tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post744442628377401578..comments2023-11-25T07:12:37.875-05:00Comments on Hating Autism: Does Neurodiversity Equal Quackbusters?John Besthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03133970669787632440noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-54917440947909777812007-05-18T23:55:00.000-04:002007-05-18T23:55:00.000-04:00Joeker said... Yeah, a lot of them do, Jedi... lik...Joeker said... <BR/><I>Yeah, a lot of them do, Jedi... like this one. Except, oh wait, the Author isn't Autistic! Hm... Oh yeah, this is the only confirmed case of a non-autistic person pretending to be thus.</I><BR/><BR/>Joeker, How do you know that Marty Murphy isn't autistic? She is a board member of the Autism Society of Illinois. She says she is a high-functioning autistic, and speaks at autism conferences.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-46252223526212969872007-05-18T23:53:00.000-04:002007-05-18T23:53:00.000-04:00James, No I hadn't seen it. Thanks for posting. ...James, No I hadn't seen it. Thanks for posting. The corruption goes all the way to the top, doesn't it? And the stench is absolutely sickening.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-38323242857165123242007-05-18T19:10:00.000-04:002007-05-18T19:10:00.000-04:00Yeah, a lot of them do, Jedi... like this one. Exc...Yeah, a lot of them do, Jedi... like this one. Except, oh wait, the Author isn't Autistic!<BR/><BR/>Hm... Oh yeah, this is the only confirmed case of a non-autistic person pretending to be thus.<BR/><BR/>http://www.asohalton.org/My%20Name%20is%20Autism.pdf<BR/><BR/>Yeah, a lot of these advocates lie.<BR/>*ahem*<BR/>The ones who're actually not Autistic.Joekerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06226283021920155932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-43673300952777195762007-05-18T18:23:00.000-04:002007-05-18T18:23:00.000-04:00Watson,"It would be comforting to believe that, an...Watson,<BR/><BR/>"It would be comforting to believe that, and I would certainly like to be able to wind back the clock to once again share the Faith that you have in modern medicine, but, once you or a member of your family has been injured by conventional medicine, and you’ve watched as the medical fraternity close their ranks against you, I guarantee you will lose your faith in the establishment, just as I have."<BR/> <BR/>I get the feeling you may have saw this already:<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>"FROM JOHN STONE <BR/> <BR/> <BR/>It is essential that anyone who was involved in the MMR litigation gives their attention to this notice<BR/><BR/>MMR JUDGE FAILED TO DISCLOSE HE WAS BROTHER OF Glaxo SmithKline DIRECTOR AND LANCET BOSS<BR/><BR/>Just three days ago I discovered while going over the records for 2004 that the judge, Mr Justice Davis (aka Sir Nigel Anthony Lamert Davis), who had dismissed the appeal over the removal of funding of the MMR litigation by the Legal Services Commission was the brother of Lancet proprietor (CEO Reed Elsevier) Crispin (Henry Lamert) Davis who at the time had also recently become a non-executive director of Glaxo SmithKline. Though this has not been reported in the media the following press announcement was issued by the judiciary yesterday afternoon:<BR/><BR/>"In 2003 Mr Justice Davis's brother was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of Glaxo SmithKline, a company which was formed as a result of a merger with Smith Kline Beecham. At the date of the hearing before Davis J, the possibility of any conflict of interest arising from his brother's position did not occur to him.<BR/><BR/>"If he was wrong, any possible remedy must be sought from the Court of Appeal." <BR/><BR/>Former litigants should complain without delay to the Office for Judicial Complaints, focussing on the GSK conflict. Clearly if the judge had said at the time that his brother was a director of GSK but he intended to hear the case anyway his decision would have been regarded with a great deal more scepticism: <BR/><BR/>http://www.judicialcomplaints.gov.UK/<BR/><BR/>They should also write without delay to their MPs, and they should contact anyone they know who was also party to the litigation, and draw their attention to this notice. It is very important that as many people do this as soon as possible.<BR/><BR/>People may like to note the sequence of events:<BR/><BR/>1) July 2003 Lancet proprietor Crispin Davis become a non-executive director of MMR manufacturer Glaxo SmithKline<BR/><BR/>2) February 20, 2004. The Lancet throws Andrew Wakefield to the wolves for tenuous reasons. He is dragged through the mud by the BBC and Sunday Times for four days.<BR/><BR/>3) February 27, 2004. Mr Justice Davis dismisses the litigants appeal for restitution of funding.<BR/><BR/>4) June 2004. Crispin Davis knighted by the Blair government.<BR/><BR/>John Stone"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-66113022303926835612007-05-18T08:26:00.000-04:002007-05-18T08:26:00.000-04:00Part IIInterverbal said... Now, I have a few quest...Part II<BR/><BR/>Interverbal said...<BR/><I> Now, I have a few questions for you. Would you understand why I and other like me may be skeptical that alternative practices helped your child? </I><BR/><BR/>I totally understand, because I was once where I assume you are today. I believed in modern medicine and completely trusted my doctor to do what was best for our family. I believed that vaccines were absolutely safe for our baby, and that they would protect him from disease. I believed that without them he would suffer dreadfully from a preventable illness, and he could be brain damaged, or even die. I believed that the vaccines, bottles of Tylenol, antibiotics, hydrocortisone creams and anything else that my doctor prescribed were absolutely necessary for my son's health and well being. <BR/> <BR/>I had no interest in alternative medicine, and did not believe that it could work. I had never consulted an alternative practitioner, and I had never taken a supplement, a herb, or a homeopathic remedy. Whenever I was sick, I headed straight for the medical centre, and took whatever the doctor prescribed, without question. I was brought up with the idea that "doctor knows best", so if they told me to go to bed for three days, that's precisely what I did. <BR/><BR/>But that was a long time ago, before my son was damaged by vaccines and our lives were changed for ever. <BR/><BR/><BR/><I> Or would you insist that because you added treatments and your child improved thereafter, that we agree with your assessment that one caused the other? </I><BR/><BR/>Not at all. The success of the treatments and therapies themselves don't prove that my son's brain was damaged by vaccines. <BR/><BR/>The reason our compensation claim was not accepted was that I couldn't prove that vaccines had caused his brain damage. They accepted that his severe reactions were caused by vaccines, and, with eye-witness testimonials, before and after video evidence, and A1 health development records for 22 months, they accepted that his regression had followed the vaccine he received at age two, BUT.... because his regression led to a diagnosis of autism, and some children mysteriously become autistic, they concluded vaccines weren't to blame.<BR/><BR/>He was never physically examined, no tests were run. He was observed, and we were questioned about his behaviour. Loss of language to nil, the complete loss of the ability to communicate, a dramatic change in personality, and the appearance of typically autistic behaviour did not indicate brain damage to them. I saw brain damage. They saw autism. And they told me that the disorder was life-long and that there was nothing further that they could do. <BR/><BR/>Mainstream medicine had damaged my son and could not help him, so basically doctors washed their hands of him. <BR/><BR/>That's why we turned to alternative medicine.