Autism in the media

[moved from an old blog]

There has been so much negative press about autism lately. Here are a few links in case you've missed them:

Michael Savage, a radio host with a nationally syndicated program, using his platform to tell America that autism is a "fraud, a racket" and every child with the disorder is a "brat". http://mediamatters.org/items/200807170005 The whole situation just makes me sick. Obviously he doesn't even know the first thing about autism to go and say the things that he did. It's just stupid.

Then, a police chief, a man in a position of power, a person that we even teach our children to look up to and to trust, asks a woman to remove her autistic daughter from a restaurant because she's crying. http://www.nbcaugusta.com/news/local/25523719.html Wow, shouldn't that have been up to the restaurant owner, instead? The police chief was just a customer in the restaurant at the time. Again, a misinformed, uneducated individual thinking they know what is best. Another person who doesn't understand the disorder. A person who could have helped out in this situation, but chose to do the opposite instead.

And lastly, Kindergarten teacher Wendy Portillo, standing up little Alex Barton in front of his classmates so they could vote him out of class. http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/jun/06/parents-kindergartner-voted-out-class-intend-sue/ A sick version of the TV show Survivor. Shame on her. Shame on her especially since she's a teacher! Another person in a position of power, a person who we tell our children to trust! And again, especially shame on her, since in her building, she would have had special education teachers and therapists to help her out.

Basically, what this boils down to is a lot of people who are uneducated about the disability. And you know what? With 1 out of every 150 children having some form of autism, everyone needs to get educated about it, and fast. Especially people in positions of power! Whether they are regular education teachers, police officers, and lowly (in my opinion) radio hosts. Especially that part about the regular education teachers. I often wonder if these teachers think "oh, that's something that I'm just going to let the special ed department handle… after all, that's what they're there for." Hmmm.

I was thinking this morning – why aren't there any positive stories about autism? Where is the "good press" on this? There are plenty of parents who have made noise about the above stories: several groups protested outside of radio stations that broadcast Savage's show. But other than the occasional protest or comment on the above stories, there really isn't much. And I'll tell you why.

Parents of kids with autism – we're busy. More busy than you'll ever know. Busy doing what, you ask? Busy parenting our autistic children. And unless you know, unless you have a child with autism yourself, you'll never understand what that sentence truly means. Michael Savage seems to think that parents of autistic children are the worst parents in the world. The old "refrigerator mothers" from back in the 1940s, when the belief was that bad parenting caused children to have autism.

Well, in addition to being a mother of an 8 year old child with autism, I know a number of parents of children with the disorder. And I can tell you – we are an elite group. We're some of the best parents in the world, Mr. Savage. Because I can tell you first hand, no other parents out there are as dedicated, as hopeful, as committed to parenting and to our children, than parents of children with autism.

All autistic kids are brats, huh? Yes, my child can be bratty. Any child can be bratty. But to ignore the disability and blame it's cause on the fact that he's a brat? That's like telling a child with epilepsy to stop having those stupid seizures. Like telling a child with an amputated arm to stretch, you idiot, you can reach. Like telling a person in a wheelchair to just try a little harder, and they'll be able to walk.

Yes, if only my son would just *apply himself*, he could obviously overcome his autism and be more "normal".

Yes, lets all just wave our magic wands, Mr. Savage, since you think it's that easy.