Even worse is when a
person, who may be otherwise respectful and open-minded, takes the
knowledge that a friend of their's is autistic as permission to share
it with anyone they choose. This then extends the problems with
disclosing to people that you may not be aware know about your
diagnosis. I try to remember now to tell people that I want to be the
one to choose when and how to disclose to others.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Being openly
autistic, I choose to take these risks along with it. My goal in
doing so is to create a world in which people like Jim do not need to
worry about being treated differently. However, as things are now,
Jim should have a right to choose not to take those same risks that I
do.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To be honest, most
of the autistic people I know are comfortable with their autism, and
at least marginally comfortable sharing it with others. Of those who
aren't, either autism is not normally the topic of conversation when
I'm with them or we're surrounded by members of the autism community.
Further, I consider it a failure on my part if the majority of the
neuronormal people I know don't have a positive and accurate view of
autism.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Because of the
environment I've created for myself, I sometimes forget that others
are uncomfortable with being autistic. I'll try to be more sensitive
to that in the future.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jim, even though
I've changed your name here, I trust you know who you are. I hope you
accept my apology.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
<i>Update:</i> "Mary" sent me the following response, which was intended as a comment, but exceeded the character limit. I would like to post it here:<br />
<br />
<div>
DAVID .... Sorry it took me a few days to respond, but I've never "blogged" before. (Smile). <br />
<br />
It
was compassionate and generous of you to offer your apology, but
heavens, one surely was not needed! You did nothing at all to
apologize for. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
When I saw your great articles about autism in the Register Guard, I
was inspired to contact and meet you -- as outside of my son (whom we
are calling "Jim" here), I've never met an autistic person who is
functioning out there as "normal" in the real world. I thought it would
be good for Jim to meet someone similar to himself -- as although he
functions in the world with no apparent handicap, he goes through a lot
of stress trying to piece together and understand conversations. (An
autistic brain thing, most likely). This causes him great angst at
work.~</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
Jim works for a large lumber mill running a machine, and has held
this job for almost 15 years. He interviewed for and got the job
totally by himself, and no one there knows of his autism -- although
some probably view him as a bit "different." </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
Jim was diagnosed as "clasically autistic" at age 4, and didn't
have meaningful speech until age 7. Fortunately, there was no
retardation. <br />
<br />
I wrote to Dr. Bernard Rimland (the "father of
autism") back in the 60's for help, as no definitive help existed out
there. He referred us to work with Dr. Ivar Lovaas at UCLA (renown at
the time), and through many wonderful people and relentless hard work,
Jim improved each year. (Too lengthy to go into here, but David Olson
has my "story" about Jim detailing much of this).</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
Jim is now 52, has had his steady job at the mill for 14+ years,
owns his own home, drives his car(s), and for all practical purposes is
integrated successfully into society. He has never married (oh, the
heartbreaks and rejections I've gone through with him~), but am happy to
report that he has now been in an exclusive "relationship" for over 5
years. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
For about 25 years (mid 20's to late 40's), Jim was plagued with
panic attack type "melt-downs", mostly out in public, when he
experienced "information overload." These manifested in seizure-type
episodes, and so many times ambulances were called. These were so
stressful for both of us! By the miracle of Jim's inner strength and
fierce resolve to overcome, I'm happy to report that he has actually
"trained his brain" not to have these -- and instead he covers his
mouth, takes deep breaths, and walks away from the perceived stress.
David, this is what you saw the day the 3 of us met for lunch -- smile.
We were seated outside next to other folks, and Jim could see they were
listening to our conversation about autism (including his). He was
mortified about this for various reasons.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
First, he still carries the stigma of going to elementary school
(to Special Ed class) on what kids called "the retard bus." He learned
back then that if he was to be accepted (instead of taunted) by his
peers, he needed to be like they appeared to be -- "normal." </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
Fast forward ahead to when he got his job at the mill over 14 years
ago. Again, they never would have hired him (risky machinery to work
around, etc.), had they known he was afflicted with a malady of any
type. So for all these reasons, Jim must remain "underground" about the
autism.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
One of the reasons I loved the articles you wrote, David, is
because you are directly addressing autism and educating the public
(however long it takes them~) about this little understood malady. I
doubt if the "good ole boys" at the mill would really "get it" and show
any tolerance at this point in time -- but it's people like you (ha, if
there are any, David!) who are on the ground swell and leading the way
for the rest of us. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
With efforts like yours, we're hopefully working toward a more tolerant and informed society. Keep up your wonderful work!<br />
<br />
In appreciation, "Mary" (ficticious name) -- "Jim's" mom</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-17335418097636647632015-05-17T15:55:00.001-07:002015-05-17T16:04:30.439-07:00A Request for Better Employment Standards for Autistic Adults<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }</style>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>The following is an open letter to all legislators in Salem, Oregon and Washingtion, D.C. It is composed of ideas discussed by a self-advocacy group that I run in Eugene.</i> </div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Dear Congressman /
Senator:</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As you may or may
not be aware, the combined unemployment and underemployment rate for
young adults with autism is estimated about 90%. We feel that this is
far too high. Many autistic adults are willing and able to work and
support themselves. We feel that they should be given the opportunity
to do so.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Vocational
Rehabilitation does exist to help disabled people, including autistic
people, find employment. However, many people who use this system are
required to work for free in an assessment position, often for years.