<BR/><BR/><I> What could be done to help prove your point? </I> <BR/><BR/>That vaccines damaged my sons brain, and that for him alternative treatments worked? <BR/><BR/>It's impossible to prove that vaccines damaged my son's brain. You can't climb inside and look, or dissect a living brain. But I know for certain that if he'd had measles at the age of two and had been feverish, irritable, anorexic, and his behaviour and disposition had changed as radically as it did after the vaccine, they would have called his condition post-encephalitic syndrome or post-Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis, not autism. And I have no doubt that mainstream would have counted him in their statistics to show how dangerous the measles disease is, and used his case to promote the MMR vaccine to protect other children against this type of brain damage.<BR/><BR/>I know that alternative treatments and therapies worked for my son, and that's one of the main reasons I'm posting here. And, like John, I don't agree with ND’s philosophy of acceptance and celebration of disability. Parents should be allowed to make their own health decisions for their children; they should not be emotionally blackmailed by doctors or ND activists.<BR/><BR/>How do I know that alternative treatments worked? Well firstly, because I’m not stupid - I saw the difference, and secondly, because of the positive feedback I got from my son’s SLP, special education support workers, teachers, caregivers, friends and relatives who didn’t know exactly what we were doing but told us that whatever it was, to keep doing it. <BR/><BR/>If your son had bowel problems for five years and then had his first normal stool after one week of zinc, would you question that the zinc supplement had made a difference? <BR/><BR/>Would you question the benefit of AIT if your six-year-old son no longer screamed, covered his ears, dropped to the floor and assumed the fetal position in the presence of hand and hair driers, or music in a confined space?<BR/><BR/>Would you question the benefit of the gf/cf diet if, after a few weeks, your fifteen year-old- son was finally able to tolerate a hug, his hair being ruffled or the light touch of a hand on his shoulder or knee?<BR/><BR/>But you can’t pick a group of children at random with the same ‘autism’ label and expect only one particular treatment to work for them all, particularly if some children have a genetic disorder and others have brain damage from drugs during pregnancy or a botched delivery. Each individual child’s behaviour has to be carefully observed, and physical ailments such as allergies, food intolerances and gut issues must be treated. Even today, when my sixteen-year-old son’s immune system is challenged, his autistic behaviours return. <BR/><BR/>Mainstream has never helped us. Doctors appear to rely on their prescription pads and trying drug after drug, and that’s not getting to the root of the problem. <BR/><BR/><I>I: Is doing so even important?</I><BR/><BR/>To make the connection between vaccination, brain damage and autism? Most definitely.<BR/><BR/>And I think it’s vitally important for parents to take responsibility for their own children’s health, and not allow themselves to be emotionally blackmailed or bullied into doing anything that might harm their child. They must do their own research, and not rely on anyone to do their thinking for them. Good health doesn’t come from a toxin-laden syringe.<BR/><BR/>Autism is treatable in the young child, in the same way that brain damage is treatable, but mainstream doctors cannot allow themselves to believe in alternative treatment because if they can’t treat it, then it’s untreatable. It’s a matter of medical arrogance. <BR/><BR/>When mainstream doctors have turned their backs on brain-damaged children, Glenn Doman has been successfully treating them for fifty years or more. When mainstream doctors turned away children with paralytic polio, Nurse Kenny successfully treated them. And the ketogenic diet has been curing epilepsy for years, and yet mainstream will only use it as a last resort when all their conventional methods have failed. There’s something very wrong with that.<BR/><BR/>So, yes, thinking outside the square is very important.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-19074342078127554342007-05-18T08:16:00.000-04:002007-05-18T08:16:00.000-04:00Interverbal said... Watson, dont worry about the ...Interverbal said... <BR/><I> Watson, dont worry about the length. </I><BR/>Thanks, Jonathon. I hope John feels the same way about lengthy messages on his blog, and I’ve split this response in two, in the hope that it won’t look quite so long!<BR/><BR/><I>W: You say that we are definitely keeping track of the subtypes of autism. Is there a database somewhere? I'd certainly like to see the figures. I: "Read recent epidemiology. Chakrabarti & Fombonne (2005) etc. If you would like a list, my blog deals extensively on this subject, especially in the earliest articles. "</I><BR/> <BR/>No, I didn’t think there was a database, Jonathon.<BR/><BR/>Do you think that the rate of PDD in Fombonne’s study of British preschoolers in the city of Stafford, England, screened for PDD from birth, can possibly be representative of the rate of autism, or the subtypes of autism, in the United States, or anywhere else for that matter?<BR/><BR/>Speaking of Fombonne, I’d much rather read his commentary on Badawi’s study on autism and newborn encephalopathy (2006) than his numerous epidemiological studies designed to disprove any link with vaccines but, like many other interesting articles on encephalopathy and vaccine injury, it isn’t available online. <BR/><BR/><I>I: I can appreciate your concern about children with RAD being misdiagnosed with autism. I would call this lousy and unethical. </I><BR/><BR/>So would I, but as an autism support person asked me recently, "If some of the diagnostic criteria ‘fit’, why not give them an autism label?" She couldn't see a problem. Perhaps psychologists don’t see it as a problem either. But, you see, Jonathon, if you are waiting for the numbers of autism to drop, and then you discover that children with RAD, SCS and FAS are being given the PDD/NOS/atypical autism label, and are therefore included in the current rate of autism, it matters a great deal. <BR/><BR/><I>W: Even though you are right that children with Retts can't be given the Autistic Disorder diagnosis, as an ASD, Retts is counted in the rate of autism, just as all PDDs are counted. I: Several autism researchers such as Dr. Fombonne do not include Retts in their counts, such as what we see in Fombonne (2003). Also Retts is 3.8 per 10,000, or 6% of the total. Furthermore, Retts appears to be stable, it is not going up, ditto for Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. </I><BR/><BR/>Perhaps Fombonne doesn’t include Retts in his UK studies because Retts isn’t counted as an ASD in that country. Regardless, it’s not the rate of Retts or its inclusion or exclusion from the rate of ASD that bothers me. My point was that children with regressive autism from vaccines don't have genetic disorders like Rett's, Angelman's, Noonan's, Down's, Tuberous Sclerosis, Congenital Rubella etc., and their brains haven't been damaged during pregnancy by alcohol or drugs. Even though you might regard these as co-morbid conditions, I don’t - particularly when I know that both blind children and deaf children engage in typically autistic behaviours, called ‘blindisms’ and ‘deafisms’ which are not comorbids - nor are they a special autistic “language”, as Amanda Baggs would have us believe. <BR/><BR/>My son and many other children with regressive autism don’t have co-morbid conditions – unless, of course, brain injury from vaccines can be counted. <BR/><BR/><I>I: I see little evidence that any child with atypical development is now placed into autism, but I agree that many children with atypical development are placed in autism, and especially in the PDD-NOS category. I predict that if the criteria are further broadened or new categories are created then the rate will jump higher still.