|
Post by Sp❣rit on Mar 31, 2012 23:44:36 GMT -5
Probably expecting something trolly for a promo this month, weren't you? Once all pranks are said and done, we have something nice and consistent for you to enjoy. It's going to be a little different than the other promos, as this isn't just a CLAIM AND DASH type of thing. Instead, I want you guys to help me out with something. You only have to do two things, so don't sib too hard over this.
1. Include some kind of image that you think promotes autism awareness, either in your profile or on the cbox. Do your best not to offend people about it, since this promo is supposed to have good intentions. You should keep this stuff around at least until an admin gives you your promo prize.
2. When you claim the promo, post one thing about autism that you did not know before. Or hey, if you have a personal story then you can go get a little into that. Just post something more than 'claim'.
Thanks for hanging out with us this month <3 You'll get 2 random items and 20 shards.
[/center]
|
|
|
Post by SKIPPAPPAPALOOZA! on Apr 1, 2012 5:15:34 GMT -5
in april last year, an autism and aspergers association in australia called the aeiou foundation, australia used the symbolism of bubbles to represent the gap between what we know about autism spectrum disorders and what we really need to know to understand more about the disorder. 'bursting the bubble' became the theme of the month of april, and a lot of foundations and places i worked and visited really got into the spirit of things.
in australia, as part of our last year of high school - and as part of our marks to get into university - we have to complete a set amount of units in different subjects. i took 4 units out of 10 of english literature, the most stressful of which involved writing a 10,000-word thesis on a subject of my own choosing, anything i wanted. after a lot of deliberation, i was almost out of ideas, when i gave up on trying to find an answer and went to my job for that night: babysitting. it was a new family, one i hadn't ever met before, and as i turned up at the door the three kids were playing merrily with blocks on the floor. two two-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, and a seven-year-old. in a whisper, the mother - as she was rushing out the door - told me that she hoped i didn't mind, but her son the seven-year-old had high-end aspergers and he would be a bit of trouble to handle. i was a little worried, as i hadn't ever met anyone with an autism spectrum disorder before. i'll admit, i had a few preconceptions: insane tantrums, spaced-out glassy stares, unable to wear clothes of certain colours, not being able to sleep, that i would have to talk to him in the simplest of language. all of which turned out to be completely misguided. once the twins had been put to bed, i stayed up reading spiderman comics to the boy, completely enthralled by him. he knew almost everything about every series of spiderman, and not just him. all kinds of comic heroes, but his favourite was the green lantern. he had posters by his bed, figurines, toys, bags and all kinds of paraphernalia about all the comic heroes. and he loved to tell me about them, in a kind way, like a teacher to a student. after putting him to sleep - which was ridiculously easy, since he was the politest boy i think i've ever met - i got on the net and researched about the disorders. there was so much i didn't know, and so many myths about it. the thing with asperger's, to put it simply, was that they often had a fixation upon a certain thing. for instance, trains, or bugs, or in his case, comic superheroes. i read this fabulous novel, the curious incident of the dog in the night-time, which also helped me out a lot. with my new little buddy in mind, i suddenly had an idea for my thesis: the misconstrued preconceptions of asperger's disorder in australian society. with a lot of research - and a lot of stress - i found out a lot more about the disorder, and it's become sort of a personal thing for me, so i'm glad spirit did this because it really gets the message out about this disorder, as well as the wonderful people who are unfortunate enough to carry the gene. in the end i got almost full marks for my thesis, and i continue to babysit for him and the twins. the mother continues to thank me profusely for 'putting up with him': i don't see it like that at all. in fact, he's one of my closest friends.
i don't know whether this is what you wanted to hear about, but it's a story that remains close to my heart even now. it's such an important issue and deserves greater recognition in every place in the world. and i'm a little bit like /gushes but oh well.
|
|
|
Post by Sheepy on Apr 1, 2012 5:49:58 GMT -5
Twin and family studies strongly suggest that some people have a genetic predisposition to autism. Identical twin studies show that if one twin is affected, there is up to a 90 percent chance the other twin will be affected. There are a number of studies in progress to determine the specific genetic factors associated with the development of ASD. In families with one child with ASD, the risk of having a second child with the disorder is approximately 5 percent, or one in 20. This is greater than the risk for the general population. Researchers are looking for clues about which genes contribute to this increased susceptibility. In some cases, parents and other relatives of a child with ASD show mild impairments in social and communicative skills or engage in repetitive behaviors. Evidence also suggests that some emotional disorders, such as bipolar disorder, occur more frequently than average in the families of people with ASD.
