Posted on 07/23/2008 11:24:54 AM PDT by mainestategop
Shock Jock Michael Savage is in hot water again this time for a stating his belief that 99% of Autism cases are fake. He has taken a beating from parents of autistic children and those who lobby for them. However, let us play devil's advocate for a moment... Are Savage's comments mean spirited or could there be some truth to it? Are children who are diagnosed with autism and Asperger's syndrome (Considered a high functioning form of Autism) being over diagnosed? Are the diagnostic criteria for Autism and Asperger's really too broad and too flawed that otherwise ordinary playful children are labeled with this devastating disorder for playful weird behavior?
First, we should put Savage's comments into context. Consider his remarks about minority children with Asthma:
"Why was there an asthma epidemic amongst minority children? Because I will tell you why: The children got extra welfare if they were disabled, and they got extra help in school. It was a money racket. Everyone went in and was told [fake cough], 'When the nurse looks at you, you go [fake cough], "I don't know, the dust got me." ' See, everyone had asthma from the minority community. Now, the illness du jour is autism. You know what autism is? 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." Autism -- everybody has an illness. If I behaved like a fool, my father called me a fool. And he said to me, "Don't behave like a fool." The worst thing he said -- "Don't behave like a fool. Don't be anybody's dummy. Don't sound like an idiot. Don't act like a girl. Don't cry." That's what I was raised with. That's what you should raise your children with. Stop with the sensitivity training. You're turning your son into a girl, and you're turning your nation into a nation of losers and beaten men. That's why we have the politicians we have!"
Michael's comments seemed harsh but when we put it into context, we see that Michael is in reality speaking out against over diagnosing and misapplying labels. He defended his comments well on Larry King live with Glenn Beck. Here are some highlights:
BECK: But, Michael, what did you really mean? SAVAGE: Ah-ha, very funny. BECK: Michael Savage, I'm a guy who has been taken out of context all the time. We wanted to make sure we played a full cut. It seems pretty clear you don't really believe autism exists? SAVAGE: No, no, no, no. Again, you took what they gave you but you didn't take the entire preceding material. Preceding this, Glenn, was a discussion of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which has had the nerve to say that children as young as two years of age should be given anti-cholesterol drugs. BECK: Right. SAVAGE: There's been not one study about the damage this would do or potentially do to two year-olds, and yet you have had doctors come out and say these drugs should be given to the children. This was in the broader context of the over-medicalization, the over- diagnose of disease, using our children as profit centers. I've spent all day saying what a shame it is that I, as man who has spent his entire life defending the defenseless, mainly children, should have to defend myself from charges leveled at me by men who specialize in hating families and children, namely Media Matters who probably come after you as well, by ripping me out of contest and making me look like the monster that they are. BECK: Michael, let me ask you this, I am a guy who has been taken out of context. I am a guy who has been called a monster and everything else. I understand context. Talk radio is extremely difficult to do in sound bites because it is a three-hour running monologue, especially with somebody like you. But when you say 99 percent of the cases are brats who should be told to cut the act out and not act like morons, as a dad with a child with special needs, boy that cuts right. SAVAGE: I understand what you're saying. If you heard the entire show, you would have heard me addressing those comments to the misdiagnosed, false diagnosed and outright racketeers, as opposed to the general category of autistic children. Glen, let me say this again, the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that all children be screened for ALD, that's autism, at the 18 to 24 month level. In England, the UK National Screening Committee recommends against screening for autism in this young general population. Why? Because screening tools haven't been fully validated and treatments and intervention lack sufficient evidence for effectiveness, meaning there is no definitive diagnose, no biomedical diagnose, no blood test, no MRI's which will prove definitively that a child has autism. It's become such a gigantic category that overly bright children are being put into this category. why is this happening? How could there be an epidemic that's come out of nowhere, where one out of 150 children suddenly have an illness that hardly existed 20 years ago. You have to use common sense here.
Keep in mind Michael Savage was not denying the existence of autism. Glenn Beck even came out and admitted that he too had a special needs child with disabilities. Savage Had this to say about genuine autistic children:
SAVAGE: First of all, truly autistic children need treatment and help. And they should get all of the money and services that are available. My comments are directed at the falsely diagnosed, misdiagnosed or outright fraudulently diagnosed children who are basically using money they shouldn't be getting. Glen, how often have you seen people pull into handicap zones with blue placards, who get out of their car and look well. The minute they see you looking at them askance, they pull out a cane and start hobbling. Those are the people I'm addressing here. I know there is little time to cover. I say let the truly autistic be treated. Let the falsely diagnosed be treated. Do you know that right now they have broadened the definition of autism to such a thing as called the autistic spectrum. What does that mean? What is the autistic spectrum? Kids with a very high IQ or simply late in talking could fall into that category? Should we take people who where glasses and put them into the blindness spectrum? Should we take people with moles on their face and put them into a category called the cancer spectrum and treat them as such? What I am saying is many parents, unfortunately, have been urged to let their children be labeled autistic. Why? To get money for speech therapy or other conditions from grants that are available to deal with autism.
