Posted on 07/26/2008 12:06:03 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Last week, radio talk-show host Michael Savage talked about autism:
I’ll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it’s a brat who hasn’t been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is. What do you mean they scream and they're silent? They don’t have a father around to tell them, `Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don’t sit there crying and screaming, idiot.” I’m not an impartial observer here. My six-year-old son has high-functioning autism. He is exactly the kind of kid that Savage attacked.
Savage’s comments were wrong and harmful. Some autistic kids do learn to read and speak, which is why misinformed people may think that they are not “genuinely handicapped.” Yes, they are. Autism is a brain disorder that affects everything from social communication to physical coordination. Autistic people have multiple problems that make it hard for them to do things that the rest of us take for granted. It may take them years to learn how to toss a ball or nod their head.
And even when they can talk, they often have odd speech patterns that instantly mark them as autistic. Other kids taunt them with the very words that Savage used. If they respond verbally, their speech problems will draw even more taunting. If they respond with their fists, they run the risk that authorities will label them as “violent.”
Once in a while, parents take the approach that Savage recommends. It never works. Screaming insults at a handicapped kid is not child-rearing. It’s child abuse.
Conservatives need to speak out against Savage. Many news stories label him as “conservative” or “right-wing,” which may prompt some people to think that we agree with him. Savage has a long history of disgusting comments, which has led David Klinghoffer to speculate that his act is a giant liberal put-on, a “lefty’s cartoon mental picture of a ranting right-wing caveman.”
The liberal website Media Matters has spearheaded the backlash against Savage’s autism comments. Understandably, conservatives might be uneasy about siding with such an outfit. Savage has tried to exploit such feelings by casting his critics as PC leftists. But just because the folks at Media Matters oppose child abuse, it doesn’t follow that we conservatives should accept it just for the sake of disagreeing with them.
Besides, liberals do not have a corner on concern for autism. California’s 1969 Lanterman Act was a landmark in serving people with autism and other disabilities. Its sponsor was a Republican, as was the governor who signed it: Ronald Reagan. In 2006, President Bush signed the Combating Autism Act. Its author was Senator Rick Santorum (R., PA).
Savage has cited respectable commentators who suggest that many kids with the autistic label are merely late talkers. His defense fails on two counts. First, these commentators don’t speak in the hateful language that he has used. Second, although they make their argument in good faith, they get things backward.
When you first notice that your child has a speech delay — around his second birthday — autism is the last thing that you want to think about. Autism is devastating and frightening. It’s more comforting to think that your kid is just starting late and will catch up soon. Clutching the “late talker” security blanket, some parents wait months or years before admitting the possibility of autism.
At that point, they may indeed conclude that a formal diagnosis could be important in getting help. States and school districts often pay for the assessment. Every autism diagnosis means thousands of dollars for services that the federal government mandates but does not fully subsidize. With tight budgets, the authorities have no incentive to encourage overdiagnosis. Once in a while, a child may incorrectly get the autism label, but underdiagnosis is probably a much bigger problem.
We need more study of the causes and prevalence of autism. At the moment, though, the issue is Michael Savage’s attack. He has since claimed that he is a nice guy who wants help to go to those who truly need it. Nonsense. If he cared about autistic kids, he wouldn’t have spewed words such as “moron” and “idiot.”
And he shouldn’t claim to be a conservative. He has cheapened political discourse and hurt defenseless children. There’s nothing conservative about that.
—- John J. Pitney Jr. is the Roy P. Crocker Professor of Government at Claremont McKenna College.
Einstein was a late talker. Ten Years Later by Thomas Sowell (May 24, 2003)
I am puzzled why you cannot extend to us the courtesy to acknowledge that virtually all if not everyone, including of course Savage is talking about kids who have been misdiagnosed either due to lack of knowledge or on purpose.
This is getting out of hand as much as the ILLEGAL alien debate -- for years some FRpeers screamed "Bigot!" "Racist!" instead of having the courtesy to acknowledge that we were NOT talking about legal immigration and legal residents.