Too be honest I always felt that Autism was just a mutation in someone's genes that affected them. However I never knew that in fact it could be based on the genetics of your parents; when you think about it, you see how lucky we are in life that we never got ASD on the simple basis of chance. I've never actually met someone with Autism before, but from what I've read they aren't different in any major way, apart form certain obsessions (E.G. from the the curious incident of the dog in the night-time, the main character always counts how many red cars in a row he can spot. The number referes to how well his day will be.) I feel that in our society today, too many people hold an fake image in their mind of what Autism is, but I think that Autism Awarness is the best way forward to get rid of that portrayment, and show everyone that nothing is wrong with Autism. I for one feel ashamed to have held that fake image before in my mind, but after reading up on it, Im glad to have gotten rid of it.
|
|
|
Post by Parallel on Apr 1, 2012 7:56:11 GMT -5
-Autism is a life-long brain disorder that is normally diagnosed in early childhood. -People with autism have difficulties communicating, forming relationships with others and find it hard to make sense of the world around them. -Autism is a spectrum disorder varying in severity and impact from individual to individual, ranging from those with no speech and severe learning disabilities to people with IQs in the average range who are able to hold down a job or start a family. People with autism may also have unusual patterns of language development, narrow interests and engage in repetitive and sometimes challenging behaviours. -Asperger's Syndrome is a form of autism in which speech development and IQ are normal, but in which social disability can be compounded by depression and mental health problems. -Some people with autism demonstrate significantly challenging behaviours; most need specialist support and care. -First identified more than 50 years ago, autism affects half a million people in the UK – tens of millions worldwide - and is one of the most common developmental disorders. -Boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls. -Autism affects people of all racial, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds.
I never knew much about Autism until I went to college where one of my good friends has a brother with it. She helped me understand it better and explained that he didn't suffer as badly as many people do. Whenever she sees anyone appearing awkward in social events she says they always remind her of her brother and that she feels closer to them for it.
I was unaware that it could be different among different people. The extremes of this disorder can be great and makes me more thankful that I was not born with it.
Autistica seeks to use biomedical research to bring benefits to individuals and families affected by autism spectrum disorders. Autistica is dedicated to raising and investing funds to support high-quality peer reviewed research which focuses on determining the causes and biological basis of autism spectrum disorders; improving diagnosis; and advancing and evaluating new treatments and interventions. We are committed to ensuring that increased understanding and new scientific knowledge will improve the quality of life for all those affected. Autism is one of the most significant but least researched developmental disorders and Autistica has set itself the task of achieving major breakthroughs within ten years.
Autistica is the site I found with clear, concise information and if you look around you can see some of the great work they've been doing in aid of Autism research.