</I><BR/><BR/>I agree with you. Clinicians have already suggested the inclusion of ADHD, and if that happens, the autism rate would skyrocket overnight.<BR/><BR/>That’s why I maintain that the face of autism is changing. Talking to parents over the past two years, I know that toddlers with no more than speech delay are being given a PDD-NOS/atypical autism label, and two-year olds who aren’t as outgoing as social as they ‘should’ be are being given an Aspergers label. <BR/><BR/>I have also recently met two teenagers diagnosed with Aspergers and neither of them, as far as I could see, had anything wrong with them. The boy, a 12 year old avid sports player, has a 15 year-old girlfriend, and, according to his mother, has an IQ "off the charts". The girl, 16, is out-going, chatty, and has normal eye-contact. She’s also fashion-conscious: see-through top, bare midriff complete with silver navel ring, and very short skirt. I am suspicious of their diagnoses because, in my book, Autistic Disorder and Aspergers are disabilities, and these young people are not disabled. They’re not even Geeks or Nerds. And that’s when a thought occurred to me: “Something is going on”. That’s when I spoke to the support person mentioned above.<BR/><BR/><I> W: Calling all people autistic, who have some or all of the behaviours of AD or Aspergers, regardless of the mildness or severity of the symptoms, has clouded the issue. I: It makes it hard to track in a consistent manner.</I><BR/><BR/>Precisely! <BR/><BR/><I>W: For instance, take ND activists Amanda Baggs and Laura Tisoncik. According to them, any adult believing themselves to be autistic should be allowed to call themselves autistic, and as an autistic should be entitled to speak as an expert on the subject of autism at conferences. How do you feel about that? I: Is that what Amanda or Laura said? Can you provide quotes please? </I><BR/><BR/>I can do better than that. You can read what they said for yourself:<BR/><BR/>http://www.autistics.org/library/whoisautistic.html<BR/><BR/>Which was in response to Thomas McKean's letter:<BR/><BR/>http://www.thomasamckean.com/articles/speaking.htm<BR/><BR/><I> W: I know several vaccine-damaged children who have received compensation, and all have autism or autistic behaviour, so although their autism or autistic behaviours appeared quite suddenly after the vaccine-induced organic brain damage, I don’t think anyone could call their brain injury and their autism co-morbid conditions. How about you? I: I may argue against this, or maybe support it, I need to know the specific of the case. I could only guess at the moment. </I><BR/><BR/>They all follow the same pattern, which is:<BR/><BR/>Normal baby + vaccination = severe reaction > encephalopathy = Organic Brain Damage/ Cerebral Palsy/ Spastic Quadruplegia (choose one) + autism or autistic traits.<BR/><BR/>I see no difference between vaccine-injured children developing autism, and adolescents and adults developing autism after an encephalitis. Do you?<BR/><BR/> <I> W: Have any researchers asked why historically 1 in 3 children had regressive-type autism, but from about the mid 80s and throughout the 90s, that had changed to 2 out of 3?<BR/>I: The rate of regressive type autism is a much under researched topic. However, the recent research that does exist does not show an increase here. The only counter example was courtesy of the ARI and was done by survey. It was never published in a peer reviewed journal and is contradicted by better designed research.</I><BR/><BR/>Personally, I would be more likely to believe that Dr Rimland had seen a change in the data that he had been collecting for more than forty years, than researchers’ epidemiological studies funded by the NIH, CDC and vaccine manufacturers. But that’s just me. <BR/><BR/>Do you really believe that if researchers had found a change in the number of children with regressive autism that they would have revealed it to the general public? Nothing can be allowed to damage the current image of the World Wide Immunization Programme saving countless lives. Any link between vaccines that are supposed to be safe for the vast majority of children and brain injury of hundreds of thousands of children internationally cannot be made. How many medical professionals and researchers have pointed out that the consequences of proving a link would have a huge impact on vaccine compliance and many more children would be brain-injured or die as a result? Simon Murch, for instance. In case you didn’t know, Jonathon, there is a war being fought against disease, and some children’s lives are expendable.<BR/> <BR/>The fact that far many more children were damaged from the mid 80s and throughout the 90s than the usual regrettable but acceptable number of casualties, known as collateral damage, drew the public’s attention to the safety of vaccines. Prior to that, only a few people knew that vaccines damaged and killed children, and Jo Public didn’t worry about thimerosal, whole-cell pertussis, live viruses or the oral polio vaccine. They didn’t worry because they didn’t know there was anything to worry about, and didn’t know what questions were the right ones to ask. They just believed whatever their friendly family physician told them. <BR/><BR/> <I>W: Would you be surprised to encounter a young woman, with a mental history from age fourteen of paranoid schizophrenia, bipolar, MPD, and Factitious Disorder, diagnosed with atypical/PDD-NOS at eighteen, and Autistic Disorder at nineteen? Do you think that AD could possibly be a true diagnosis for this young woman? I: Yes, I have seen cases like this. </I><BR/><BR/>Case<B>s</B>, you say? And there I was, thinking that the person I had in mind was one of a kind! <BR/><BR/>Jonathon, could you please explain how the criteria for Autistic Disorder could not be met one year, and yet could the next? <BR/><BR/><I>W: I mentioned authors Hayden and Rothenburg solely because they describe children with Autism so well, and I certainly think their books would be educational for some of the ND Aspies who have never lived with or even met a severely autistic child. I: Careful, I think you may be making an awfully big assumption here. </I><BR/><BR/>No, I'm not. Have you visited the Aspies for Freedom website recently, and browsed through some of the posts here on John's blog? If you have worked with children severely disabled by autism, then you will know that the “all they need is love” philosophy doesn’t work. <BR/><BR/><BR/><I>I: As to Rothenberg and Hayden, I dont agree that either one of them did a good job describing autism. I cant imagine ever recommending either of these authors except maybe to show how attitudes towards autism existed in the 50-60s and 70s respectively. I might as well throw in the Tinbergens book and The Empty Fortress and Your child is Asleep into that list as well. </I><BR/><BR/>Why not? It's the children's behaviour they should be reading about. Have you read Torey Hayden's "Just another Kid"? Leslie, the little girl with autism in the story is now in her late twenties, but she is still severely autistic. Being loved by both her parents, and doted on by her father all her life, has not made the slightest difference to her condition. <BR/><BR/>NDs myth that all children with autism improve, and all they need is love and acceptance is false.