Shortly after a commercial break Beck interviewed several autistic experts who attempted to refute Savage's claims of fraud and over diagnosis. No doubt, they are looking out for their own interests instead of the interests of children and families. One of these men was Dr. Jay Gordon, a pediatrician who had these comments:
DR. JAY GORDON, PEDIATRICIAN: I disagree very strongly. I think you put Mr. Savage's comments in context, not out of context. In my 30 years of taking care of children, I haven't seen an over-diagnosis of autism and delays, I've seen an under-diagnosis. Because of what he said without any facts to support him, some children will be hurt. As the doctor just said, we need to be aware. We need to diagnose children early and help them. There are children on the autism spectrum that will have trouble in academic settings and in social settings. And the earlier that we identify these children, we can get them the help that we need. There are going to be people who are uninformed enough to believe Mr. Savage and children will be hurt by his comments.
Get this ladies and gentlemen, we've been hearing over and over again about the raging epidemic of autism and Asperger’s in children, how your child is more likely to be autistic than being struck by lightning and so on. Yet according to a quack there is not over diagnosis in fact, there is an under diagnosis! In other words we have not even scratched the surface and millions and millions of children are walking around oblivious of autism and Asperger’s!
The attacks against Michael Savage may have more to do with the pay checks of fraudulent doctors such as Jay Gordon then whether Savage's remarks were offensive. In truth the Autism industry is a profitable industry that destroys the lives of families and individuals while allowing doctors, psychiatrists, lobbyists, government employees and others to line their pockets. The misapplication of Asperger’s' and Autism is devastating.
As Michael Savage mentioned in Europe doctors are discouraging mandatory screening of Autism and Asperger's because the diagnostic tools are not all efficient and the screening tools are not readily available! But the American Academy of Pediatrics is more interested in making money for themselves, for schools, for crooked doctors, social workers, case workers, government administration and others. Rest assured that all of this will be done at the expense of not just their victims but American Tax payers as well. In fact many states such as My home state of Maine already require mandatory screening of children entering the school system for Autism and Asperger’s. There is not telling how many children have been misdiagnosed and have been subject to painful and distressing interventions and therapies as well as being subject to being followed for the rest of their lives with the stigma of being labeled Autistic. Michael Savage in fact has done us all a service with his courageous stance.
In future articles I intend to further show how BIG Government, psychiatrists, schools and other institutions are using Autism to promote an unscrupulous agenda. I will also introduce you to an old friend of mine from Maine who was falsely diagnosed with Asperger's for being cruelly abused and raped in school by classmates, and how his parents abused him using that labeled and caused him to become unemployed and homeless in Los Angeles Skid Row and how he overcame the stigma of being labeled and abused.
Note to self, re-read before posting
Let's try this again. "1 of every 163 kids is diagnosed with Autism.:
“It’s basically why I said he’s almost right. I think 99% is a little high but there are many many kids who are being misdiagnosed. I think the term brat also was a bit harsh.”
He was different in the sense that he loved classical music and playing music, but also he did not always feel comfortable in a classroom setting.
He definitely was hyper and talked alot, but I didn't think much of it. That's when people around me began to question whether he should be tested for ADD.
After some time and different advice, I asked my pediatrician what he thought. Luckily for me, Dr. Berman, now in his 90s and still practicing, was a good old fashioned doctor, and sat me in a chair, and asked me what I thought, not what others were telling me.
I told him flat out that I thought my son was fine. He agreed. My son just graduated the Juilliard School of Music, go figure, without any ADD drug help.
The criteria used is very broad and flawed. For one thing kids spinning around and flapping hands. I see kids playing outside spinning and flapping but they aren't autistic. One other criteria that I find very disturbing is failing to socialize with peers. In other words kids who get picked on and bullied. Next they'll have a disorder for people who have their houses broken into or who get mugged. The schools are just blaming the victim. That's exactly how they got my friend.
Savage seems to "trying" to build a fire under these entity's.. by exciting the "villagers" to "torches"..
I say God bless him.. AT least its a good distraction from the Presidency being stolen by wild eyed socialists in 2008.. which will exacerbate a plethora of other issues.. SOON..
I don't blame him for wanting a distraction from the pitiful political climate.. Where the wild eyed Moonbats are threatening to gain almost absolute political power in Washington D.C... With both candidates being not only socialists but globalists to boot.. Savage is not a Limbaugh, Hannity or Levin he has "hard earned" two masters degrees and a PHD to his credit he is a veritable "scientist" even an "expert" on THIS subject... He not just anybody..
A family that lived four houses from me had a child who was diagnosed as autistic when a very young boy. They refused the diagnosis out of hand and raised the child as any attentive parents would. He’s a well-adjusted very normal teenager - and not showing the least symptoms of what could be considered autistic. And this is not the only case I have heard of. (in fairness it’s not the only case of a misdiagnosis of other conditions I’ve heard of, either)
So where 99% is an extreme # there’s a significant amount of truth to what he says. Replace “99%” with “a significant number” and suddenly the context is changed. I believe what he said is based in definite truth. How he said it, well, that’s why we’re here.