|
|
|
Post by \m/*.*\m/ on Apr 1, 2012 12:13:36 GMT -5
www.myautismstory.com/ourstory.htmlI think the website has a flaw because on the 3rd or 4th section the story kinda cuts off and repeats, but it's an interesting story from the mother's perspective about her son being born and the quirks he had such as needing to hold something in both hands. -Edit- Oops, sorry Spirit ^^". Only real personal experience I had with autism is this child that went to summer camps with me. I remember he got very upset during a baseball game. Some kids got upset by his "bad attitude" and a councilor explained that he had this form of autism that made him prone to anger tantrums, but was great at patterns and math and such. So because I'm not very experienced with it... Here are some facts~ Typically autism affects individuals in four key areas: 1) Communication (verbal and non verbal) 2) Social skills 3) Behaviors 4) Learning Facts: One in every 91 children (1 in 58 boys) in the U.S. have been diagnosed with autism. (NOTE: This number does NOT include: PDD, Aspergers and other spectrum disorders. These statistics are endorsed by the CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics, and other federal organizations.) Autism is a life-long disability for many affected individuals Autism affects each individual uniquely People affected with autism live a normal life span It is estimated that there are approximately one million people in the US affected with autism Some people affected with autism will require life-long care at the cost of $5 to $7 million dollars. Autism is the most common developmental disability in California (and many other states). Autism is now more common that Down Syndrome, Mental Retardation, and Cystic Fibrosis combined. Autism often strikes boys more often than girls – roughly four times more common in boys. Some children who receive an early diagnosis, intense behavioral intervention, medical treatment, and speech therapy will lead typical lives. Not all people diagnosed with autism receive such an early diagnosis or enjoy this outcome. Most Common Misconception About Autism: The common misconception with autism is that all autistics are like the actor Dustin Hoffman is his portrayal of Rain Man. His character possessed an amazing mathematical skill of adding enormous amounts of objects or counting cards in a deck. This example is a Hollywood portrayal and is not the case with all individuals affected by autism. His performance is to be applauded, but it was only that: a performance, and should not be considered as an example of autism today.
|
|
|
Post by Italian Panda on Apr 1, 2012 12:43:47 GMT -5
Okay, so I have three stories to share. I was in boy scouts (earned eagle) summer camp and I was a troop guide, the one who brings the younger scouts up in ranks and whatnot. One scout barely did anything, but was always cheerful. I kept prodding him to do things, asking patrol leaders to help him, even getting other scouts to do it. But all he did was sleep or just played. We, the older scouts, wondered why and what was wrong, until we figured out that he was autistic. It was kind of bad cuz we kept pushing him to our pace, rather than work with him. From that, I learned that it our job to set the pace of advancement, yes. But it was not our job to make them conform, but us to conform to them.
One was when I was in elementary school. Kindergarten, to be exact. I had a friend who kept following me and I didn't like that. I pulled a few stops just so I can avoid him and hopefully never see him again. I was also jealous of him cuz he had an adult following him all the time. I didn't know why, nor did I know how. I kept saying "go away, get out of here." Or some really stupid bullshit. I didn't realize until high school that he was autistic and I kind of regret saying the stuff I said. It was hard to tell back then, as I thought he was one of those cartoon characters that was so stupid that it was okay to go at him, say stupid but innocent things. Even so he seemed so cheerful about it and I kind of wish I could apologize to him.
I never saw that person again until high school. It was freshman year, my friends and I were minding our own business, nothing special. Same autistic kid as the last story was the subject of a person's conversation topic, leading up to success in life. This person was a complete moron, asshole, sexist, thinks he's a player, gangster, and overall retarded and fucking annoying. No one liked him and he got pulled out of college, blaming his parents for it, while really he kept complaining he had no time on his hands (reality, he was only taking 4 classes, 11 credits total). Back to the story, he said something like, "you know, we all know that *Autistic person's name here* won't succeed in life." We all glared silently, appalled by what he said. He went on and on about how he wasn't normal, but how he felt sorry for his life. My friend, who was a supporter and good friends with said autistic person, kept arguing and whatnot and explaining things, but this guy just could not understand. It reached the point where I just slammed the table and told him to get out. Even going so far as to flip him out of his chair and kick him out. But that last sentence wasn't what happened. Instead, we faked a story where we made him seem like a racist and got him in trouble
The lesson and thing I learned about autism? It can be anywhere and everywhere, whether you know it or not. Those who seem completely normal may have autism, despite having normal neuro functioning. The case of autism has been grown since 1996. I believe that it is still growing.