<BR/><BR/> <I>W: You say that several examples of children with AD spontaneously becoming normal exist in the literature. Do you have references? I: Start with Lovaas (1987). </I><BR/><BR/>Lovaas? If he was referring to children after ABA therapy, I don’t think that would qualify as spontaneously becoming normal.<BR/><BR/>Twelve per cent of Kanners first hundred patients became “functional”, but eighty-eight percent did not.<BR/><BR/><I>W:According to ND, autism is a life-long disorder and no one ever recovers, so perhaps these cases in the literature would prove to them that treated children do fully recover from autism. I: Only if one assumes that such children have no shadow traits.</I><BR/><BR/>Shadow traits are not disabling. Would you agree that no one is normal and that every single person on earth has idiosyncrasies? <BR/><BR/>ND compares autistics to neurotypicals. Tell me, Jonathon, do you believe that a neurotypical person exists?<BR/><BR/><I> W: I doubt very much that supporters of conventional treatments want to see strong proofs that alternative treatments and therapies work. I: That would be understandable, but it would cowardice and dishonesty to refuse provisional assent if evidence amasses. I agree that folks within conventional medicine may not like what new research shows, but that does not mean they will fail to acknowledge it. </I><BR/><BR/>It would be comforting to believe that, and I would certainly like to be able to wind back the clock to once again share the Faith that you have in modern medicine, but, once you or a member of your family has been injured by conventional medicine, and you’ve watched as the medical fraternity close their ranks against you, I guarantee you will lose your faith in the establishment, just as I have. <BR/><BR/>A doctor who violates your complete trust in him is a bad as a priest who sexually violates your child. <BR/><BR/>Once a person you thought had only your child’s best interests at heart, deceives you, lies to you, and ends up hurting your child, the trust you had in him can never be regained, and the establishment that he represents will never be a source of comfort again. <BR/><BR/>Doctors are human and can lie just like everyone else, and they will lie to protect their own reputations, and to cover up medical errors and injury. It is definitely their job to promote the safety and efficacy of vaccines to the masses, even though they might chose not to use them for themselves or their families. <BR/><BR/>How would you feel if you discovered that the doctor who emotionally blackmailed you into vaccinating your own child with dire threats of brain-damage and death from what he called preventable diseases, considers vaccination too dangerous for his own children? <BR/><BR/><I>W: For example, take one of the studies of Berards Auditory Integrated Therapy. The researchers didn't select a specific group of children with autism who also had difficulties with auditory processing and hypersensitive hearing, they chose a random group of mentally-retarded children - and concluded that AIT didn't work. Do you think that was a fair study? ASHA banned the use of this therapy in 2003. I: I know very little of this case, but I do not agree with the decision based on what you have described. </I> <BR/><BR/>The follow-up was too short in another, because the researcher decided it was time for her to take a break. She went on holiday.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-13686220189220481022007-05-18T01:38:00.000-04:002007-05-18T01:38:00.000-04:00A lot of advocates on the spectrum do lie. That's ...A lot of advocates on the spectrum do lie. That's for certain!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-49189329783035305812007-05-14T08:43:00.000-04:002007-05-14T08:43:00.000-04:00Mr. Best,I do not agree with Fombonne in every reg...Mr. Best,<BR/><BR/>I do not agree with Fombonne in every regard. His non-inclusion of Rett's in several of his analyses would be one such case. <BR/><BR/>As to Kassiane, even were Rett's no longer included as a PDD, she could still be an ND, which is not dependent on one's PDD status, but on one's philosophy.Interverbalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07602689345967930049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-75997010716261450812007-05-12T22:27:00.000-04:002007-05-12T22:27:00.000-04:00Jonathan, Since you agree with Fombonne, and he d...Jonathan, Since you agree with Fombonne, and he doesn't count Rett's in with autism, shouldn't Kassiane be kicked out of the Neuroinsanity cult for including herself with autistics?John Besthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03133970669787632440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-59728335920246765612007-05-12T18:19:00.000-04:002007-05-12T18:19:00.000-04:00Watson, don’t worry about the length.“You say that...Watson, don’t worry about the length.<BR/><BR/>“You say that we are definitely keeping track of the subtypes of autism. Is there a database somewhere? I'd certainly like to see the figures.”<BR/><BR/>Read recent epidemiology. Chakrabarti & Fombonne (2005) etc. If you would like a list, my blog deals extensively on this subject, especially in the earliest articles. <BR/><BR/>I can appreciate your concern about children with RAD being misdiagnosed with autism. I would call this lousy and unethical. I also agree this has the potential to reflect badly upon parents who is the past, were considered to be the cause, or at least a maintaining variable in autism. However, my concern is that this misdiagnosis may not occur except in extremely rare circumstances. <BR/><BR/>“Even though you are right that children with Retts can't be given the Autistic Disorder diagnosis, as an ASD, Retts is counted in the rate of autism, just as all PDDs are counted.”<BR/><BR/>Several autism researchers such as Dr. Fombonne do not include Rett’s in their counts, such as what we see in Fombonne (2003). Also Rett’s is 3.8 per 10,000, or 6% of the total. Furthermore, Rett’s appears to be stable, it is not going up, ditto for Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. <BR/><BR/>“There are many atypicals both of autism and lately of Aspergers which means that almost any child with atypical development is being counted in the rate of autism today - at least that certainly appears to be the case since screening began around 2002.”<BR/><BR/>I see little evidence that “any” child with atypical development is now placed into autism, but I agree that many children with atypical development are placed in autism, and especially in the PDD-NOS category. I predict that if the criteria are further broadened or new categories are created then the rate will jump higher still. <BR/><BR/>”Calling all people “autistic”, who have some or all of the behaviours of AD or Aspergers, regardless of the mildness or severity of the symptoms, has clouded the issue.”<BR/><BR/>It makes it hard to track in a consistent manner. <BR/><BR/>”For instance, take ND activists Amanda Baggs and Laura Tisoncik. According to them, any adult believing themselves to be autistic should be allowed to call themselves autistic, and as “an autistic” should be entitled to speak as an expert on the subject of autism at conferences. How do you feel about that?”