Autism is Not for the Faint of Heart
Autism is a huge challenge, writes J.B. Handley. We all do the best we can…Some people’s “best” just happens to be better than other people’s “best” — and that’s the truth. Let me put it to you a different way. I’ve met a number of parents who recovered (be all they can be and more) their children. They share many common traits, the same kinds of traits that employers tend to love: they think outside the box, they’re resourceful, they fight like hell. And, they never give up. Even, perhaps, when they should have. To a person, they are fighters. To a person, they are outside the box thinkers. Fighting like hell and thinking outside the box and never giving up doesn’t mean your child will recover . But, it sure as hell raises the odds.
I’ve heard parents say, “I tried ‘this, that and the other’.” The devil remains in the details. I always ask the same question, “How long did you try it for and what did you do.” I have found that the people who claim they “tried” ‘this, that, or the other’ did very little for a very short period of time. They wanted a magic bullet, they didn’t find one, and they moved on. Does that somehow mean the rest of us shouldn’t keep fighting?
The devil remains in the details is what I refer to as a cynic’s paradise for justifying non-action in treating autism. Liane Kupferberg Carter, writes in the New York Times, It’s distressing and hurtful to hear McCarthy say her son is cured because she “was willing to do what it took.” Another mother writes, something in my son’s body is not right. Five years of using natural medication, a gluten free diet and all I see is improvement. I’m sorry for those that try ‘this, that, or the other’ for a year and you didn’t see enough to keep going. I did and I have. I’m a fighter. When it’s my time to take the dirt nap, the only thing I really care about is that I can look in the mirror and say I never, ever stopped fighting for my son. When he looks in my eyes, he tells me the same thing. Keep fighting, parents. Don’t blame yourself for what you haven’t done. Just get up off the floor, wipe away the tears, pull the knife out of your heart for a moment, and keep swinging. It’s never too late, and you just may land the perfect punch.
FACT: There’s nothing wrong with reasonable hope. Parents need to cling to something. I still fervently believe that early intervention is critical. With therapy, 40 to 50 percent of the children who are diagnosed at age 3 gain enough skills to be mainstreamed by 6, though many continue to need special educational and social supports. A small but provocative study released at (IMFAR) suggests that 10 percent of children with autism improve sufficiently by age 9 so that they no longer meet diagnostic criteria for the disorder. Significantly, most of these formerly autistic kids got intensive, long-term behavioral treatment soon after diagnosis.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY: Autism vs. Vaccine: YOU be the Judge. Don’t YOU judge others!