We feel that a job assessment, if it does not come with full pay,
should be capped at no more than one month. After that amount of
time, a caseworker should be able to ascertain what an individual is
capable of.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once work is found,
many employers look for ways to pay disabled workers as little as
possible, taking advantage of the fact that it is legal to pay
disabled workers less than minimum wage. We feel that this is wrong,
and that everyone deserves the dignity of a living wage.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
However, we also
understand that some workers are so severely disabled that they do
not produce minimum wage level work. In these cases, we feel that it
would be appropriate for the employer to pay the worker what the
worker is worth, and for the state to pay the rest, at least up to
minimum wage.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Often, the work that
is sought by employment agencies is very low level, such as filling
envelopes or pushing brooms, and often part-time. These types of jobs
lack dignity.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Currently, Walgreens
is demonstrating that autistic workers are capable of the same
unskilled jobs that are sought for non-autistic workers. Microsoft
and Freddie Mac are demonstrating that autistic workers are capable
of professional positions. We ask that all employment agencies
working for disabled people consider these possibilities.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
We feel that in the
long run, finding meaningful employment for autistic adults will
result in fewer tax dollars being spent, as they will be able to earn
their own living, and no longer be collecting financial supports.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In addition, we
believe there are broader economic benefits to having more autistic
adults working. First, it is possible to make more money from even an
unskilled job than from government benefits. That results in more
money being spent in the economy. Second, when an autistic adult is
working, he/she is providing work to an employer in exchange for
his/her paycheck, which produces more wealth in the economy.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and please consider
taking action on these issues.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sincerely,</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
David Olson</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Director of
A.V.O.I.C.E.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Autistics Voicing
Our Interests in Change and Equality</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-30246712492582835962015-05-03T15:54:00.001-07:002015-05-03T15:54:58.672-07:00The R-Word
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<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Why is the word
'retarded' considered offensive? It's clear that people are becoming
more accepting of the concept of neurodiversity, but this is a topic
that many people still don't fully understand.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As you are no doubt
aware, this is a word that has been applied to individuals with
intellectual, social, and neurological disabilities. When I was
growing up, 'mental retardation' was the accepted term for many
people within these groups. Of course, at the time, it was widely
believed that these individuals were mostly unaware of the world
around them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
We know differently
now. Most research suggests that even the most profoundly disabled
individuals have some awareness of what happens around them. Today,
many disability advocates request that we do not use the word
'retarded' to describe people with intellectual and other
disabilities. To do so minimizes them, implying that they don't count
as full humans.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But what if a person
actually is so profoundly disabled that they actually have no
awareness of the people surrounding them, or what is being said about
them? Is it okay to refer to them as 'retarded?' I think we should
look to the previous paragraph to find our answer.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
We've already
decided that it's inappropriate to degrade an individual if it's
discovered that person has some level of awareness of the activities
of others. We've also learned that it isn't always obvious when a
person is. Would it not be appropriate to assume this may also be
true of even more profoundly disabled people?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Further, we should
perhaps ask ourselves why we need to use such a dismissive term to
refer to anyone, regardless of their mental faculties. Shouldn't we
show each individual as much human dignity as can be afforded to
them?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Having said all of
that, I don't find that as offensive as some other uses of the word.
Certainly, it is dismissive to use a word, whose dictionary
definition is 'slowed down or impeded,' to refer to intellectually,
socially, or neurologically disabled people.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My primary
contention with the word 'retarded' is its use to describe stupidity,
frivolity, or defectiveness. For example, referring to a friend who
is displaying less than intelligent behavior as a 'retard,' or
describing their actions as 'retarded.' I've also heard people
describing their phones or cars and 'retarded' if they aren't working
properly.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This use of the word
is thoroughly ingrained in our language now. In fact, it's not
unlikely that you occasionally use it without realizing. You may not
even be aware of the offensive nature of it. Most people even draw a
strong distinction between the current use of the word and the now
archaic clinical use.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Allow me to briefly
talk about the history of the word, as I believe that will help you
to understand.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The original,
non-offensive, dictionary definition of the verb to retard is to slow
down, impede, or hold back. You'll hear this use when people are
talking about engine timing, music, and fluid dynamics. It's unlikely
that you'll find many people in the disability community that have a
problem with this use.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In 1895, the term
'mental retardation' started being used to denote slowed or impeded
development of the mind. As I said before, it was widely believed
until relatively recently that those labeled mentally retarded had
little to no ability to understand the world around them.
Unfortunately, society saw little use for these individuals.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Because the label of
mental retardation also used to imply low intelligence, both parts of
the term gradually found their way into mainstream culture as ways
for people to call each other stupid. Only one seems to have stuck,
possibly because 'mental' actually means of or pertaining to the
mind. The word 'retarded' has gradually come to refer to anything
that the speaker believes is not optimal.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Coming back to the
topic at hand, many in the disability community are offended by the
use of the word 'retarded,' as a synonym for stupid, because of this
history. When you call your friend retarded, you are not just
insulting your friend. You are are insulting every person with any
intellectual, neurological, or social disability by using them as a
comparison.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At this point in the
conversation, some people will start talking about free speech. They
don't want their right to use certain words to be taken away. Let me
assure you, I have no desire for any law passed against the use of
the word 'retarded.' I'm only trying to say how it looks to the rest
of us.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I find most people
want to be accepting of diversity. There are just some gaps in their
understanding. I hope this has filled some of those gaps.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On the other hand,
if you want to look like a dismissive bigot, perpetually stuck in the
1990's, by all means, continue using this word. The rest of us can
move on without you.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-47326945265955892792015-04-19T15:47:00.003-07:002015-04-19T15:47:25.545-07:00Acting With Autism
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<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Many are familiar
with the artistic achievements of autistic people. There is no
shortage of highly detailed drawings and paintings created by
autistic hands. Autistic people have also created beautiful works of
music, literature, and dance. With logical thought, attention to
detail, an often creative mind, and a thought process outside of the
norm of society, there is little doubt that autism is synonymous with
art.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But what about the
art of acting? Acting is a direct representation of human behavior
and interaction with other people. Surely a social disability like
autism would get in the way of that.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As it turns out,
there are quite a few accomplished actors with autism. In fact, many
autistic people who have tried acting feel that their autistic traits
actually contribute to their ability to perform. It's even likely
that acting can help autistic people to better navigate society.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The first thing that
comes to mind is that when acting, there is usually a script and a
fair amount of rehearsing. Obviously, that isn't the case in
improvisational acting. However, when a script is provided, it does
help to know ahead of time what you're saying and doing. It makes it
easier to not miss cues or have to stop and think about your
response.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Another obstacle
that I've heard mentioned is that autistic people tend toward
honesty. In fact, many autistic people are practically unable to lie.
How is it that an autistic person can portray anyone but themselves
on stage?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The answer is
simple, really. In acting, there is no intent to deceive. Everyone
knows that an actor is simply playing a character. During the
performance, there is no pressure at all to be your true self.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The most obvious and
apparent obstacle to acting would be the accurate portrayal of human
behavior. It would seem that, since this is the most defining
characteristic of autism, this most fundamental aspect of acting
would be the most difficult. After all, we tend toward logic, and, as
I've said in past posts, human behavior tends to be the opposite of
logical.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In fact, we can make
very effective use of our logical and analytical minds to portray
normal human behavior. We can do this the same way we learn anything.
