Comments on: Set Apart http://aroomofmamasown.com/2010/03/set-apart/ Tue, 10 Jan 2012 01:04:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jen http://aroomofmamasown.com/2010/03/set-apart/comment-page-1/#comment-7041 Jen Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:28:17 +0000 http://aroomofmamasown.com/?p=2519#comment-7041 I'm also annoyed at the continued use of 'epidemic' ,'burden', and the sheer silliness of a call to action on 'toxins' as regards to autism. Not that our environment's effects on us shouldn't be studied, but now that we've pretty much gotten the anti-vax garbage out of the way, why not put some of that time, money, and energy into creating supports for autistic people (jobs, living spaces, school supports etc), and most of all, acceptance, instead of getting all hysterical about some 'new' issue. I'd considerably rather know that my autistic kids are accepted as people, given the opportunities for meaningful employment, and not be shuttled off to an institution after I'm dead. While I'm the last person to debate that there are many things in our environment that are actively harmful to us, and studying (and regulating) them should be a priority, if you're going to talk about autism, talk about things that will actually benefit autistic people. I'm usually a big fan of Kristof, but I think that he really missed the boat on this one. I'm also annoyed at the continued use of 'epidemic' ,'burden', and the sheer silliness of a call to action on 'toxins' as regards to autism. Not that our environment's effects on us shouldn't be studied, but now that we've pretty much gotten the anti-vax garbage out of the way, why not put some of that time, money, and energy into creating supports for autistic people (jobs, living spaces, school supports etc), and most of all, acceptance, instead of getting all hysterical about some 'new' issue. I'd considerably rather know that my autistic kids are accepted as people, given the opportunities for meaningful employment, and not be shuttled off to an institution after I'm dead.

While I'm the last person to debate that there are many things in our environment that are actively harmful to us, and studying (and regulating) them should be a priority, if you're going to talk about autism, talk about things that will actually benefit autistic people. I'm usually a big fan of Kristof, but I think that he really missed the boat on this one.

]]> By: Mockingbird's Sorrow http://aroomofmamasown.com/2010/03/set-apart/comment-page-1/#comment-7036 Mockingbird's Sorrow Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:47:03 +0000 http://aroomofmamasown.com/?p=2519#comment-7036 MPJ, I totally understand what you are saying. My son, now almost 21 years old, was diagnosed ADHD at age three. By age ten, he was assessed by the school district as NVLD. The labels he has been given did nothing to enlighten teachers, principals or other parents about his challenges OR gifts. To help them see what great things he has brought to the world. My son has splinter skills. Teachers never knew what to make of that. Because he was (and is) verbally articulate, they assumed he was just being lazy during science and math. Because he knew so much about history and geography, they thought he wasn't trying hard enough to write an essay about it. I remember thinking that it wasn't my child who needed special ed. It felt more like the world did. It has been a roller coaster life. MPJ, I totally understand what you are saying. My son, now almost 21 years old, was diagnosed ADHD at age three. By age ten, he was assessed by the school district as NVLD. The labels he has been given did nothing to enlighten teachers, principals or other parents about his challenges OR gifts. To help them see what great things he has brought to the world.

My son has splinter skills. Teachers never knew what to make of that. Because he was (and is) verbally articulate, they assumed he was just being lazy during science and math. Because he knew so much about history and geography, they thought he wasn't trying hard enough to write an essay about it.

I remember thinking that it wasn't my child who needed special ed. It felt more like the world did. It has been a roller coaster life.

]]> By: mimbles http://aroomofmamasown.com/2010/03/set-apart/comment-page-1/#comment-7029 mimbles Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:06:16 +0000 http://aroomofmamasown.com/?p=2519#comment-7029 I have a Facebook "friend" who keeps posting links to anti-vax and autism scare blogs and stories, she's a mum from the school and I don't know her well so I haven't yet given in to the urge to respond with a barrage of links to Orac's blog at Scienceblogs, Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy or some of the blogs by autistic people that I've come across because I rather suspect it wouldn't do any good. But I want to. I have a Facebook "friend" who keeps posting links to anti-vax and autism scare blogs and stories, she's a mum from the school and I don't know her well so I haven't yet given in to the urge to respond with a barrage of links to Orac's blog at Scienceblogs, Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy or some of the blogs by autistic people that I've come across because I rather suspect it wouldn't do any good. But I want to.

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