Neurologic function
Seizures may develop in 25-35% of children with autism and can be resistant to treatment. The onset of seizures peaks in early childhood and again in adolescence. There is an increased risk of seizures in children with autism who have mental retardation or a family history of autism.
Uneven gross and/or fine motor skills (well developed in some areas, poorly developed in others)
Behavioral symptoms
Aggressive or self-injurious behavior
Noticeable extreme underactivity or overactivity
Abnormal responses to sensory stimuli (expressing oversensitivity or undersensitivity to pain)
Mood and affect
Mood and affect vary considerably, and may include being unaware of the feelings of others, withdrawn, or emotionally labile. Some people with autism become outwardly anxious or they may become depressed in response to the realization of their problems.
Restricted repertoire of interests, behaviors, and activities - Examples include the following:
Insisting on following routines and sameness, resisting change
Ritualistic or compulsive behaviors
Sustained odd play
Repetitive body movements (hand flapping, rocking) and/or abnormal posture (toe walking)
Preoccupation with parts of objects or a fascination with repetitive movement (spinning wheels, turning on and off lights)
Narrow, restricted interests (dates/calendars, numbers, weather, movie credits)
In some children with autism who express affection, the affection may be indiscriminate.
...............
Maybe a third of kids with autism have seizures. Are they faking them, Smartguy? Maybe another third sit in the corner and rock incessantly or flap their wings About 80 % have below normal intelligence , as measured on IQ tests (that eliminates about 90 % of kids right there)
So youre saying there may be some people exaggerating their "disability" so they can get money from the govt? what a shocker! But dont tell me 70, 80 , or 90 % of these people are lying. Just admit it, you dont know what youre talking about.
I am not saying the faker numbers are that high, only that you eagerly and willing to readily call someone a dickhead because they assert that there are autism fakers out there. The fakers take advantage of that even to the point you are willing to drudge up a bunch of facts from an autism website to bolster your claim. If you have someone close to you who has autism I sympathize with you, but to call others dickheads or tell them they don’t know what they’re talking about is a stretch to say the least.
Well, no. Savage Dickhead said 99% are fakers. Thats everybody ! If he's not a dickhead than the word has no meaning.
Okay have it your way, then - there are no fakers. Your post came off like you had a personal stake in the issue and were lashing out - your response to me also. Good luck...
My Goodness! Aside from the seizures, I daresay that any of us have been guilty of any of those behaviors on a regular basis, whether as a child or even as an adult!
(or maybe I’m just odd.)
He always asks for proof of global warming. Why shouldn’t this same standard be applied to him?
Where is his proof?
He is an idiot. Always has been. Most likely always will be.
End of story.
First of all, I’m not your Mommy. As far as the Catscans, I don’t doubt that there is such a disease as autism, but I question how many are diagnosed without having Catscans? I would be willing to wager that it is the vast majority.
If you claimed you never exaggerated to make a point, who would believe you? He already said his 99% was overstated.
He is correct that there are charlatans looking to exploit every opportunity that comes along. Most adults know this unless they’ve been slyly misdirected.
You cannot legitimately deny that Savage is warning parents to be skeptical about this latest expansion of the number of autism sufferers. From what has been allowed to come to light, this “Autism spectrum” could be fanned out to include everyone and anyone at some time.
Stop trying to silence watchdogs.
Start punishing criminals.
There is collosal fraud in Workplace Disability, far more outrageous than with reference to autism, especially monetarily speaking, with horrendous effects to our economy.
Would people just sit back and say, oh well, if he said 99.9 % of people on Disability were faking it? I would bet not
There is demagoguery and then there is demagoguery. I think the reason so many people here are willing to overlook this jerk is because conservatives are so often ignored by the MSM. But thats no excuse for this level of sloppy talk.
Okay, have it your way. Everybody is a faker.
When my son was 4 years old, we had him in pre-school, and he pretty much sat around school and did nothing. He also like to rock a lot. He was very quiet and was slower than the other students. We were called in for a conference and told that they suspected that my son was autistic. Well, I saw his behavior at home, and it was nothing like his behavior at school. We concluded that he was just shy, and being he was our baby at the time, he was very immature. We didn’t have him tested, and in 2 years he did a complete turn-around. Today, he is a grown man with a beautiful wife and two beautiful children, and is as normal a person as anyone can imagine. In fact, he turned out to be a better student that our other children. We were right, they were wrong. The powers-that-be sometimes are too quick to presume that a child has some sort of disorder and overlook just plain human factors.
There you go. You just employed the same type of rhetoric Savage did.
In fact, you're entire career on this thread is you making a federal case about Savage exaggerating to make a point.
Stop trying to silence watchdogs.
Start punishing criminals.
Never lie like a liberal
Talk truth to Power. The truth will set you Free.
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