There may not be much in the way of logic behind human behavior, but
there are patterns.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Simply observing
human behavior and recognizing the patterns can teach us a lot about
how neuronormal people interact. We can then mimic those patterns on
stage. In some ways, it may even be easier for us to do this as an
outside observer. We can approach these observations without the same
kinds of expectations that a neuronormal would, meaning we can
perhaps learn more from each observation, comparing it to previous
ones.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Another thing we
have going for us is that we don't have an innate understanding of
human social behavior. Most people learn social behavior from a
desire to fit in. They simply mimic the behavior of those around
them, knowing instinctively that that is the correct way to interact
with others.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As children, most
autistic people don't really connect our behavior to how others see
us. We tend to stop trying to mimic others when it's made clear that
we got it wrong, but never explained how. Because of this, we tend
not to learn about appropriate social interaction until we're older.
We have to think about it on a conscious level. The fact that we have
to keep the social rules in the front of our mind translates to being
able to portray such behaviors during a performance.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I said early on in
this post that acting can help autistic people learn to live in a
neuronormal world. I hope by now you might have some ideas how it
might. I've spent the last several paragraphs talking about the
ability to learn about social interaction and human behavior. It
should be obvious that these same lessons can be applied off stage as
well. I think in many cases, acting may be the motivator to learn
about social interaction.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I can think of one
further obstacle to autistic people acting. That would be the
nervousness of getting on stage. Many of us tend to be shy. Why
wouldn't we be? Many of us have spent much of our lives getting shot
down when we tried to interact with others. It would seem that the
natural shyness that comes after that would interfere with our
ability to get on stage in front of a large number of people.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The truth is this is
a problem for any actor. It's generally just scary to get up in front
of people and, let's be honest, make a fool of yourself. First, many
autistic actors, as well as autistic people doing other types of
performances, find it easier to visualize an audience as a single
entity, or even to ignore them entirely. You're there to perform, not
to interact with the people watching you. It also helps to keep in
mind that those people in the audience came, often paying good money,
just to see you make a fool of yourself (also known as acting).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are many other
fears involving performance and what can go wrong. I won't get into
all of them here, but there are many ways to get around those fears.
It shouldn't be hard to find techniques that will work for you.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To be clear, acting
is not for everyone. Some people can never get over their fear of the
stage. Others just have no interest in it or don't enjoy it. My point
is just that acting should not be seen as being outside the abilities
of autistic people. Like any interest worth pursuing, it can be very
beneficial to the person doing it. And of course, the most important
thing is to have fun!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-63832004142955074982015-04-05T18:22:00.002-07:002015-04-05T18:22:47.463-07:00The Limits of Religious Freedom
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<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It has happened.
Certain forms of discrimination are now legal in the state of
Indiana. In case you haven't been paying attention to the news for
the last two weeks, Governor Mike Pence (R) of Indiana signed into
law a bill that would prevent the state government from interfering
with the religious practice of people.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sounds reasonable,
right? Well, there are two major problems I can see. First is that
the bill defines a person as an individual, a religious organization,
or a business. Businesses now have the right to free practice of
religion in Indiana. The second problem is that many business owners
have determined that serving certain people is a violation of their
religious beliefs.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since I normally
write about autism, let me get this out of the way now. I don't
believe that this law will result in autistic people being
discriminated against. First, disabled people are a protected
minority. Even though that often isn't very strictly enforced when it
comes to autism, I don't know of anyone claiming that autism violates
their religion.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As an advocate for
equality, I feel I should stand up for other minorities as well.
Since sexual preference and gender identity are not protected
minorities under Indiana law, the people most likely to be negatively
impacted by this law will be the LGBT community.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To fully understand
what's going on here, let's go back to the beginning. In the 1960's
and 70's, the US Supreme Court began to determine that limits can be
placed on religious freedom if those limits apply to everyone, not
just those practicing the religion. Most notably, Native American
religious practices were attack by these rulings, famously including
restrictions on the use of peyote during religious ceremonies, an
action that affects no one but those who voluntarily take part in the
ceremonies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To counter these
decisions, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act was passed by
unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives, receiving only
three votes against it in the Senate, and signed into law by
President Bill Clinton in 1993. On a side note, contrary to the
assertion of Gov. Pence, then not-yet-senator Barack Obama did not
vote for the bill for obvious reasons. Since the passage of the RFRA,
several states have passed bills affirming that it applies in their
states.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So if other states
have passed religious freedom laws, why is Indiana different? In
part, it has to do with how the word 'person' is defined in the bill,
including a partnership, a limited liability company, a corporation,
a company, a firm, a society, a joint-stock company, and an
unincorporated association. This, combined with certain absences from
protected minorities in the state of Indiana, means that a business
that asserts a religion can deny service to LGBT customers on
religious grounds.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In fairness, Gov.
Pence has stated that this law isn't about discrimination against gay
people. He said that it simply puts a higher level of scrutiny on
discrimination by government entities against religion. Let me
translate that. In most states, when a person makes a discrimination
complaint against a business, it's up to that person to prove the
discrimination happened. Under this new law, when action is taken on
a discrimination complaint by a government entity, the government
entity will be required to prove that it is not infringing on the
business's religious freedom.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As I understand it,
a business still cannot claim religious freedom to refuse service to
protected minorities. That means there is a very simple fix for this
law. Simply declare sexual preference and gender identity to be
protected minorities. Gov. Pence has stated that he will not seek to
do this.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've heard some
people say they don't have a problem with this law because we have a
right to discriminate in the United States, and why would you want to
shop at a business that wants to discriminate against you anyway? At
least now we'll know who they are.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have a couple of
problems with this mind set. It's arguable whether we have the right
to discriminate against others. Whether we do or not, we don't have
the right to run a business. Much like driving, it is a privilege
granted by the government, which can be taken away if it is done in
an inappropriate or dangerous manner.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
We've already made
the decision that businesses are not allowed to discriminate against
certain minorities. In the 1960's, whites' only lunch counters were
common. Even restrooms and drinking fountains were segregated. And
yes, religion was sometimes used as a justification. Lyndon Johnson
signed civil rights legislation into effect to counter this.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Why would we want to
patronize businesses that discriminate against certain minorities?