With your type of attitude, I'd like to put you in the hands of the AMA and see what diagnosis they come up with about you.
Comment:
I live with an MD so have a ready source for diagnosis when needed.
BTW what in the name of God does my diagnosis have to do with Mickey Weiner being a low life scum bucket Whiner.
I have a book offer, but I want to wait until my son graduates.
In fact, I cannot fathom why any genuine autism sufferers or their families would defend the gradual bastardization of clinical diagnosis standards. Conflating autistic and non-autistic children into one clinical group is going to make medical progress extremely difficult. Those with a legitimate personal stake in the matter should be 10x as furious as an arm's length observer. Something that could very well help your child could be discarded as worthless because it failed to help the brat kids with crappy parents (in the case of ADHD), or because it failed to help children with vanilla shyness or whatnot (in the case of autism).
I personally know the families of children afflicted with what any sane individual would call shyness (quiet, poor eye contact, interest in peculiar solitary tasks as a short phase) being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders - there is nothing wrong with these kids! If 3/10 children were diagnosed with autism, and another 3/10 with ADHD, would you fault me for raising concerns about the quality of clinical diagnoses? That is all this is, albeit with the alarm raised well before such a point.
38. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand [or treat].
Yours is a very sensible, civil post. Thank you for it.
Radical changes in the way this nation looked upon such disorders including CP and Downs Syndrome etc began because of another epidemic that left literally millions crippled for life. It was called Polio. From the Polio epidemic to help the survivors rehabilitations centers including schools {Special Education Centers} were first built.
Kids who due to lack of knowledge by medical science often died at birth of shortly after suddenly were being saved. Among them included CP babies, kids with Muscular Dystrophy, and the obvious Polio survivors. Some of the long attached social stigma began to be overcome. Is Autism real? Yes but like most Neurological Disorders there is little understanding of the cause or origins except it runs in some families it seems like many neurological disorders do like MS, MD, etc.
As our national population increases it only makes sense that there would be an increase in these disorders as well as in many case with many disorders there are no cures, magic wands, or pills. Autism has been researched for nearly 100 years.
Can it be misdiagnosed? Maybe. I've seen crack baby kids act like them. Actually I saw one yesterday. The kid was disconnected. The mom took drugs. No legalization of drugs is not a harmless too the user only act. But again 75 years ago these kids and kids with Downs, etc would have been locked away.
Many Autistics can be helped. Some to a very great extent and some will require supervision life long. It is the same with many other disorders. As a kid I knew at least a dozen kids with Autism. I knew as many more Polio survivors as well as CP and MD. I knew one boy who could preach a sermon one minute and cuss and rant the next. He changed as quick as a light switch.
Medical Science isn't perfect and there are hundreds of what is called Orphan Disorders out there as well. Simply meaning disorders that due to lack of research some can not even be named yet. Some will fall into generalizations like Transverse Myelitis for example till more is learned.
The same with ADD ADHD. There are other disorders that produce very similar behavioral and attention issues. They deal with sensory processing and are common to kids with allergies and chronic ear infections as children etc. Medical Science is still in the early stages of research. Now before someone screams Big Pharm let me say this to you. The sensory disorders I speak of SSRI's and Ritalin can not help. It is Vestibular Science not mental health. Diagnoses comes from professionals who can not prescribe anyone so much as a common Aspirin.
I've seen how professionals from Special Education handle Autistics and they don't say crap like behave or I'll pinch your head off. Would you tell a kid with MD to walk or I'll break your legs? Of course not.
Todays schools simply are not really geared up for true Special Education and mainstreaming needs to be halted with the S.E. Centers re-opened for the benefit of all especially the kids needing the help. Individual schools who have a few kids with various disorders can not accomplish this task. It takes a fully staffed group which can serve all in one central location offering much to many.
Me thinks Savage would not know an Autistic if he saw one but would likely call a crack child such out of ignorance. Think about this as well Mr Savage. These kids parents have excepted their children and try to help them rather than give them up or put them away as in the not so long ago days of old. You see them and you go on your way. It's a 24/7/365 task for the parents and you just saw a few seconds of it.
