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- Other - On the topic of autism....
#26
20th Sep 2014 at 1:00 AM
Posts: 534
Everyone here makes such great points, it's nice to know there are people who are actually educated on autism.
My mom has worked with special needs kids for quite some time, and is rather educated on topics such as autism to rare brain disorders to deaf children, and more. When it was time for me to begin preschool, I was placed in the special needs classrooms to serve as a sort of role model, (can't remember the official term at the time.) Many of the children in the class were autistic, if not the majority. Being exposed to something as trivial to some and generally misunderstood by the public eye has really shaped me.
I know of a few people with high functioning types of autism, but nobody my age in a long time. To this day, it makes me mad that autism isn't better understood.
As for the word retarded...my biological aunt has severe mental retardation. I haven't seen her in years because she lives in a group home with others with mental disabilities, but when I was younger she terrified me because she never spoke. The only verbal communication she has is to shriek and yell. I would love to meet her now, but it's indefinite that she wouldn't remember her sister's daughter that she gave up for adoption. Sometimes when I laugh, I hear her "noises," (as we called them,) in myself.
It's infuriating to deal with those who are mis- or ill-informed on both topics. Arrchgh.
My mom has worked with special needs kids for quite some time, and is rather educated on topics such as autism to rare brain disorders to deaf children, and more. When it was time for me to begin preschool, I was placed in the special needs classrooms to serve as a sort of role model, (can't remember the official term at the time.) Many of the children in the class were autistic, if not the majority. Being exposed to something as trivial to some and generally misunderstood by the public eye has really shaped me.
I know of a few people with high functioning types of autism, but nobody my age in a long time. To this day, it makes me mad that autism isn't better understood.
As for the word retarded...my biological aunt has severe mental retardation. I haven't seen her in years because she lives in a group home with others with mental disabilities, but when I was younger she terrified me because she never spoke. The only verbal communication she has is to shriek and yell. I would love to meet her now, but it's indefinite that she wouldn't remember her sister's daughter that she gave up for adoption. Sometimes when I laugh, I hear her "noises," (as we called them,) in myself.
It's infuriating to deal with those who are mis- or ill-informed on both topics. Arrchgh.
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#27
20th Sep 2014 at 10:40 AM
Posts: 1,124
Quote: Originally posted by HCAC
My son has high functioning Asperger Syndrome, which is a type of autism. He is kind, very funny, very bright, and has a lot of potential. I home school him (since he was in grade 7 or about 13/14 years old for you non-Americans) because they tried to dumb him down in school and not give him a chance to take the subjects he could excel in. |
Good on you and your husband for realizing this and acting on it. A lot of people put too much blind faith in the system, I think.
“I MAY BE A HOGWARTS STUDENT" Hargirid paused angrily. "BUT I AM ALSO A SATANIST!”
Falco - The original Prombat
#28
21st Sep 2014 at 7:29 PM
Posts: 802
I'm an Aspie and also hyperlexic; I've even reading and writing since I was 3 and 1/2 years old. Despite that, when mom and I were visiting the kindergarten teachers to find who I should get, one of them was like "Are you sure you want to mainstream her?" Mom steered clear of her, thankfully.
This thread has been very informative to me because I used to be one of those radical autistic-rights advocates who didn't understand the struggle of low-functioning autistics, and was in the "don't cure us!!" camp. After all, when you've met one person on the spectrum, you've met one person on the spectrum: not the whole spectrum. This thread has made me realize that I need to look at both sides of the story. Thank you all.
~Someday my prince will come... And he better not bring all his hood's character files with him.~
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This thread has been very informative to me because I used to be one of those radical autistic-rights advocates who didn't understand the struggle of low-functioning autistics, and was in the "don't cure us!!" camp. After all, when you've met one person on the spectrum, you've met one person on the spectrum: not the whole spectrum. This thread has made me realize that I need to look at both sides of the story. Thank you all.
~Someday my prince will come... And he better not bring all his hood's character files with him.~
@)->----- Place this ASCII flower in your sig as a thank you to all of our amazing moderators at MTS!
TS3 vs. Your CPU: The Solution
Shameless plug for my fledgeling Simblr here
#29
22nd Sep 2014 at 1:03 PM
Posts: 913
Thanks: 1626 in 8 Posts
My family is riddled with high-functioning autistics, some lower than myself, some higher, but only one would be considered "low functioning" (a second cousin who was also deaf and had growth problems).
Also my partner has a lot of autistic traits (but he nor I consider him autistic), his brother also has high functioning autism with some learning difficulties and his father is obviously autistic but we haven't suggested it to him because he's a little... intolerant.
With such a strong background of autism I'll be very surprised if even one of our children didn't show obvious autistic traits.
One of my greatest fears is that one or all of my future children end up lower on the spectrum than myself. Because I consciously worked on my communication since a young age, most people, even those who are educated on autism, wouldn't consider me so at face value. But it's who I am at home, before I leave the house and put on my (exhausting) mask, that makes it obvious that I am autistic.
My biggest struggle is with food. Because of the sensory issues, I developed "Selective Eating Disorder" and I have suffered with it since I was very young. My whole life, really.
I'm so scared that my children will also have sensory issues and develop SED. It makes me feel so pathetic to have such problems with something that is basically essential to life. It's also a very "first world" disorder which just makes me feel even more guilty.
Hopefully, even if my kids do take after me in those departments, having a parent who understands because they've "been there" will make things a little easier for them than it was for me... But even then, I know their struggle, no matter how much it looks like my own, will be nothing like my own, so not to assume feelings about anything.
... BUT that's a while off yet. I think.
Also my partner has a lot of autistic traits (but he nor I consider him autistic), his brother also has high functioning autism with some learning difficulties and his father is obviously autistic but we haven't suggested it to him because he's a little... intolerant.
With such a strong background of autism I'll be very surprised if even one of our children didn't show obvious autistic traits.
One of my greatest fears is that one or all of my future children end up lower on the spectrum than myself. Because I consciously worked on my communication since a young age, most people, even those who are educated on autism, wouldn't consider me so at face value. But it's who I am at home, before I leave the house and put on my (exhausting) mask, that makes it obvious that I am autistic.
My biggest struggle is with food. Because of the sensory issues, I developed "Selective Eating Disorder" and I have suffered with it since I was very young. My whole life, really.
I'm so scared that my children will also have sensory issues and develop SED. It makes me feel so pathetic to have such problems with something that is basically essential to life. It's also a very "first world" disorder which just makes me feel even more guilty.
Hopefully, even if my kids do take after me in those departments, having a parent who understands because they've "been there" will make things a little easier for them than it was for me... But even then, I know their struggle, no matter how much it looks like my own, will be nothing like my own, so not to assume feelings about anything.
... BUT that's a while off yet. I think.
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