Well, we probably wouldn't, especially if they discriminate against
minorities we might belong to. I'm familiar with this idea, since
there are certain businesses I don't patronize to avoid any of my
money being donated to Autism Speaks, an organization I have many
problems with. However, I don't care that much what a business
owner's opinion on minorities might be, as long as none of the
businesses resources or income are used to act on it. You go into
business to run a business and make money, not to exercise religion
or force your values on others.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On one final note, I
am absolutely in favor of religious freedom. Religion is an important
thing for a lot of people. However, the line we've historically drawn
is that you cannot use your religion against others. It's important
to remember that in a country where everyone is free to worship as
they please, or even not at all, none of us have the right to force
others to believe as we do.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-78056646873062507042015-03-15T13:40:00.003-07:002015-03-15T13:40:32.123-07:00Autism Acceptance Month
<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }</style>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For years, April has
been observed in several countries around the world as Autism
Awareness Month. Because of this, autism is now a household word, and
most people are at least somewhat familiar with the kinds of
challenges we face. With some help from the internet, the autism
community is more connected than ever.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There's no question
that autism awareness has led to some important accomplishments.
However, I think it's time to take the concept even further. Some
autistic-run organizations, such as the Autistic Self-Advocacy
Network (ASAN), have proposed that we make the change to Autism
Acceptance Month.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It might seem like a
small change. Maybe unimportant, or strange to even consider.
Awareness to acceptance? Let me see if I can sell you on it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
First thing, we're
not removing anything from the spirit by taking the word 'awareness'
out of the name. After all, it's hard to pro-actively accept
something that you aren't aware of.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think the only
problem many of us in the autistic community have with Autism
Awareness Month is how the awareness seems to be implemented. Most
people seem to approach it the same way you would approach cancer
awareness, as a horrible disease that affects millions of people, and
needs to be stopped as soon as possible.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Most autistic people
feel that's a poor representation of how we see ourselves. We
recognize that we have different challenges that can make life
difficult for us. However, we don't feel that this is a good reason
to change who we are.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In addition, certain
rhetoric, such as that of reclaiming lost children, can be damaging
to some autistic people. You have to remember that this is how we
were born, and it's how we'll always be. The notion that a person
must be normal in order to qualify as a full person or to be seen as
valuable to society can lead to severe depression when it's
discovered that that's an impossible goal.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Another thing I
often hear this time of year is to say that if a person displays a
vaguely autistic trait, then they might be autistic. For example, if
you see a child screaming in public, remember that they might be
autistic. I find this to be useless, accomplishing nothing except
creating unnecessary barriers between autistic and normal people.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Instead, let's try
to keep in mind that autistic behavior isn't so different from that
of a normal person. To use a similar example, if you see a child that
you know to be autistic screaming in public, try to remember that
most children use some form of tantrums to alert nearby adults that
something is wrong.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So what should we be
observing during Autism Acceptance Month? I would say that the focus
should be on the positives. Recognize the positive traits of autism
and think about what autistic people are good at. Remember the
autistic people in your life. And above all, never forget that no
matter what we look like or how we act, we are people, just like you.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't mean to
ignore the negatives. We've all heard about social difficulties,
problems reading nonverbal communication, repetitive, stereotyped
motions (also called stims), adherence to routines, and narrow
interests. Those are very real, and can be problematic in certain
situations.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
However, I believe
most of the positive traits are the same traits as the negatives, but
in a different context. Let's examine that with the above examples.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Let me go ahead and
start at the end of the list, with narrow interests. I prefer to
think of them as focused interests. In fact, the narrowed focus
allows us to learn in depth details about that interest very quickly.
Most of us will branch out into related subjects when we find we have
to learn about something else to learn more about our interests. This
also fits with the way most autistic people learn, starting with
specifics and branching out into more general subjects.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As for routines,
most autistic people, and in fact, most people in general, don't
always like to deal with the unexpected. Many of us also need to take
time to process how to handle a situation. Having a routine helps
because it simultaneously creates a preset series of situations,
meaning the thinking has all been done ahead of time, and limits the
likelihood of unexpected circumstances.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know part of the
problem is that routines can sometimes be inefficient. Think about
how many neuronormal people you know with inefficient routines. I
don't mean to say just let it go, but when we're talking about
acceptance, we should allow the same amount of leniency for
inefficient behaviors toward both autistic and normal people.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Stimming is another
coping mechanism. As far as I can tell, there are two main reasons to
stim. One is to keep the mind running during times of high activity
or near inactivity. The other is to burn off nervous energy to
diffuse an impending meltdown.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the spirit of
acceptance, I should point out that stimming is another thing that
neuronormal people engage in. Have you ever found yourself tapping a
pen? That's the first type of stimming. How about nervously pacing?
That's the second type. What would happen if someone were to stop you
from either? Considering that, it should come as no surprise that
stopping it isn't usually the best idea.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The social
difficulties are a little tougher. You have to bear in mind that
autistic people tend to be highly logical. As any Star Trek fan can
tell you, human interaction tends to be highly illogical. Simply put,
our brains are not wired to pick up on social rules. We're capable of
it, but only through deliberate learning and conscious observation.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On the other hand,
having a highly logical mind can be a huge advantage in several
areas, including science, music, language, and many more.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One final note, take
a moment to think of the autistic people in your life. What have they
contributed to your experience on Earth? What would your life be like
without them? It's likely that you know at least one or two autistic
people, even if you don't know it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To paraphrase
notable autism activist Ari Ne'eman, normal should not be the goal.