<BR/><BR/>Is that what Amanda or Laura said? Can you provide quotes please? For myself, I stand by formal diagnostics. Autistic people may have much to contribute depending on their observations and experiences. At the very least, they can give a description of their own life. If such a first hand account is important, then I think it very appropriate to have autistics presenting at conferences. <BR/><BR/>”I know several vaccine-damaged children who have received ‘compensation’, and all have autism or autistic behaviour, so although their autism or autistic behaviours appeared quite suddenly after the vaccine-induced organic brain damage, I don’t think anyone could call their brain injury and their autism co-morbid conditions. How about you?”<BR/><BR/>I may argue against this, or maybe support it, I need to know the specific of the case. I could only guess at the moment. <BR/><BR/>”Have any researchers asked why historically 1 in 3 children had regressive-type autism, but from about the mid 80s and throughout the 90s, that had changed to 2 out of 3?”<BR/><BR/>The rate of regressive type autism is a much under researched topic. However, the recent research that does exist does not show an increase here. The only counter example was courtesy of the ARI and was done by survey. It was never published in a peer reviewed journal and is contradicted by better designed research. <BR/><BR/>”BPD meaning Borderline Personality Disorder, not bipolar. There are no rates, but there’s no doubt that adults with mental illnesses are shopping around for a more socially-acceptable diagnosis such as Aspergers. And if their behaviour fits at least some of the criteria for Aspergers or autism, some psychiatrists are willing to give them a diagnosis without any evidence of disability in infancy or early childhood.”<BR/><BR/>BPD…. Now I see. Do you have any rates, that provide a reason for anyone skeptical to agree that this is a problem? <BR/><BR/>”Would you be surprised to encounter a young woman, with a mental history from age fourteen of paranoid schizophrenia, bipolar, MPD, and Factitious Disorder, diagnosed with atypical/PDD-NOS at eighteen, and Autistic Disorder at nineteen? Do you think that AD could possibly be a true diagnosis for this young woman?”<BR/><BR/>Yes, I have seen cases like this. <BR/><BR/>”I mentioned authors Hayden and Rothenburg solely because they describe children with Autism so well, and I certainly think their books would be educational for some of the ND Aspies who have never lived with or even met a severely autistic child.”<BR/><BR/>Careful, I think you may be making an awfully big assumption here. As to Rothenberg and Hayden, I don’t agree that either one of them did a good job describing autism. I can’t imagine ever recommending either of these authors except maybe to show how attitudes towards autism existed in the 50-60s and 70s respectively. I might as well throw in the Tinbergen’s book and “The Empty Fortress” and “Your child is Asleep” into that list as well. <BR/><BR/>“You say that several examples of children with AD spontaneously becoming “normal” exist in the literature. Do you have references?”<BR/><BR/>Start with Lovaas (1987). <BR/><BR/>”According to ND, autism is a life-long disorder and no one ever recovers, so perhaps these cases in the literature would prove to them that treated children do fully recover from autism.”<BR/><BR/>Only if one assumes that such children have no shadow traits. <BR/><BR/>”I doubt very much that supporters of conventional treatments want to see strong proofs that alternative treatments and therapies work.”<BR/><BR/>That would be understandable, but it would cowardice and dishonesty to refuse provisional assent if evidence amasses. I agree that folks within conventional medicine may not like what new research shows, but that does not mean they will fail to acknowledge it. <BR/><BR/>“For example, take one of the studies of Berard’s Auditory Integrated Therapy. The researchers didn't select a specific group of children with autism who also had difficulties with auditory processing and hypersensitive hearing, they chose a random group of mentally-retarded children - and concluded that AIT didn't work. Do you think that was a fair study? ASHA banned the use of this therapy in 2003.”<BR/><BR/>I know very little of this case, but I do not agree with the decision based on what you have described. <BR/><BR/>”It is only through alternative medicine and therapies such as AIT that my son has made progress.”<BR/><BR/>I am happy for your son and family. <BR/><BR/>Now, I have a few questions for you. Would you understand why I and other like me may be skeptical that alternative practices helped your child? Or would you insist that because you added treatments and your child improved thereafter, that we agree with your assessment that one caused the other? What could be done to help prove your point? Is doing so even important?Interverbalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07602689345967930049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-13380627150123279582007-05-11T18:08:00.000-04:002007-05-11T18:08:00.000-04:00Very well James. Expect my reply soon.Very well James. Expect my reply soon.Joekerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06226283021920155932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-39586246340909227832007-05-10T18:04:00.000-04:002007-05-10T18:04:00.000-04:00Mike Nicholas, Autism is not a difference, it's cu...<I>Mike Nicholas, Autism is not a difference, it's curable brain damage. It's idiots like you who turn into Cho because you won't help yourselves. You should be put away.</I><BR/><BR/>You first, you half wit, because you are a filthy liar bent on wiping out a useful condition. Oh sure, help the LFA's like your son. But leave the HFA's and others alone!<BR/><BR/>You talk about the government and the chemical boys conspiring? You're a part of one massive conspiracy, buddy. The conspiracy seeking the perfect human being and chucking out the rest.<BR/><BR/>Get a life!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-48629349355344883852007-05-10T09:56:00.000-04:002007-05-10T09:56:00.000-04:00"Don't duck my point, Jamie boy - you're making yo..."Don't duck my point, Jamie boy - you're making yourself look stupid."<BR/><BR/>I haven't ducked your point. Just scroll up through these comments to see my response (in the language you use and uderstand) to your rather aggressive "get the fuck over it" comment.<BR/><BR/>Not enough for you?<BR/><BR/>Then read my comments to Joeker:<BR/><BR/>""James: The concept rests as much the same, a group being singled out/persecuted because of a charecteristic. Skin colour, faith... cognizance. The larger group speaking for the smaller, and the individuals feeling persecuted, outcast, only good for what they're told they can do, and lowered in other's eyes.""<BR/><BR/>"I get the "concept", Joeker. The problem with your concept is that differences in cognitive thinking between individuals or groups is not the same as cognitive impairment or disfunction. <BR/>The cognitive difference in autism can be in many cases a very real, limiting and debilitating impairment, and not simply a "characteristic" in a minority group that is being singled out by a larger group to<BR/>be "persecuted", "outcast" or "lowered in other's eyes". <BR/><BR/>The sad irony of what you fail to realise, is that there are many autistic children and adults who don't have the cognitive awareness to feel or recognise if they are being "singled out/persecuted", (as you say). <BR/><BR/>These autistics are being helped and supported through mainstream non-bio, and biomedical intervention, to improve their understanding of the world around them, lessen their anxiety and distress and enable them to gain a better level of understanding and independance where possible.