|
|
|
Post by Sp❣rit on Apr 1, 2012 12:58:17 GMT -5
[/CENTER] Um! I think it's my turn to go a little more into my story! I don't have autism, but I've been living it for a majority of my life. My brother is older than me by two years, yet I've been raised to be the 'older sister'. It's a bit of a strange experience, having to tell someone larger and stronger than you what to do. Sometimes they don't understand, sometimes they just go through with it anyways. It can be really scary, and in my brother's situation, we've had more than a few close calls. My brother has low functioning autism, and he acts as if he was 5 years old. Though he's grown up a lot and has learned things over the years, it doesn't mean that he's gotten over the things he struggles on. He could not talk until he was 9 years old. Sure, he knew a handful of basic words, but he could not form sentences. We could not get a meaning from what he was saying, and this often sent him into tantrums. Before we had him on medication to try and calm him down, he ran away from home more than 11 times. One time, he even ran away while he was at school. He does not have an understanding of danger. Which can be scary, because this also means that he trusts strangers. Thankfully he's stopped doing that, but there's always the risk that it could happen again. Another thing that my family has to accept is that not everybody understands what autism is. My brother adores going to the mall to go on his favorite elevator rides, and we do happen to get many odd stares. Though my brother doesn't care about what others think, it can end up pressuring us sometimes. If he has a tantrum in a public place, there are people that just stare and go 'control your kid'. It's not like you can just do that, especially now that he's almost a 22 year old man. Sometimes we have to give into whatever my brother wants because of that, and it really isn't good. I've...heard some very ignorant things over the years about autism. I've learned that it's not exactly something I can talk about to my friends. They don't really get it, even though I want them to understand. XD Sometimes they get frightened off...sometimes they get self-conscious. Sometimes they just make these really ignorant statements that just make me want to roll my eyes. You can't just "fix" autism. Some people don't even have to be "fixed", like for those that are high-functioning. Another thing is that they aren't "stupid", because it's pretty apparent that they're still human and they can pull off the cleverest crap I've ever seen. They also still feel and care...even if they don't show it. This is him, holding the card that Resix and I made for him on his birthday last year. She made the front image, and I turned it into a card that had pictures of his favorite things in it. When he held it, he just couldn't stop looking at it. Honestly, that simple action made me way happier than it would probably make most people. It's really hard to get his interest in things, cards specifically, so when he did that...it felt good. He looked at it and kept holding onto it. I'm thankful that there are people out there that know what's going on, but those situations where people don't know what autism is can be scary. That's why it's a good idea to spread awareness, because maybe we can all be a little more prepared in case we ever do meet someone with autism. [/blockquote]
|
|
|
Post by Kula Hula Kimmie on Apr 1, 2012 13:46:42 GMT -5
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors.I never really knew what Autism was. I heard about it periodically from people and knew that it was a disorder that was becoming more frequently diagnosed but I never knew a definition. They never told me at school. It wasn't on their agenda to teach any of us how real a reality some of this disorders are. Unless you knew someone personally or went searching for answers, you aren't likely to find out anything on Autism at my school. And quite frankly, it's sad. So many people have Autism, abet in varying degrees, but everyone should understand what it means and what it entails. Like Spirit has said, you can't just "fix" Autism. It's permanent. Yes, they can learn but it's still difficult and should be taken in strides. A city isn't built in a day. Learning can be slow, taxing, and extremely difficult for those diagnosed but they still deserve respect as humans, no matter how extreme their condition is.