Happiness should be the goal. If you can, try to learn from us,
autistic people, about autism this Autism Acceptance Month.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-36306942947119370522015-03-01T10:53:00.000-08:002015-03-01T10:56:50.713-08:00Special Announcement: Day of MourningOn this day, March 1st, disability rights groups from around the world are remembering the lives of disabled people who were killed by their families. Over seventy people with disabilities were killed by family members over the past five years, with at least ten in the last year.<br />
<br />
Too often, we are told to sympathize with the victims' killers. Those reporting the deaths seem to forget that the victim was a human being. All lives matter, including those of disabled people.<br />
<br />
Please join me in remembering these people. The following is not a complete list.<br />
<br />
Lexie Agyepong-Glover, 13<br />
Faryaal Akhter, 2 <br />
Zain Akhter, 5<br />
Casey Albury, 17<br />
Caylee Anthony, 2<br />
Karandeep Arora, 18<br />
Angelica Auriemma, 20<br />
Zahra Baker, 10 <br />
Leosha Barnett, 18<br />
Charles-Antoine Blais, 6<br />
Benjamin Barnhard, 13<br />
Markea Blakely-Berry, 16<br />
Jeremy Bostick, 11 <br />
Gabriel Britt, 6<br />
Scarlett Chen, 4 <br />
Johnny Churchi, 13<br />
Julie Cirella, 8<br />
Daniel Corby, 4<br />
James Joseph Cummings Jr., 46<br />
Laura Cummings, 23 <br />
Ryan Davies, 12<br />
Christopher DeGroot, 19<br />
Peter Eitzen, 16<br />
Payton Ettinger, 4 <br />
Maxwell Eyer, 2<br />
Marcus Fiesel, 4<br />
Jeremy Fraser, 9<br />
Glen Freany, 11 <br />
Betty Anne Gagnon, 48<br />
Jared Greenwood, 26<br />
Pamela Camille Hall, 59 <br />
Francecca Hardwick, 18<br />
Walter Knox Hildebrand Jr., 20 <br />
Naomi Hill, 4<br />
George Hodgkins, 22<br />
Kenneth Holmes, 12 <br />
Tom Inglis, 22<br />
Gerren Isgrigg, 6<br />
Chad Jackson, 25 <br />
Christian Clay Jenkins, 14<br />
Tony Khor, 15<br />
Daniel Kirby, 4<br />
Ethan Scott Kirby, 3 <br />
William Lash III, 12<br />
Tracy Latimer, 12<br />
Daniel Leubner, 13<br />
Jori Lirett, 7<br />
London McCabe, 6 <br />
Katie McCarron, 3<br />
Christopher Melton, 18 <br />Jude Mirra, 8<br />
Emily Belle Molin, 85<br />
Noe Nedina Jr., 7 months<br />
Chase Odgen, 13<br />
Pierre Pasquiou, 10<br />
Tiffany Pinckney, 23 <br />
Kyla Puhle, 27<br />
Criste Reimer, 47<br />
Rylan Rochester, 6 months<br />
Rohit Singh,7<br />
Ajit Singh-Mahal, 12<br />
Alex Spourdalakalis, 14<br />
Calista Springer, 16 <br />
Ulysses Stable, 12<br />
Melissa Stoddard, 11 <br />
Shylea Myza Thomas, 9 <br />
Lakesha Victor, 10<br />
Shellay Ward, 7<br />
Courtney Wise, 17<br />
Lloyd Yarbrough, 62Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-559517045104935232015-03-01T10:15:00.001-08:002015-03-01T10:56:50.715-08:00Ten Years of Autism Speaks: The Autism Community's Response<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }a:link { }</style>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The world's largest
autism charity, Autism Speaks, has now been in existence for ten
years. To celebrate, the organization has launched a Twitter
campaign, #AutismSpeaks10, where they have asked people to share
comments about how Autism Speaks has affected their lives during the
past decade. The autistic community used the hashtag to do just that.
Here are a few examples:</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/Ellie_Squire/status/568809353094008832">#AutismSpeaks10You've touched my life by making me fight harder to get my own voiceheard, instead of people who'd rather I didn't exist.</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/lunarprincesses/status/568818637504716800">#AutismSpeaks10you made me hate myself and because of you people like me suffer on adaily bases</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/pokeylilelf/status/568849854027292674">Thank you, Autism
$<b>peaks</b>,
for profiting off of the demonization of my neurotype.
#</a><b><a href="https://twitter.com/pokeylilelf/status/568849854027292674">AutismSpeaks10</a></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/TheCQC/status/568871656296456192">#AutismSpeaks10thx 4 making my mom think she had to sexually harass me to make menormal, + i don't even have asd i have spd</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7416640274385489805#AutismSpeaks10%20https://twitter.com/captainavens/status/568874392261951488">remember that timeyou posted a video of a woman saying she wanted to kill her autisticchild in the presence of that child</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/firlalaith/status/568876888007049217">#<b>AutismSpeaks10</b></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Thanks A$ for making it so
hard to find people who're positive about autism over the past 10
years! </span>#</a><b><a href="https://twitter.com/firlalaith/status/568876888007049217">ActuallyAutistic</a> </b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/h0llowhills/status/568877778227089408"><br /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/h0llowhills/status/568877778227089408">#AutismSpeaks10Ten years of actively drowning out the voices of #ActuallyAutisticpeople when they speak. Congratuf**kinglations.</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/DameGreyWulf/status/568884331554279424">#AutismSpeaks10has helped me by hoarding funds we could be using to cure mydetrimental depression instead of my perfectly fine autism.</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/ekamangan/status/568898841833017345"><span lang="en-US"><b>#</b></span><span lang="en-US"><b>AutismSpeaks10</b></span></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Apparently
it's perfectly acceptable to “advocate” for a cause in ways the
people you're “supporting” hate </span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">#</span></span></a><span lang="en-US"><b><a href="https://twitter.com/ekamangan/status/568898841833017345">ActuallyAutistic</a> </b></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/BagOfCuttlefish/status/568908886700396544">#AutismSpeaks10almost a decade of fear mongering, propaganda, and eugenics. F**k youall.</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/shulamithbond/status/568910871948349440">#AutismSpeaks10has created a culture and openly endorsed media in which a parentwanting to murder their autistic child is "understandable"</a> </div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/EmmaPretzel/status/568915745825955841"><span lang="en-US"><b>#</b></span><span lang="en-US"><b>AutismSpeaks10</b></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">:
</span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Where
your needs and opinions can get discounted because “That's just
your autism speaking.” </span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">#</span></span></a><span lang="en-US"><b><a href="https://twitter.com/EmmaPretzel/status/568915745825955841">ActuallyAutistic</a> </b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/AliceWolff15/status/568920066705768449">Thanks to#AutismSpeaks10for making it even harder for me to get accommodations becauseprofessors don't believe I'm "really" autistic!</a><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/squamousandkind/status/569247434775371777">#AutismSpeaks10@autismspeaksoh and as always thanks for supporting the JRC, where they tortureand electrocute children. You're a peach.</a><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/Macgyver_It/status/569247455797075968">Thanks#AutismSpeaks10for ten years of "representation" without a single autisticmember on your board to actually represent!</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://twitter.com/Mom2Rebels/status/570636804531101696">#<b>AutismSpeaks10</b></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">
has filled me with fear b/c they instill fear of my children in the
rest of the world. So, they've hurt us! @</a><b><a href="https://twitter.com/Mom2Rebels/status/570636804531101696">AutismNEO</a></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is only a small
