Replies

“It would be unfortunate if this forum becomes the original source of this nonsense”

You seem not to understand that this is already all over the Internet and has especially been discussed numerous times by people familiar with autism on Twitter each time the boy has appeared on TV. There was even a discussion page started on the subject on an autism spectrum board *before* Trump ran for president.

A much bigger problem than this is that there are far more posts online and in social media insulting the boy or claiming that he is miserable and hates his father, etc. by people who do not get what’s going on. One thing that being open about his condition would do is to stop these attacks on him and his family by those who are misinterpreting his reactions in the worst ways possible. Just in another thread here on FR a well-meaning poster was commenting more than once on Barron not smiling in the majority of his photos in public, as if he were a miserable kid or something. Even worse, regardless of his parents talking about him being smart, some people on social media have suggested that he’s mentally slow. Needless to say, many (lefties) online thought Barron jerking away from his father’s touch at the convention was a sign that he can’t stand his father. If they understood concepts like sensory overload and how those on the spectrum often respond to it, that alone could clear up a lot of the really negative responses to the boy.

Beyond that, it would be beneficial for educating the masses about Asperger’s/high-functioning autism. Too many people out there still think of autism as classic autism—low IQ, spending all day rocking back and forth, non-verbal, and unable to function in regular society. That is not representative those on the upper end of the spectrum. People with Asperger’s do not have limited mental capacities (as you suggested in an earlier post). Significant intellectual impairments are contraindicated with Asperger’s. If more people understood the basics of the autism spectrum, then there would be fewer uninformed misinterpretations about how people on the spectrum act (as there have already been about Barron).

You appear to be going out of your way to aggressively dismiss the obvious (or at least what is pretty obvious to those personally familiar with the traits of those on the spectrum, but what is often difficult for a “regular” person to recognize). I personally do not agree that it is horrifying, stigmatizing, slanderous, “EVIL” when anyone politely notes how “Aspie” he seems to be. From your reaction, you’d think people were accusing Barron of being a criminal. I would encourage you to examine what sort of negative stereotypes and feelings you may harbor about those on the spectrum and try to correct some of your misconceptions. And no, the speculation of many dozens of regular people online familiar with autism (none of which is mean-spirited or even negative that I’ve seen) is not legitimately actionable libel, nor is it the same as professional psychiatrists publishing and legitimizing their speculation as facts in respected journals or formal interviews.

Lastly, I’ve got to say, you should go back and see how badly you attacked time4good with uncalled for language on this thread. You could have just said that you don’t think that sort of talk is helpful to Barron or his parents, but you went much farther than that. I wasn’t even planning on commenting on this thread until I saw how unfair, insulting, and over-the-top you were acting. It’s obviously not just Aspies who can appear rude.

You really have no shame and still don’t get that this psychoanalysis was most inappropriate. You have a lot of nerve sensationalizing a kid at 3AM and speculating about someone else’s child that you have never met. It’s really rude. If you want to help so badly and think that you have some exceptional insight into this kid, with whom you are clearly obsessed, pass it along to the Trumps!!! Yes, Mr. Babbitt, why don’t you email your keen insight to DJT or Melania. Instead of rumor mongering here as Mr. concerned; take it straight to his mom & dad.

Barron- There are plenty of pictures of this child smiling and video of him laughing and playing around. Adults and kids that know him in Palm Beach think he’s a cool kid. So I guess that means they must be different as well? He is the same as the rest the kids in his age bracket except they aren’t being thrust on stage before thousands (at night). Melania is not a real smiling cheerleader person either, so what! Ivanka smiles too much, so what! Will you dissect them, too?

Diagnosing a stranger based on how they appear at 3AM is crazy. You read way to much into his actions on stage. Who appointed you to be his shrink and publicist to distribute your unprofessional critique of his psyche? How dare you be so presumptuous? And what about Don Jr.’s or Ivanka’s kids? Are they to be diagnosed as ADHD because they were wirey on stage one time. And what about Ted Cruz’s little girls, did they deserve to be labelled and stereotyped on FR as hating their father, spoiled, ill-behaved and whatever other nonsense was spewed. Where does this end? People like you need to quit. It is a form of bullying. Whom does it benefit? .......besides your ego

Your lecture on autism and asperger’s syndrome belongs on a health board. I never said there was anything criminal, bad, or horrible about the disorder. The disorder is in the DSM-5 as abnormal and labeling has a stigma. You have no place to label him. Your lecture has nothing to do with where the Trumps will live with their gorgeous, intelligent, multilingual, athletic son.

My language is deliberately accusatory because I can’t fathom why some one who IS happy for the Trump family would post this stuff including the creepy video the mod removed at #44. That belongs on Daily Kos or DU.

You continue attacking Barron or any of the other kiddies and I guarantee you that I will hit you back, twice as hard.