|
|
|
Post by WOLFBANE. on Apr 1, 2012 14:06:50 GMT -5
1.5 % of all people have autism . though it is seven times less likely for a woman to have autism than a man . but 1.5 % is the average for all genders . if the worlds population was 7 billion as I was told then there is about 105 million people with autism in the world. About 1 in 150 people have autism, which is about 46,000,000 people. I never knew that one in 150 people had autism, or roughly that much, and even though that doesn't seem like a lot, added up it's quite a bit. And even with those odds, I have family who have been diagnosed with autism, and i've personally been around children who are high functioning, and low functioning autism. My cousin James is high functioning who i've seen grow up and progress from a child who had speech issues, trust issues(one extreme or the other with complete strangers and those he knew), and couldn't stand sounds with strong vibrations, to a child who's slowly progressing to the point where he can go out and make friends, go to public schools as long as he has a helper there with him/someone he trusts. He use to get bullied a lot by the other kids that lived around his house, because obviously not everybody is going to be so accepted to children that are 'different' in such a way that the other kids don't know how to treat them. So it got to the point where he just stayed around family and we were all introduced to him one at a time so he wasn't over-whelmed since he would get upset if too many people crowded him at once. But without getting too into all the little stuff, I can happily say that James is now someone who can have conversations, he has ear-muffs when he goes to loud places like Apple Blossom Parades, and he has his own pet bunny to take care of as a 'friend'. Since he doesn't really have anyone specific that he hangs out with, bunnies are a big thing down here for helping autistic children with finding a 'friend', since they aren't very demanding of care, yet can be picked up and pet. ^^ [/justify][/size]
|
|
|
Post by tomackze on Apr 1, 2012 14:27:12 GMT -5
I kind of wish I did have a personal story to tell about so I actually know what it is. You can read as much as you want about something but you never truly understand it until you actually experience it, either finding out you have it or a close friend of yours does. I feel bad for everyone in the world who is autistic but I guess I am also blessed that none of my friends have to deal with it. I wish I would know what to do if I ever met someone but I honestly don't think I would. It just isn't one of those things that you can be prepared for, unless you see it yourself I believe. Now for my fun fact that I did not know. 1 out of 88 children have Autism. And 1 out of 54 boys have it. I did not know that. And it is actually really scary thinking of it. According to kids data, it is the 3rd highest disability for kids after learning disability and speech/language impairment. 8.8% of children have it www.kidsdata.org/data/topic/dashboard.aspx?cat=17&gclid=CKCHvIuxlK8CFaRdtgoduV_GyA
|
|
|
Post by Steve on Apr 1, 2012 14:41:01 GMT -5
So, I came in here thinking what the hell was going on? Starting today I had to look up autism again, but I really have no personal stories for this I'm afraid. Obviously I'm just going to go with the flow and say that if anyone has it, to treat others with respect no matter what happens. I forgot it even existed, but the fact that a lot of people have autism is surprising to me. Trying to live with it every day would be hard and I can agree it would be tough to live a life like that. Although, I would support anyone as much as I could, surely this disorder can be cured at some point, but it's tough. Here's more information on this here: www.letschatautism.com/Here's also another little tidbit I just found out: A 2006 Harvard study puts the average cost of services for an individual with autism is $3.2 million over his/her lifetime! A total of $35 billion a year is spent on services for individuals with autism in the U.S. The numbers have climbed since then…
|
|
|
Post by lenora on Apr 1, 2012 16:34:26 GMT -5
I know a guy at Church with Autism. His mom has a job as a clown that paints faces and makes people happy with her balloon sculptures. I find that this picture, though already used, fits the bill of my friend perfectly. The colors are simple, the basics. People with Autism are masters of the basic. Simplicity is theirs to command and that's not an insult. They know things about this puzzle called life that we could never dream. I find my friend much wiser than most of my friends because I tend to over-complicate things. A simple "just do it" or "Love Jesus" is all I truly need when the situation I'm in tends to get over complicated. My friend embodies this and hugs everyone. I have another friend who has a mild case of it. He's an absolute otaku for anime and loves to cross dress. He thinks girls look cute and believes he deserves to be cute too. He doesn't care what the status quo thinks! It's brave and inspiring. Simple truths... like "you are worth it, no matter what 'it' is". Why is this considered an illness? All it is is another state of mind which the majority has trouble wrapping around. We need to learn from these people and not shun them. Ask them what their opinion is about the human species and listen!