sample of the response that took place. Most of what I quoted here
was from the first few days, but the conversation has continued to
today.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I
</span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">know
what you may be thinking. To a certain extent, I did choose tweets
that were opposed to Autism Speaks. However, when you ignore those
posted by Autism Speaks themselves, founders Bob and Suzanne Wright,
and various politicians, this is the general tone of the vast
majority </span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">of
tweets </span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">under
this hashtag.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Autism Speaks has responded to this takeover on the part of the
autistic community by creating a new hashtag, #AutismChampion. The
result was much the same. Again, the autism community leaped into
action to state their champions. For many, Autism Speaks and its
founders do not make the list.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
raises an important question. Should we really continue to support an
organization that is so emphatically opposed by the very people it
claims to be trying to help? </span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
seems to be a sign that they aren't representing the needs of the
community. After ten years of ignoring us, I think it's safe to say
that they aren't going to listen.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">In
case you're wondering, I'd like to briefly explain how Autism Speaks
has touched my life. </span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Few
entities have worked so hard to spread so much misinformation and
cause so much fear and pity. Autism Speaks has given me a sense of
purpose, to counter the negative messages they spread.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Thank
you, Autism Speaks, for giving the neurodiversity movement something
to gather around. In the words of Twitter user @AutisticWiki, </span></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_508214867"></span>We
no longer ask that you accept us. Now @<b>autismspeaks</b>
, we just want you to get out of the way. #<b>AutismSpeaks10</b>
#<b>ActuallyAutistic</b></a><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-35789904704488119692015-02-15T19:13:00.001-08:002015-02-15T19:13:11.097-08:00Medical Model Vs. Social Model for Autism
<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }</style>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You may notice that
disability rights activists appear to see disabilities in a different
light from the general population. Why is that? Well, there are two
ways to look at a disability: the medical model and the social model.
Both are equally valid, but have different uses. After I describe the
two models, I would like to apply them to the disability I'm most
familiar with, autism.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Let's start with the
medical model of disability, since it's the one people are most
familiar with. The medical model can be summed up as being the way a
doctor might look at a disability. The purpose is to describe the
deficits and inabilities associated with the disability. It strives
to find the differences from abled people, and likely causes for
those differences.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In terms of autism,
the medical model states that a person may not fully understand
social interactions, and appear to be lacking in empathy. The person
may appear socially withdrawn, pursuing narrow interests. He/she will
often follow strict routines, or perform repetitive, stereotyped
movements.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The medical model
also looks for causes. Is autism caused by vaccines? Air pollution?
Chemicals in our food? Or is it simply genetic, and we're only
learning in recent decades what to look for?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since the medical
model is focused on determining the exact nature of a disability, it
can be used as a starting point for understanding. Even a disabled
person can make use of it to better understand him/herself. Once we
know the exact nature of a disability, it's easier to understand how
that disability can affect a person's life.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
However, there is a
problem with the medical model. With its focus on a scientific and
medical point of view, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that
we're looking at human beings, and not simply a set of traits.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is where the
social model comes in. The social model of disability takes a much
more humanistic approach. The focus is on the ability, rather than
the inability. The goal of the social model is to reduce limitations,
while still honoring the diversity of human abilities.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My favorite
explanation involves a person who is unable to ascend a set of
stairs. According to the medical model, this might be because of
severe nerve damage that has limited the person's proprioception to
the point where it has effectively no function, compounded by reduced
muscle tone in the legs from non-use. The social model would say it's
because there is no ramp. Both views are correct, but while one helps
to understand the condition, the other helps a person accomplish
every day tasks.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Other areas we can
see the social model at work are in the existence of sign language,
service animals, and Braille. We all recognize the meaning of a white
cane. These are all ways in which various disabilities have been
integrated into our society, without needing to see them as problems
that need to be fixed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now the question is
how do we apply the social model to autism? Because of the variety of
ways in which autism might manifest in each individual, it's
difficult to come up with a single, clear cut answer. But there are a
few things to keep in mind.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
First and foremost,
as with all disabilities, we should never lose sight of the fact that
we're dealing with actual people. It may not seem intuitive to talk
directly to a person, rather than through a caregiver, that seems
socially withdrawn, but doing so, at an age appropriate level, is the
most likely way to make a person feel included.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Repetitive motions,
also called stims, are an important coping mechanism. I could write
an entire post just on this subject. Until relatively recently,
conventional wisdom was to suppress stimming. However, the result of
doing so is usually a meltdown. For now, I'll just say that autistic
people should be allowed to stim, so long as there is no danger of
self-harm or damage to surrounding objects or people.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Adherence to routine
can be viewed as an attempt to reduce unpredictability throughout the
day. Many autistic people have a poor working memory, meaning it can
be difficult to keep track of what you're doing. An established
routine enables a person to overcome this problem by performing daily
tasks in a preset manner, and reduces the likelihood of needing to
adapt to unexpected circumstances.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
These are all things
that can help an autistic person function in daily life. But how can
we use the traits of autism to allow a person to really excel?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To start, let's
reexamine how we look at some of the traits. One of them is intense
focus on details. Probably a more concise way to say that is
attention to detail. We normally consider that to be a good thing.
