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Sheesh Bones.

No wonder Mr. Spock would wonder about humanity with outbursts like yours!

There are many professionals both medical and educational who claim that the growth in Autism goes beyond better diagnosis. I don't know your credentials but I don't see you pointing to specific links to back up your statements like the other people here are.

Yes there are quacks out there taking advantage of parents in a vulnerable state but there is room for disagreement over these issues.

Disagreement leads to understanding. I don't know why you're so intent on shutting it down.

It's not just California that provides funding for special education. The federal education law mandates it in all states. Now, I can tell you from personal experience that getting the appropriate education for my son is like pulling teeth. It's all local control at the school district level. If California is simply giving money away, which I doubt, perhaps I should consider moving from New Jersey.

You make a good point with regard to high functioning kids being provided with an over abundance of resources. Perhaps this is my bias showing since my son is low functioning and I know how that the competition for resources is fierce.

My son has been poked, prodded, scrutinized and analyzed beyond what I consider tolerable. It has been necessary to convince the powers that be that he's Autistic even when it's plainly obvious. I have not found the other way around to be true at all.

You need to spend a little more time on Omicron Ceti III.

For anyone interested in learning more about Autism and how you can participate in walk-a-thons and other fund raising events, please follow the links below:

	Feat.Org
Autism Society of America	(Yes I know he supports Hillary, Ugh)	Autism National Committee

My son has been poked, prodded, scrutinized and analyzed beyond what I consider tolerable. It has been necessary to convince the powers that be that he's Autistic even when it's plainly obvious.

My grandson too. It took over a year to diagnose him -- a year when he missed out on programs that might have been beneficial. Our experience has been similar to yours with New Jersey -- you have to move Heaven and earth and sue to get any help at all. And much of the help my grandson received has been counter productive. His individual aides have been wonderful -- but the directors of his programs (which are non-existent in his own school district, despite Federal law) have been horrid.

He goes to school out of district where he has no rights because his own district refused to educate these children, despite a high incidence. He had a teacher for a whole year who was downright cruel to him. She then was elevated to being the director for all the programs for a second year.

Luckily, she's gone, but my grandson made no progress for two years -- just reverted. He spent his whole day at school crying every time he encountered this one particular teacher. He was fine with all the other teachers and aides, however. My daughter had to take the school district to court to get the basic educational services (speech therapy, occupational therapy) he was entitled to, which have just kicked in now. But he lost two years of precious time while the district where he was a "guest student" tried to kick him out.