|
|
|
Post by Sp❣rit on Apr 1, 2012 17:02:20 GMT -5
KIMMIE+20 SHARDS <333 Thanks for reading my post. WOLFY+20 SHARDS TOMA+20 SHARDS STEVE+20 SHARDS Haha, it's ok for forgetting about it Steve. That just means that this promo was somehow useful. :'D LENORA+20 SHARDS
[/CENTER] [/blockquote]
|
|
|
Post by tomackze on Apr 1, 2012 17:06:21 GMT -5
Spirit +20 shards
|
|
|
Post by BAT WALRUS on Apr 1, 2012 17:12:00 GMT -5
The manifestations of autism cover a wide spectrum, ranging from individuals with severe impairments—who may be silent, mentally disabled, and locked into hand flapping and rocking—to high functioning individuals who may have active but distinctly odd social approaches, narrowly focused interests, and verbose, pedantic communication.[51] Because the behavior spectrum is continuous, boundaries between diagnostic categories are necessarily somewhat arbitrary.[40] Sometimes the syndrome is divided into low-, medium- or high-functioning autism (LFA, MFA, and HFA), based on IQ thresholds,[52] or on how much support the individual requires in daily life; these subdivisions are not standardized and are controversial.
I've personally never experienced any kind of autism in my life. I've never knowingly come across anybody who has had it in my friends, family or associates and if I've seen it, its something which I've honestly disregarded or more than likely labeled as a case of down syndrome due to lack of knowledge. I think the first time I was introduced to Autism was with that movie with Bruce Willis and the Autistic kid who solved the government puzzle thing, so they all wanted to kidnap him, or something. I forgot what that movie was called ._.
As someone who studies and is interested in psychology and such, I can't help but look at the certain symptoms of autism such as the being silent, odd social approaches, organizing things in particular orders such as size, shape and colour and then those who have abnormally talented levels of skill in certain activities, such as music and drawing, or to those who have a distinct interest in only very limited things whilst completely disregarding others. Whilst these are all autistic traits, its not too hard to identify similar actions in the way ordinary people operate, so in my mind, I'm wondering if there is perhaps a small amount of autism in every person, just at a less noticeable or traceable level to those who are diagnosed. Its probably a far fetched idea, and probably proven wrong as a theory before, but its a idea worth considering in my mind xD
|
|
|
Post by lion on Apr 1, 2012 22:42:07 GMT -5
In 6th grade, two new classes were introduced: one for the older kids with autism, and one for the younger kids. About a quarter through the year, the teacher of the younger kids, Mr. Koyegle came to teach us about autism. A boy with autism had gotten into our school play, and because he was trying really hard to practice, kids were making fun of him. That's why the teacher came.
After giving us the basics of autism, he told us that he was accepting volunteers to help out in the class. When the time came, I filled out the application and turned it in. After that, each of the applicants had a personal interview with Mr. Koyegle. I'm very happy and proud to say that I was chosen immediately.
Anyway, every three weeks I'd help out in his class during recess and lunch for that week. We'd help the kids with their work, make sure they followed the steps and were having a good time. I will admit that sometimes it got hard, the kids would act up and even throw tantrums. But other than those rare moments, the kids were very sweet and easy to get along with, if a bit stubborn. Mr. Koyegle was very strict about certain things. He would never let us say words like “retarded” as an insult. He firmly drilled into our heads that they are not “Autistic kids,” they are “kids with autism.”
Some people may not agree with his ideals based on the way I put them. But I think if you were to hear the way he spoke, you would. That class really taught me a lot. Sometimes, Autism can be a very sad thing, there is no doubting that. And sometimes the kids with autism are hardly different from you and I, other than maybe some troubles with learning and socializing. And sometimes people with autism turn out to be amazing, talented people who can do what we thought was impossible.
I guess what I’m trying to say is exactly what Mr. Koyegle said to my class in 6th grade. They just see the world in a different way.
|
|
|
Post by Whirlaway on Apr 2, 2012 1:00:17 GMT -5
Oh wow, last week my medical anthropology and ethics class covered the current debates and history of autism, and the entire experience [not just this unit, but a lot of the entire course load as well] is very enlightening and changes my perspective of the medical background I've been building up in my college career. The class just really goes to show that even in such a scientific, medical world, the doctors and the patients are still human and nothing is ever black and white. There are pros and cons to every viewpoint and no practice is ever free of ethics.