It's a trait that can lead to talent in art or similar trades. In a
workplace environment, an autistic employee would likely be suited to
detail-oriented jobs.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But I think we can
go even further than that. Remember the narrow interests? I prefer to
think of them as focused interests. An autistic person's interests
may not be as broad as a neuronormal person's, but they tend to run
much deeper. Most autistic people can learn about their interests
very quickly. This can be put to use in a variety of ways, depending
on the interest and the person. Be creative.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To sum up the answer
to the original question, disabled people look at disabilities
differently because they tend to use the social model. They don't see
themselves as broken. They see themselves as unique and capable human
beings with their own strengths and weaknesses.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-9795413683989156152015-02-01T17:08:00.003-08:002015-02-02T18:32:44.915-08:00Vaccines: An Autistic Perspective<style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }</style>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
With the outbreak of
measles coming out of Disneyland, vaccines have been in the news a
lot recently. Thanks to discredited doctor Andrew Wakefield and model
Jenny McCarthy, it's practically guaranteed that autism will enter
any discussion on vaccines. While an expert in autism may
occasionally be consulted, it seems as if the autistic perspective is
consistently left out.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I could use this
post to state the inability of vaccines to cause autism, or to state
that the apparent regional correlation between vaccines and autism
may be caused by the fact that those regions tend to have better
access to medical care in general. I could talk about the difference
between unbonded mercury and mercury in the form of a salt, such as
thimerosal. I could bring up the proven effectiveness of vaccines
using comparisons to parts of the world where vaccination is not
readily available. All of these have been discussed at length, and
doing so seems to do little to counter the trend of not vaccinating.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Instead, I would
like to talk about how we in the autistic community see the issue. We
have some points of view that never get addressed in the public
discussion.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To a certain extent,
some of us feel slightly responsible for the spread of preventable
diseases that result in the deaths of children. I know it isn't our
fault. We didn't do anything to cause it. All we did was exist, while
others spread the idea that it was because of mercury being injected
into us. What most autistic people are seeing is that people are, en
masse, rejecting proven preventative medicine based on a hunch.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The primary vaccine
in the crosshairs seems to be the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
vaccine. Vaccines for the three diseases first became available in
the 1960's, and were combined into one in 1971. Most people agree
that the apparent explosion in autism started in the 1980's. Several
of us in the autistic community dispute that there's an autism
epidemic, but that's another subject. The point here is that if the
MMR vaccine were to blame, the increase should have been seen in the
early 1970's.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know I said I
wasn't going to talk much about the science, but I want to mention
one thing. One of the reasons vaccines are blamed for autism is the
mercury. This would imply that autism is a form of mercury poisoning.
Let's have a look at some typical symptoms of mercury poisoning
(source:
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_poisoning#Signs_and_symptoms">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_poisoning#Signs_and_symptoms</a>):</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Peripheral
neuropathy (itching, burning, or pain).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Skin
discoloration.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Swelling.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Desquamation
(shedding or peeling of skin).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Profuse sweating.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Tachycardia (fast
heart beat).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Increased
salivation.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Hypertension (high
blood pressure).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Children may show
the following symptoms:</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Red cheeks, nose,
and lips.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Loss of hair,
teeth, and nails.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Transient rashes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Hypotonia (muscle
weakness).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Increased
sensitivity to light.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Kidney
dysfunction.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Emotional
lability.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Memory impairment.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
*Insomnia.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't see most of
those symptoms in higher occurrence among my autistic friends than I
do in the general population. In fact, none of them are listed in the
description of autism.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some say that
mercury damages neurons on contact. As far as I know, this is true.
However, if this is how vaccines cause autism, it requires autism to
be a form of brain damage. That seems like it would make sense to
someone who doesn't know how the autistic mind works. The problem is
that most of the autistic people I've known in my lifetime have been
absolutely brilliant, and have been able to easily accomplish mental
tasks outside the abilities of neuronormal people. I can't really say
about the others, because of their inability to communicate.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Perhaps the brain
damage caused by the mercury only damages the ability to communicate.
I see two problems with that explanation. First is that it provides
no explanation for the increase in mental abilities in other areas.
Second is that brain damage isn't that predictable. The mercury would
damage whichever neurons it came into contact with. Those may be in
the part of the brain that control communication, or it may happen
somewhere completely different. It would depend entirely on where the
mercury arrives first.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There's one final
point I want to say about mercury. Unlike mercury poisoning, no one
has ever died from autism.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That leads me to the
biggest point I want to make in this post. Let's go ahead and assume
for a moment that vaccines can cause autism. In recent years,
children have been dying from preventable diseases, such as measles
and whooping cough. Many of us in the autistic community take offense
that it would be preferable to risk their children's lives than for
them to end up like us.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I understand that an
autism diagnosis can be initially devastating for parents, especially
combined with some of the things parents are still told about the
diagnosis. However, it is becoming more widely acknowledged that an
autistic person can live a happy, fulfilling, and productive life.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Refusal to vaccinate
is a public health crisis. Diseases that have been almost stamped out
are making a comeback. Please don't use our existence as a reason to
risk the health and lives of your children and those around them.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-45811476791513749852015-01-18T15:36:00.002-08:002015-01-18T15:36:03.229-08:00Telling My Life Story
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<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm often asked by
members of the autism community to talk about my life. While I don't
mind doing this, it can be somewhat embarrassing for me. I got to
thinking about this recently, and I not only thought of explanations
for it, but I realized that it probably isn't that uncommon for
people to feel uncomfortable sharing their life stories. I thought it
might be fun to explore that here.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The first
embarrassment that comes to mind is when people tell me that I
inspire them. I often feel that people see my story as one of
overcoming adversity, of not letting autism hold me back. I guess
some parts of my story are about overcoming adversity, but I've never
considered autism to be the adversity I've overcome. I just have
different experiences that others aren't used to hearing about.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So maybe people are
inspired by the amount of adversity I've faced in my life. After all,
I've dealt with bullying and some forms, often subtle, of
discrimination. Well, the truth is that there are some forms of
adversity that I've never dealt with. I've never felt the pressure to
do something stupid just to keep from not being cool. The threat of
being a social outcast was almost meaningless to me, since I already
spent most of my childhood there. It's true that I grew up in poverty
with a single mother, but the fact that my mom did so much to keep
that from holding me back makes that her story, not mine. The extent
to which autism has been an adversity to me was that I had to go out
of my way to learn social norms. Even that is offset by my ability to
absorb things like math and science.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Perhaps people are
just attracted to stories that are different from what they're used
to. When I look back on my life, it seems pretty mundane for the most
part. I suspect this is common. We live our own lives, so why should
your life seem interesting to you? My audience almost always
disagrees with me. They haven't lived my life. Ultimately, it matters
more what the listener finds interesting than the teller.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I also notice a
tendency to choose to share certain details that are relevant to the
audience's interests. When I talk to the autism community, I tend to
talk more about how being autistic has affected my life. I think most
people tend to do this. I don't think it's a conscious effort, most
of the time. However, it is more likely to captivate an audience.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That brings me to my
next point. People also tend to take interest in unusual similarities
to their own lives. There is a reason I, as an autistic person, am
often asked to speak to members of the autism community. People like
to know that they aren't alone in the world, that there are others
who share the same differences that they experience. Even without the
need for support, people like to compare notes and see how others
have dealt with similar experiences.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One of the reasons I
wanted to write about this was to encourage others to share their
life stories. I feel that it's a good way to promote the appreciation
of diversity in all of it's forms. It can be an eye opening
experience to find out how much you share in common with those who
are clearly different, or how different you are from someone you
would have considered one of your own. The more we learn about each
other, the easier it is to see each other as equals.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Telling your life
story is also a fun way to learn about yourself. We all have
interesting stories. You don't have to have traveled the world or
wrestled a crocodile. All you have to do is be honest about your
experiences. It still amazes me when I find people enthralled by
things that are just facts of life for me.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Even though people
like to hear from me, there's nothing special about me. I just know
things people want to learn about, I live in a time when people are
willing to hear my perspective, and I'm willing to get in front of
people and say it. We all have the first two qualities, whether you
know it or not. The third is up to you.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030743584075375461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7416640274385489805.post-73971670916979489552015-01-04T15:08:00.001-08:002015-01-04T15:08:09.650-08:00What's it Like to Be Autistic?