Thank the Good Lord it wasn't your child and consider yourself blessed. Ironically many parentsd of special needs children consider themselves blessed for the child but I doubt he can ever understand why. At the same time learn compassion and understanding till the facts {of that individual child} actually say different.
Why does Savage have to care about autistic kids? He’s a curmudgeon of the highest order, which is part of the mainstream of American society.
This country is dying of compassion.
An industry has been created using those with "disabilities" to increase the size of government. The excesses has created suspicion for all those who are in genuine need. I am not offended by Savage's remarks.
Savage may be wrong, but you make an assertion that’s unprovable. The mechanism for autism is unknown. Toss in “autism spectrum”. Now you have a mess ripe for the universities to guilt us into insisting our lawmakers provde more funding for “research” which will never bear fruit because then the grants will end.
He should not have used a percentage, but much of the “autism spectrum”, like Asperger’s (with which my cousin has been diagnosed) is overblown.
ok, you got me, but I am driving the yellow one, just in case you need a free ride.
Coment:
ROFLMBO
Can you pick me up for a party tonight over in Yuma.
I live about 7 miles from Ocotillo here in the desert about 4 miles from the border.
Me and Jose the illegal immigrant hired hand got a new bottle of Tequila and some Mexican Jalapenos and a few Jumping Beans that we'll share with you on the way.
Doc read your comeback and thought it was hilarious.
Got to run and feed my pigs Sadam and Obama but we'll be waiting.
Thanks. As you might have guessed, I too have a child on the autism spectrum. I am the same mother for all my children, but the “great parenting” that these harsh Freepers would probably approve of works only on the non-autistic kids.
G-d bless you. Prayer helps, indeed, and so does relating to your child as your child and not a diagnosis. Which I am sure you do.
In all honesty, when he’s on (i.e.- attacking H) he’s the best there is, and is very entertaining... Lately that’s far and few in between... He’s been an absolute disaster the past few years... saying we’re in Iraq for oil, believes in minimum wage, supports price controls on oil, rails against CEO pay, says Goldman Sachs runs the govt, I could go on and on....
Autism covers a group of related disorders like the term Cancer does. It only makes sense when more is learned the types of disorders splinter off or become disqualified and fall into a different category.
They do know or highly suspect some things in Autism one of which is genetics. REALITY? I know two sisters now in their mid-late 30's who have Muscular Dystrophy onset at toddler age. The type has been guessed wrong several times and now they just don't know. It doesn't mean they don't have it as their wheelchairs speak for themselves. People want instant cut and dry concrete answers where in Medical Science the answers have not been found yet.
Now when the family was told the kids would not live to puberty everyone was heart broken. They made it though. So do we curse medical science for ignorance? The used the best knowledge they had for a prognoses at that time. No we were happy it was wrong and I imagine so were the doctors. I can imagine a parent who finally finds out their kid isn't Autistic would be happy unless the new diagnoses is much worse.
I've lived with the ADD ADHD diagnoses most my life up till my mid 30's anyway. At age 37 I found out why. I don't have ADD ADHD but I do have sensory processing damage. Very similar symptoms. However I found out I cannot take SSRI's. A research Neurologist book I found by accident gave me the answers but not a disorder name. My disorder falls under to categories one is Central Auditory/Visual Processing Disorders and the other is General Anxiety Disorder which Social Security excepts as a disabling disorder.
The doctors were trying to treat the anxiety & did not understand the link of Vestibular and sensory processing disorders cause and effect of which a secondary condition of it is Anxiety. Knowing this I can now see why ADD ADHD is thought to be an epidemic. Doctors are not making the Sinus allergy/chronic ear infection connection to behavioral issues. Add to that these kids with damaged processing systems are being bombarded with triggers that were not there a couple of decades ago like Nitendo etc.
It's not conspiracy. It's simply people wanting cut and dry answers for medical conditions where in many cases none exist. BTW an Audiologist diagnoses those type of disorders by a battery of test aimed at the persons tasking abilities.
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