We discussed how recently Asperger's is getting shifted to be classified under Autism in the DSM-IV, which is a journal for psychologists essentially, and the public outcry that has resulted from it. Autism certainly does carry a certain stigma in our [American] culture, but surprisingly the stigma isn't universal. For example, cultures that focus on the social aspect of the whole rather than the individual, such as India versus America, studies have shown that due to societal structures the stigma of autism is less severe in India because the spotlight is less focused on the individual. Additionally, an odd fact shows that America diagnosis autism cases much earlier than in such as India, despite the social aspect of the latter culture where certain autism symptoms would be more concerning. We discussed that this study has a possibility of being skewered, since it is only in our Western biomedical system that we visit a doctor routinely, even if we are healthy. Compared in this case, autism in a child in India may only be discovered when she is admitted into a hospital with a sickness, which may occur much later than the initial onset of autistic symptoms. Another suggestion was the class discrepancy that exists in India and the rarity of psychiatrists as well as the social castes that have access to these professionals.
Later on, another interesting point I've learned is the history of autism in psychology. We focused much on the first published studies on the causes of autism, the case of 'refrigerator mothers' by Bruno Bettelheim of the 1960's-1970's. The term refrigerator mothers in short stems from the association Bettelheim made with the lack of love a mother would give her child and the onset of autism. If a mother failed to connect with her child in a loving manner, even if she could care for the child with material means, the child would withdraw into his or her mind, and Bettelheim defined that as autism. Bettelheim, a survivor of prison camps, saw a similarity with symptoms of severe autism with the behavior exhibited by the prisoners of war he'd witnessed. That lead to his earlier mentioned statement that a person who has been treated without love and only with cruelty will only find shelter by hiding in the dark corners of their minds, never to 'surface' again. He put blame solely on the mother, but not the father, and often therapy for the mother was simply sessions of verbal and emotional shame for the unloving mother. Interviews conducted near the current day on these mothers who have been branded as refrigerator mothers in the 60's are often full of not just confusion and anger, but the mother also sometime shows shame and guilt for the love she never gave her child. In short, the era of Bettelheim's misinformation of autism has polarized a society against mothers who were doing their best, going beyond the call of a 'normal' mother to meet the needs of her child. So ostracized and criticized were these mothers that some to this day still believe that they are terrible mothers and forever owe their child due to their inability to 'love.'
Also interesting was that autism can only affect certain demographics of people. Much like how anorexia nervosa is a disease associated with 'rich white girls' today, autism during that period could only affect the children of affluent white mothers. It was only these privileged mothers, it was believed, that money and other things would divert her attention away from the child and cause her to stop loving him/her. For example, if a black mother of a lower income brought her child in to the psychiatrist, the professionals would actually tell her that she was not white, nor was she 'privileged' enough to be among the refrigerator mothers. Instead, her child, who later on after Bettelheim's period would be diagnosed with autism, was deemed emotionally disturbed and the treatment was different than the white autistic children.
As for personal experience with autism, I don't have very much to say. One of my classmates from 6th grade to graduation was autistic, but I feel that we as a class and as a school community embraced him, though some more than others. He and I were in the band program, which in my place, is a cult that sticks together. We used to color pictures in with my color pencils in 6th grade, but after that, I never got the chance to really hang out with him more. In high school and middle school he was put in a different track, but we did have band together. He played marimba, and although he had trouble reading music, he was exceptional in a different way of playing: he could play the tune of any song back on the marimba after hearing it once. It really was amazing to see that after the band finishes a song for the first time, he was capable of replaying the song without any sheet music. He graduated my year and although he wasn't in the wind ensemble, he still got to come onto stage with us [the ensemble comprised mostly of graduating seniors] to play our farewell piece. He'd heard the piece and his part several times before, and never missed a beat!
|
|
|
Post by CASTAWAY on Apr 2, 2012 16:03:49 GMT -5
My internet is hardly letting me send this reply, so I'll have a proper awareness image up as soon as I can.
But I just want to say that I've gone to school with a child my age whom I think has autism. I still have no idea to this day whether or not he truly is. In fact, I don't really know what autism means. I'm one of those people who avoid others that are different than me. Who look different, act different. I'm not mean to them, I'm just.. wary. I don't mean to be. It's more instinct. I'm a shy, uneasy person around people I don't know. Especially if they look and act differently than I do.