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<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Here's one of the
questions that an openly autistic person would do well to get used to
answering. If you know any autistic people, you've probably wondered
about it, even if you've never thought to ask out loud. What's it
like from the inside?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Speaking as an
autistic person, this is a very difficult question to answer. The
simple answer is I don't know. Autism is the natural state for me,
and as such, I have nothing to compare it to. Just like you wouldn't
be able to tell me what it's like being neuronormal, having never
experienced anything else.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
While most people
seem to understand that answer, I also realize it might be
disappointing. Let me see if I can give you a more detailed answer.
Please understand that I can only answer from my own experiences and
I can only relate them to my own experiences. Some of what I describe
here will seem different or foreign to you, and some may seem
familiar. Since much of what I'll talk about are things that most
people either don't think to share or are uncomfortable sharing, it's
difficult to tell which is which.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Autism is a social
disability, so experiences with attempted social interaction seems
like a logical place to start. Throughout my school years, I was
never really able to get the correct social behavior. The people
around me would usually let me know somehow, usually by laughing at
me. I never understood during that time exactly what I was getting
wrong. All I knew was that, even when I was copying the behavior of
others around me, it would still be wrong.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Human behavior is
frequently difficult to understand for a naturally logical
individual. One thing I've learned is that the neuronormal mind must
be trained in logic in order to use it, meaning that there is very
little logic involved in normal interactions with others. The
autistic mind, on the other hand, is highly logical. This means that
when we apply our own way of thinking to the behavior of others, most
of it won't make sense. That isn't to say that we can't learn it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Temple Grandin has
described autistic people as being anthropologists from Mars. This is
a description that has always made sense to me. I am, almost on an
academic level, studying my own culture from the outside. In college,
I took classes in psychology, anthropology, and even acting, all of
which have helped me to better understand the world around me. Of
course, having more experience, seeing more interactions between
people, and being around less judgmental people have helped as well.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Despite some of the
social difficulties I've had, I can think of three types of
communities (outside the autism community) that I've felt very
comfortable in. In no particular order, the first is hippies, who
tend to be very accepting of diversity and non-standard social
behavior. Second is nerds. Many of the characteristic autistic
traits, such as obsessive interests, focus on details, and
memorization of seemingly useless information, are considered normal
in nerd culture. Finally, the martial arts community. Martial artists
are taught that the skills they learn are dangerous, and therefore,
to try to avoid conflict and get along with those around them. If
done well, this can lead to some very open-minded people.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Perhaps the biggest
reason for social difficulties in autism is a simple matter of where
the focus of attention is directed. My understanding is that most
people focus pretty intently on facial expressions, body positioning,
and tone of voice, starting as infants. There is a strong emphasis
placed on the importance of social conformity.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In contrast, for an
autistic person, being excluded from the group, while unpleasant, is
not completely devastating. However, there is a trade off. Most of us
tend to direct our focus to how things work. Whether it's structural,
mechanical, biological, ecological, or even linguistic, we tend to
excel at looking at the individual pieces of something and figuring
out how they work together. I would guess that this is why many of us
learn about things that interest us very quickly. Now that I think of
it, I've even had to learn about social rules through this lens.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One question you've
probably had on your mind since you started reading this is what is
the most frustrating part of being autistic? I would have to say that
it's people who think they know something they don't. Throughout my
life, people have frequently tried to explain how I experience the
world, usually without asking me about it first. Of course, they're
also frequently wrong.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This might seem
harmless. So people think something that isn't true. So what? In
fact, it isn't a problem until people start acting on it. Most of the
time, it has been in the form of accommodations I didn't need. I
remember one teacher that set up a private room for me for when I was
overstimulated. It was my choice when to go there. That's an example
of something that worked, and was based on ways I actually
experienced things. On the other hand, people have also said before
that touching me caused physical pain. It didn't. I just didn't care
for it. All that belief did was cause people to be overly careful
around me and create an unnecessary distinction between me and
everyone else.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A related
frustration is when I read studies that are based on false
assumptions. For example, the use of some chemical has increased, and
autism rates are skyrocketing, therefore there must be some
connection. Even worse is when the researcher acknowledges that there
might not be a connection, but says that we have to relate it to
autism anyway to get people to act. I find that to be highly
disingenuous, and likely to negatively affect the researcher's
credibility later, and it's insulting to us, as it reinforces the
view that we're damaged people.</div>
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Are there problems
or frustrations that come along with autism? Absolutely. Would I want
to do away with them? Not really. I've learned a long time ago that
the problems I have getting through life come with benefits that I
would never want to be rid of. We all have problems as we go through
life, and we all have talents and skills that come along with those.
Mine are just part of the autistic experience.</div>
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