<BR/>They have been let down by the system and dismissed by the government, but they are by no means being singled out or persecuted as a minority by a larger group."<BR/><BR/>Now if you don't understand or agree with the above explanation of why I think you and Joeker are wrong, then that's your problem.<BR/>I have better things to with my time than to argue the toss with the likes of you.<BR/><BR/>If you don't get it now, don't bother getting your IQ tested.<BR/>The last time I took an IQ test my score was over 150, and that was after a twelve hour night shift. But my IQ has little to do with using my common sense in making judgement when it comes to forming an opinion. <BR/><BR/>This "slimeball" has a very much loved, understood and cherished autistic child who is by no means a victim of abuse from "lazy human rights abusers", is not being "persecuted", "outcast", "singled out" or "lowered in other's eyes". <BR/><BR/>Why don't you explain to me why you think I'm a "slimeball".<BR/>You must have some reasons other than the fact that I disagree with you. <BR/>Better still, instead of churning out one liners like,<BR/>"We are the victims of abuse because of who we are" <BR/>why don't you tell us just how you are being abused?<BR/>You've identified your so called abusers, so lets here more detail about the nature of this abuse so we can judge whether it is has anything to do with racism/racial abuse or religious bigotry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-34431082447288356542007-05-10T09:06:00.000-04:002007-05-10T09:06:00.000-04:00(Sorry John, I’ve tried to make this as short as I...(Sorry John, I’ve tried to make this as short as I can.)<BR/> <BR/>Hi Interverbal,<BR/>You say that we are definitely keeping track of the subtypes of autism. Is there a database somewhere? I'd certainly like to see the figures.<BR/> <BR/>That children with RAD are being misdiagnosed with an ASD is more of a problem to me than the actual rate. We get enough criticism and accusations of bad-parenting without the disability being associated once again with abuse and neglect. <BR/><BR/>Even though you are right that children with Retts can't be given the Autistic Disorder diagnosis, as an ASD, Retts is counted in the rate of autism, just as all PDDs are counted. There are many atypicals both of autism and lately of Aspergers which means that almost any child with atypical development is being counted in the rate of autism today - at least that certainly appears to be the case since screening began around 2002. <BR/> <BR/>Calling all people “autistic”, who have some or all of the behaviours of AD or Aspergers, regardless of the mildness or severity of the symptoms, has clouded the issue. <BR/><BR/>For instance, take ND activists Amanda Baggs and Laura Tisoncik. According to them, any adult believing themselves to be autistic should be allowed to call themselves autistic, and as “an autistic” should be entitled to speak as an expert on the subject of autism at conferences. How do you feel about that?<BR/><BR/>Perhaps as a parent of a once typically-developing child with regressive autism, I don't see co-morbidity in quite the same way as the experts. I wouldn't expect normal development from babies with malformed brains due to alcohol or drug exposure in utero, or babies with cortical tubers in the temporal lobes and epilepsy - found in the 25-50% of children with Tuberous Sclerosis who do develop an ASD. I would say these children’s brains have been damaged by alcohol, drugs, tubers in the brain and epilepsy, and brain damage is the cause of their autism, not faulty genes.<BR/> <BR/>I would have thought that the existence of children and adults with acquired brain injury with exactly the same symptoms, such as children with autism after measles encephalitis and adults with Kanner’s Syndrome after herpes encephalitis, would also point to brain-damage. <BR/> <BR/>I know several vaccine-damaged children who have received ‘compensation’, and all have autism or autistic behaviour, so although their autism or autistic behaviours appeared quite suddenly after the vaccine-induced organic brain damage, I don’t think anyone could call their brain injury and their autism co-morbid conditions. How about you?<BR/> <BR/>So because autism can follow an encephalitis, and encephalitis can be caused by vaccination, why aren't vaccine reactions taken seriously? Instead of researchers concentrating their efforts on finding a gene for autism, and ignoring the evidence that any kind of encephalitis, vaccine-induced or not, causes these behaviours, I think they should be studying the subset of children with normal development for 18 months, two, three, four, five and twelve years, who deteriorated immediately after a vaccine and became autistic. <BR/> <BR/>Have any researchers asked why historically 1 in 3 children had regressive-type autism, but from about the mid 80s and throughout the 90s, that had changed to 2 out of 3?<BR/> <BR/><I>BPD and manic-depression? Again, is there any known rates of this error, any case studies?</I><BR/><BR/>BPD meaning Borderline Personality Disorder, not bipolar. There are no rates, but there’s no doubt that adults with mental illnesses are shopping around for a more socially-acceptable diagnosis such as Aspergers. And if their behaviour fits at least some of the criteria for Aspergers or autism, some psychiatrists are willing to give them a diagnosis without any evidence of disability in infancy or early childhood. <BR/> <BR/>Would you be surprised to encounter a young woman, with a mental history from age fourteen of paranoid schizophrenia, bipolar, MPD, and Factitious Disorder, diagnosed with atypical/PDD-NOS at eighteen, and Autistic Disorder at nineteen? Do you think that AD could possibly be a true diagnosis for this young woman? <BR/> <BR/>I mentioned authors Hayden and Rothenburg solely because they describe children with Autism so well, and I certainly think their books would be educational for some of the ND Aspies who have never lived with or even met a severely autistic child. If they don't believe that anyone on the spectrum should be cured, they should at least learn about the lives of children and adults at the lower end of the spectrum. Actually, a much better idea would be for them to offer their services as caregivers now and then to give exhausted parents a break. I wonder how they would cope with a totally non-communicative child with autism who screeches loudly every few minutes all day, every day, for years and hardly ever sleeps. I've known two such children. <BR/> <BR/>You say that several examples of children with AD spontaneously becoming “normal” exist in the literature. Do you have references? <BR/> <BR/>According to ND, autism is a life-long disorder and no one ever recovers, so perhaps these cases in the literature would prove to them that treated children do fully recover from autism. <BR/> <BR/>I doubt very much that supporters of conventional treatments want to see strong proofs that alternative treatments and therapies work. For example, take one of the studies of Berard’s Auditory Integrated Therapy. The researchers didn't select a specific group of children with autism who also had difficulties with auditory processing and hypersensitive hearing, they chose a random group of mentally-retarded children - and concluded that AIT didn't work. Do you think that was a fair study? ASHA banned the use of this therapy in 2003.