I've heard autism is something you're born with, and have to deal with forever. I've heard that it affects the way people communicate with others. Makes learning difficult. Most people that I've seen with autism are in wheelchairs. Or maybe thats some other problem entirely. But I've lived most of my life with this one child, my age, moving through grades like no problem. I mean, some people think it's stupid that he's in our grade. Because he can't talk properly. I actually don't recall him ever saying any words properly. They were usually garbled and mumbles. But we all knew when he was happy, when he was sad. When he was frustrated. He also couldn't walk properly. He's used a wheelchair for as long as I can remember. But there was this one year, he came to school and someone was helping him with a stroller-like contraption. I can't even name it. But it was really neat, it seemed to wrap around him and hold him up. He'd push it, and he'd be forced to move his legs. So no, I'm not sure what kind of problem he had. But he had to be one of the friendliest guys out there. And despite me not really taking a fancy and getting to know people who are similar to him. I adored him. I thought he was really cool. I'd walk down the halls with him and laugh. He was that fun-loving.
It's not much of a personal story. But I didn't like it when people said he was stupid, or not going to get anywhere. To me, he was special. And not in the way people thought. Why else was he in grade five at the same time I was?
There was also this other student at the school. Younger than me, and adorable as hell. I'm not sure about her either, seeing as I don't know much about autism and brain disorders that affect peoples lives. But she was one of those that got very mad, very quickly. She was always being watched by some teacher or special education person. But despite that she was always really nice, and always up for anything. I liked her, too. She's actually the sister of a friend.
I'm sure this is a pretty pathetic one, seeing as I really don't know what autism is. I know it's harder to learn. It affects peoples speaking. It's a disorder/problem in the brain. Even then, that might not all be true.
</3 sorry
|
|
|
Post by +~*Snowy*~+ on Apr 2, 2012 17:56:33 GMT -5
I'm afraid I don't have a terribly touching story to tell, but a member of my family does have Asperger's syndrome. My soon-to-be step-brother. It's a pretty mild case, and he's very high-functioning, to the point where most people would say he's just an odd, socially awkward kid. Most of his friends are years younger than him, as in elementary or younger middle schoolers. He LOVES Pokemon, which is something he and I share. The first time I met him he immediately asked if I liked Pokemon. I knew right then we would get along just fine.
Honestly, I hardly notice his Asperger's. Sure, he has a tendency to ask the MOST AWKWARD QUESTIONS AT THE WORST TIMES (the dinner table is his favorite) and he's probably the most stubborn person I know, but I don't treat him any differently than anyone else, and he doesn't ask for it. One of the biggest things that I really notice is his refusal to eat most foods. When we eat something, he wants something else. Burgers, fries, chicken nuggets, plain buttered rice or buttered noodles is his comfort. It wasn't until he first ate dinner at our house that he even TRIED steak, and now it's one of his favorite foods. He ate and LOVED the pork roast we had for Thanksgiving (but only when we didn't tell him what the ingredients were). We went to a Japanese restaurant and I got him to try Calamari, and he liked it. I know people without Asperger's who wouldn't even TOUCH calamari, so that counted as a big success in my book.
He'll be moving into the house sometime in the summer after the wedding. It'll be interesting to say the least what the next few years will be like. My whole household has previously been nothing but very intelligent, worldly people. It'll be an adjustment, but I'm sure we can manage. I honestly knew NOTHING about autism before my dad started dating my soon-to-be step-mom, and I was honestly surprised when Jeffery ended up being so normal. Now I don't even THINK about his Asperger's unless someone brings it up. I just see him as a kid, and now that he'll be going to my high school next year, I might end up having to look after him. A girl and a friend of mine had to switch schools this year because of bullying. She had Asperger's too, and was bullied relentlessly for it. I swear to God, if anyone gives my brother shit next year, they're gonna be talking to my fist.
|
|
|
Post by Sp❣rit on Apr 2, 2012 17:57:43 GMT -5
|
|