I feel like I should advocate for autism awarness. Autism has touched my life, my family's life, Gabe's life. Autism does not define Gabe...it's just part of Gabe. There is more to him then language disorder, or stimming, or social issues. There is this loving, beautiful, funny little guy...who can just light up a room when he enters.
I have had people ask me about their kids and if I have an opinion. I always tell them...if you think something isn't right...have them evaluated. I never tell people their children are on the spectrum....I have seen kids in public, even adults for that matter and jokingly said..."that one's definitely on the spectrum" A lot of that is my way of dealing with everyday autism...a way to lighten things up for me...an outlet maybe...kind of like nervous laughter...BUT I would never tell someone their child was autistic...not in a million years...but amazingly enough...I have been accused of that...how sad...It kind of makes me not want to advocate for autism...or be outspoken about something that effects my every waking moment....
I have had people tell me autism is just a cop out, a way to make an excuse, not real, the new ADHD, etc. I blame the media 100% for this. Which, I think is crap! I used to be jealous of people who had "normal" children...not anymore...who wants to be normal...it's no fun anyway...my life is an adventure everyday...I never know what's around the bend. Not to mention I think I can appriciate the small things much more then a parent with a NT kid. I waited 32mo to hear Gabe say ma. I never, ever get tired of hearing that word. I hear parents complain about their 4 year old's endless talking...I cherish every second of Gabe talking.
So, to all you people who thinks autism is a FAKE disorder...you better wake up...if 1 out of 150 kids were missing...we would have an epidemic....we do now...it's autism.
4 comments:
Well, I had to chime in on this. It's pretty much a fact that autism is being overdiagnosed these days.
And if you look at any books or blogs, you'll see long-time practitioners say the same thing: These days, more and more children are being brought to them with an ASD label that is wrong. I just read this in the Guide to Asperger's and High Functioning Autistm book...and this is from 2002. They said that in the 1990s, almost every autistic child that came to them had the right DX. But by 2002, already 25 percent were wrong. Stantley Greenspan of Floortime has had a least two broadcasts saying the same thing...that too often evaluators don't look at the core autism symptoms, instead DXing off of secondary or even tertiary symptoms.
You know your child best, of course. But I'm on a board where the children were routinely mislabeled autistic when in fact they had something else going on, most often a language delay. Once their language comes in "poof" goes the autism symptoms. Older late talkers tended to be mislabeled with mental retardation...these kids are now in college...they were falsely labeled.
The Mislabled Child has section after section of how one disorder can look like another to the unsophisticated evaluator. It's a very good book.
Thanks for the comment Jann. While I have no doubt in my mind that there are children out there who are misdiagnosed there is still proof that autism is on the rise. There was a study done in California where dr.'s looked at the rise in dx's and if there was a correlation between rising rates and changes in the dx criteria or how dr's were actually dx'ing children. They found no correlation...and went on to say that the environment probably is playing a role in the rise in autism.
So, as my son is sitting here next to me and flapping his fingers in front of his eyes...I have to wonder....who will be the next person to tell me he isn't autistic...or tell me I am using it as an excuse.
People are sadly misdiagnosed with tons of disorders everyday. Mental health disorders rank high on that list because the dx is subjective. There is no magic blood test or scan that can prove a child has autism. I think we are on our way to that type of test...hopefully that day comes sooner then later...
Until then...I guess I will have to put up with the "new ADHD" comment...and just suck it up.
You are right....I know my son...way better then anyone else...
Thanks for mentioning the Mislabeled Child. I might check it out just for the information...and knowledge.
Thanks...
I couldn't agree more with your post. People just don't see autism in my little boy b/c he does talk. But if someone would stop to listen to how he talks and what he was talking about, they would notice a difference. I was told by the first doctor I took him to that it was a behavior problem and to try a sticker chart! Well, I wasn't convinced it was autism, but I knew it wasn't that. People just don't get it.
Tonia I know how you feel when people don't "get it". It is hard. I have had people meet Gabe and tell me in the first 5 min there is no way he is on the spectrum. Then I tell them to stop and listen, watch him, and then you will see.
It doesn't matter what other people think anyway...it only matters that I know what my son needs to exceed in life!!
Your two boys are really cute by the way!!!
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