<BR/> <BR/>It is only through alternative medicine and therapies such as AIT that my son has made progress. <BR/> <BR/>Conventional medicine gave us nothing but a diagnosis.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-16283446144636186202007-05-10T05:13:00.000-04:002007-05-10T05:13:00.000-04:00Mike Nicholas, Autism is not a difference, it's c...Mike Nicholas, Autism is not a difference, it's curable brain damage. It's idiots like you who turn into Cho because you won't help yourselves. You should be put away.John Besthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03133970669787632440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-78316486536903935722007-05-10T05:07:00.000-04:002007-05-10T05:07:00.000-04:00Joeker, You're starting to sound too much like a ...Joeker, You're starting to sound too much like a couple of neuronitwits who attack everything I say because they're afraid of me. Taking things out of context to put your spin on them will have your comments go unpublished.<BR/> As for your happiness, drunks are happy when they're drunk. Wake up.John Besthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03133970669787632440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-83434618561709288202007-05-09T23:56:00.000-04:002007-05-09T23:56:00.000-04:00Autism has fuck all to do with being Muslim or bla...<I>Autism has fuck all to do with being Muslim or black.<BR/>Get that fact through your thick skull, Mikey boy.</I><BR/><BR/>Don't duck my point, Jamie boy - you're making yourself look stupid.<BR/><BR/>What do blacks, Muslims and Autistics have in common?<BR/><BR/>You say nothing.<BR/><BR/>I say you're wrong. We have one thing in common. We are the victims of abuse because of who we are. And the abuse comes from the same source. Don't want to understand differences in the human race. Colour, religion, disorder - it's all the same to lazy human rights abusers.<BR/><BR/>If you don't get it now, get your IQ tested, Jamie boy. And get out more.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-77294054413391079902007-05-09T23:44:00.000-04:002007-05-09T23:44:00.000-04:00Aw, James is scared of validity. James is scared o...Aw, James is scared of validity. James is scared of speaking back. James confirms his statements of patronization, pity, and of course, his obvious correctness.<BR/><BR/>It insults me if they decide that they can have their cake, and eat it too. First, I'm brain-damaged. Then, I'm a fake. Now we're back to brain damage. The lack of consistencies were making me a little wonky from the indignation.<BR/><BR/>I keep repeating because new people keep asking. I don't think I need a cure because quite frankly, I'm happier now than I was before, and that's a major improvement. Things just keep getting better, too. I did what I did, learnt in school, my parents taught me valuable lessons outside of school, and I'm feeling fine. I'm content, and going to do something I love.<BR/><BR/>Oh, and James? I feel you should know; Autism also has fuck all to do with Homosexuality and Bestiality as well, but Fore still had a field day with those. Just search for those words and Fore Sam or John Best, you'll find that there are worse things that Autism could be compared to, and Fore is way ahead of the rest of us.<BR/><BR/>Nice.Joekerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06226283021920155932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-12262518892625813442007-05-09T20:03:00.000-04:002007-05-09T20:03:00.000-04:00Autism has fuck all to do with being Muslim or bla...Autism has fuck all to do with being Muslim or black.<BR/>Get that fact through your thick skull, Mikey boy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-46841829614175923572007-05-09T19:37:00.000-04:002007-05-09T19:37:00.000-04:00Joeker,It's obvious from your last comment that yo...Joeker,<BR/>It's obvious from your last comment that you cannot cope with any criticism. You're not making much sense and seem to have gone to pieces. It would be cruel of me to respond to you any further.<BR/>Please get yourself some help.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-7341130124728367702007-05-09T19:09:00.000-04:002007-05-09T19:09:00.000-04:00Can you have an MD write that up so I can collect ...<I>Can you have an MD write that up so I can collect disability like all the other phony autistics in Neuroinsanity?</I><BR/><BR/>Go see a qualified psychologist yourself and do the tests. You'll pass - and nothing phony about it either! You're one of us! Accept it, Foreskin! It proves that Autism is GENETIC!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-51012550729722199442007-05-09T18:12:00.000-04:002007-05-09T18:12:00.000-04:00Joeker, Autism is brain damage. That's a simple ...Joeker, Autism is brain damage. That's a simple fact, not an insult. My son is brain damaged. I'm not insulting him by stating that fact.<BR/> You are going on and on saying the same things. That's what old folks do when their minds begin to go. An intelligent person with autism would appreciate the fact that identifying the cause might result in a cure for the condition.<BR/> I understand how you can thibk you don't need a cure since you have never experienced normalcy. You will never be able to see yourself from my perspective, a normal person. You should ask your parents what they think of this new information we've learned about chelation being able to help autistic people. (603)434-3928 Here's my phone number. Have them call me if they want to know more. Perhaps you will trust them enough to accept their opinion if they decide that some treatment for your condition would benefit you.John Besthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03133970669787632440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-20127999277888761122007-05-09T17:51:00.000-04:002007-05-09T17:51:00.000-04:00I've lived fairly long, 18 years being no sneeze, ...I've lived fairly long, 18 years being no sneeze, and learned much about world history. Like, for instance, some facts that stick with me, like the assassination of the Archduke Francis Ferdinad triggered WWI, and the events of pre-WWII Germany, in the event called "Kristalnacht," that the assasination of a German Diplomat in France by a Jewish youth triggered a night of violence against those of the jewish faith, resulting in much injury, and millions of German Marks in damages, paid by the Jews. Not that these are in any way linked, just that they are indeed crazy things that have happened in the world.<BR/><BR/>Some, now with freedom to post who they are behind the elaborate facade they hve made, decide to put up pictures of themselves happy, or content. Perhaps the PJ's he's wearing are of a fabric he likes the feel of? Perhaps the reason why is, have yu seen his employment records? Was this the first job he lost? Second? Third? Tenth? We don't know. As for how he adopted, well, perhaps he has a friend in the business? Who knows?<BR/><BR/>I don't think about it, or have an opinion on it, let alone know, care for, or have any interest in these people you keep bringing up, like Christcool. They're fools if they're fools, and I don't care whether they be wrong or right.