Men, Empathy, and Autism (Long Read)

Chronicle of Higher Education ^ | From the issue dated March 5, 2004 | DAVID COHEN

[oceanperch]

My son uses a single head switch to activate a communication system to communicate to society.

At home we use eye gaze and body gestures if he has an emergency he blows with all his might via the trach and it quacks like a duck. LOL

Now that he is an adult male he doesn't communicate much with me on details just like a man. Unless it is of extreme interest to him.

Lucky for him I enjoy being a domesticate. Oh I guess a today's woman would call me an uneducated servant. LOL

[tiamat]

LOL!

Hello FRiend.

And HELLO! to your son. One of my favorite teachers had a son with CP.

I know whereof you speak.

People laugh at me because I refer to Caitlin as "My wealth" and "My gift from God".

It took me forever to get pregnant. Not through lack of trying!

I miscarried twice. I had to have a C section to have her , and I will not be able to have any other kids. I figure there has to be a reason that SHE is MY baby!

I take such joy in her. She is kind, and funny and quirky.

My blessing.

[tiamat]

You're such a good Mom!

I would not say "Undeducated Servant". I would say "House-hold Goddess"!

;-)

[oceanperch]

Agree having King Vanity is like having six kids and a husband.

So I chose to just care for him and three Labrador Retreivers.

He is soon to be 25. The dogs are 13, 9 and my new k-9 baby is 12weeks old.

Potty training is very rough. I forgot. Really enjoying his puppy antics and loving him.

It has been 9yrs since I had a pup now a days they have all kinds of cool tools to help with parenting skills.

Love the idea that he can go to his crib/crate for naps and I have one in the van for travel. In the old days I had puppies chew wheelchair lift wires. That puppy is now 13yrs old and so crippled up he uses the wheelchair lift to get in and out.: )

Speaking of domestic I need to get off of here and get King Vanity up for shower/grooming time. I take 10 minutes to shower and get ready he takes two hrs. Well thus his nickname.

[oceanperch]

Thanks my friend just brought me a sticker that says "Queen Bee" LOL

[oceanperch]

Coool so you understand the "either you get it or you don't' when people enquire about our kids.

Like a duck to water we have alot of Ducky freinds as it sounds you do too!

[RepubMommy]

I'm not sure I buy it. My daughter Caitlin is mildly autistic and is highly funtioning. While she shares many common autistic traits, ( repetetive behavior, social and language problems, no imitative play, emotional delay) she is one of the most compassionate people you will ever meet.

That was freaky, my daughter Caitlin (same spelling) has mild autism and is high functioning as well. I thought when I was reading the first sentence of your post, that it was mine