<BR/><BR/>James: You seem to think I'm underetimating you. I'm not, I'm only showing you contempt. They're not aware because they're ignorant of it, being kept inside all day, or being exposed to only what is shown to them. They don't know it because they don't have the context for it. How can you be aware of something you can't see, feel, and understand? If you never have been singled out before, you have no idea it's happening. My parents taught me, my enviroment taught me, watching others taught me. I didn't know I was singled out, at first, but I became aware of it by watching others, and realizing what happened to them was happening to me.<BR/><BR/>I did some of this you mention for myself. I learned much of these things. By learning, and gaining understanding, and by learning to act, I've made mysel fit in.<BR/><BR/>If they did? I could understand. Blacks were once reduced to slavery, far worse, in my opinion, because I went home at the end of the day. Being Muslim now means that everyone sees you not as a person, but as a bomb-carrying whack-job. I could understand the point of view. You think being followed by the secret service, or having people greet you like a "Gangsta" doesn't suck, it's because you cannot sympathize.<BR/><BR/>Automatically, those who disagree support these views? The world isn't so black and white, that there are only yes and no answers, for us or against us statements, or a complete stance, ready-made, just pick your choices, good or bad? It really doesn't matter, as both think they're right. Not so much. I'm not a foaming at the mouth lunatic screaming that you're killing babies by having an opinion, nor do I support your views.<BR/><BR/>With all the things Fore and others are sayig, I'm amazed your thinking so lowly of me. I'm using only what I've had said to me. Fore has made me out to be quite brain-damaged several times. Weren't you reading?<BR/><BR/>You were getting around fairly well in the other comments on the blog. If you look, you'll see many instances of me being spoken of in third person, of being called patronizing names, and of course, being told I'm brain-damaged. I think I'm perefectly justified in thinking that, with the amount of support you show Fore, you'll hold his opinion of me as well.<BR/><BR/>To argue my point now; You are aware that I'm Autistic. Points are made about me, based upon the fact that, being Autistic, I am brain-damaged in Fore's eyes. Now, being brain-damaged, I am damaged in the mind, therefore not being on par with everyone else. Not being an equal, and certainly not a greater, I am a lesser. I am thus being discriminated against. I didn't want to trot out the argument, seeing as how it may get me my first censor, but you're not quite realizing that you're barking up the wrong tree. I am not some idiot, I did not just jump right in, and I sure as hell didn't do this to argue minutae with a prideful ass who believes himself to be the Internet's new authority on wisdom. If you feel that I'm wrong, perhaps you haven't been paying attention to just what I've been arguing over, about, and for. Pay attention! I have said time and time again, that I do not support a great deal of people! I'm not some talking head, saying the same things as whoever you think I support. You insult me, and of course, play on my words. You treat me as a fool, for that which you don't know of for fact, but of opinion, based around what I say here, and in this one instance, than what I say elsewhere, and constantly assume I'm a prideful, arrogant, headstrong youth who rushes into things without any forethought. You again make your assumptions of me, and that would be the same as lying. I've taken you to task now, for the same thing you took me out to bat on, the arguments behind it.Joekerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06226283021920155932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-43871951158246065892007-05-09T16:31:00.000-04:002007-05-09T16:31:00.000-04:00Hmmm..you deleted my post where I proved you and W...Hmmm..you deleted my post where I proved you and Watson are morons. <BR/><BR/>You moderate posts.<BR/><BR/>Coward.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20954432.post-42930773156023628652007-05-09T12:56:00.000-04:002007-05-09T12:56:00.000-04:00"James: The concept rests as much the same, a grou..."James: The concept rests as much the same, a group being singled out/persecuted because of a charecteristic. Skin colour, faith... cognizance. The larger group speaking for the smaller, and the individuals feeling persecuted, outcast, only good for what they're told they can do, and lowered in other's eyes."<BR/><BR/>I get the "concept", Joeker. The problem with your concept is that differences in cognitive thinking between individuals or groups is not the same as cognitive impairment or disfunction. <BR/>The cognitive difference in autism can be in many cases a very real, limiting and debilitating impairment, and not simply a "characteristic" in a minority group that is being singled out by a larger group to<BR/>be "persecuted", "outcast" or "lowered in other's eyes". <BR/><BR/>The sad irony of what you fail to realise, is that there are many autistic children and adults who don't have the cognitive awareness to feel or recognise if they are being "singled out/persecuted", (as you say). <BR/><BR/>These autistics are being helped and supported through mainstream non-bio, and biomedical intervention, to improve their understanding of the world around them, lessen their anxiety and distress and enable them to gain a better level of understanding and independance where possible.<BR/>They have been let down by the system and dismissed by the government, but they are by no means being singled out or persecuted as a minority by a larger group.<BR/><BR/>How would you have felt if when you were relaying to everyone on this thread how badly bullied you were at school, and had said "being bullied really sucks" only to have someone respond with,<BR/><BR/>"So does a lot of other things, like being black, Muslim....need I go on? Get the fuck over it!"<BR/><BR/>You said,<BR/>"Not once did he say anything about Autistic race, or Eugenics. I wonder, I do, just why those sprang to mind?"<BR/> <BR/>No, he drew a parallel between how "autism sucks", to how being black or Muslim sucks.<BR/>"Mike nicholas" brought religion and color into the equation, and it was his comment I was responding to, that you have taken so personally.<BR/><BR/>If you don't understand why eugenics "sprang to mind" then you need to do a little more research and blog reading. ABFH's blog would be a good place to start if you want to know why "eugenics sprang to mind".<BR/><BR/>You strike me as someone who has decided to set up a blog and has jumped head first into the issue of autism. Determined to have your say, making judgements about others while at the same time claiming others are pre-judging or dismissing your opinion on the basis that you are not a "normal" person.<BR/><BR/>"Which is what you're doing right now, reading what I've written, and dismissing it, as you've done in other comments on this blog, simply based around the fact that I'm the one to say it, and not some normal person.<BR/>That would be nearly the same as if you were underestimating me based upon religion, skin colour, or whatever people are biased on these days."<BR/><BR/>You will have to get used to the idea that people may disagree with you because they think you're wrong. Do you think that could be a possibility, or are you going to rely on presumptions of prejudice against you, and inferences of racism as a fall back argument?<BR/>Nice try Joeker, but saying "That would be nearly the same as" and telling people what they are thinking, only shows how you cannot formulate any argument to back up your point, and that would be nearly the same as lying.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com