Autistic spectrum stuff

Yes definitely enough people on here for our own autistic commune! Our youngest son is autistic, the things that have helped him most are a gluten-free/ casein free diet....trying to keep things chemical free....and a local martial arts centre who run something called " brain dojo", a sort of martial art integrated with brain gym/tai chi exercises.

What we suspect is that our two younger children who both had vaccine reactions had a genetic susceptibility to a neurological disorder, were environmentally sensitive if you like, and the MMR vaccine sort of tipped them over the edge. Our eldest son who we did not vaccinate, is as far as we can tell " normal" ....as he is twenty two by now, I think I can almost safely say that

If anyone ever wants to talk about autism, both me and Moominmamma are always happy to do this.

 

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Oops, i forgot that there are pappas here too, lol!

That martial arts/ brain gym sounds interesting. There are so many great sounding therapies out there. anyone frustrated with the cost and lack of support for getting funding? i would love to get niki into tomatis or auditory integration therapy, but it's thousands of dollars here.

kathy

 

i feel bad for her as well,,, of course she has my moral support have to give alot in the few minutes on the phone i am allotted with her:$ ,,,then again she is my child so i know her very well n know that she can n will get through all the shit the lovely world n its human occupants have thrown at her,,, with the help of the creatures and critters of it... and a lil bit of mommas strange n "witchy wayz"...

seriously i cant worry too much over a child whose favorite past time at the age of two and continues to be is dumpster divin...

 

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when we started to realize what was going on with niki i searched high and low for POSITIVE information regarding autism. i thought niki was just so amazing and i so much enjoyed how he saw the world, i thought there must be others who out there who feel the same way. it was hard! but finally i found this article. please read it if you want to know how beautiful the world can be through the eyes of an autistic person.

http://greg.quuxuum.org/journal/o_neill.html
A Place for All



by Jasmine Lee O'Neill

I write from the depths of myself. As an autistic lady, I have my own bubble world that encases me. In it, I have all the gifts, charms, personal experiences, and unique perceptions that create who I am. I am mute, but have rich inner language. I'm equipped to describe the many good things about being autistic. The negative is stressed by people who live on the outside, looking in. But, I'm on the inside, looking out, and don't view the condition of Autism as being bad at all.

Autistic individuals have a transcendent beauty. Their traits bespeak a separate, entire personality which is holistic-rather than an "illness," "abnormality," "retardation syndrome," or "disease" which must be eradicated. Every autistic person is different, yet there are certain characteristics common to us all.

Autism encompasses a great deal, and is not so narrowly defined as one would find in a dictionary. It soars beyond the simplistic definitions of ignorant people who see it as a person with low intelligence, who is aware of nothing. Actually, many autistic people are very bright and are hyperaware of their environment. They simply don't make their awareness known to others.

Because these special beings have ways of living that are quite out-of-the-ordinary, they are made outcasts. They are discriminated against at school, in the home, in public, and in the place of work. Some adults with Autism have been taught to be ashamed of themselves, so they often try to conceal the traits that make them stand out from the rest.

Autistic children don't deserve to be molded into someone they are not. They deserve to learn and grow, and feel comfortable about themselves. Their worlds can expand to include new experiences, and they can become teachers, opening others to their viewpoints.

It is not fair for an autistic person to expect anyone else to become or behave like an autistic. It's also unfair to expect the opposite, regardless of the fact that autistic people form a minority.

Taking any part of someone else's private world away is an offense. The specific behaviors that delight and soothe those with Autism seem to anger and perplex those without. However, if one doesn't like something, there is a reason. Is it fear of an unknown person who seems strange? Is it embarrassment of the person who is very different? Is it mockery? Is it misunderstanding? These can be corrected by education. There needs to be a general awareness of what Autism is, so people are no longer shocked by it. Society needs to reform its attitudes concerning people who don't fit in.

The special world of an autistic person is a very intense realm rooted in the person's core. A myriad of fragments gather themselves to cause perceptions that are etched into the mind. Acute or dulled senses, spectacular memory for details, self-stimulating behaviors, and an ability to be absorbed completely by a tiny particle are some characteristics that result from having a physically different brain structure. This brain is a whole other world. This brain is not a prison.

There is nothing wrong with being a withdrawn person. There is nothing wrong with not liking to be in crowds, and to prefer being alone. People who don't have social graces are not deficient or incomplete. Autistic people have a pure, self-generated way of thinking, due to their non-conformity. They have an innocence, and a wonderful honesty, which is the result of them seeing things exactly how they are. They can possess tremendous emotions, and can have relationships. They do care about others they like, even though their expressions aren't easily translated by outsiders.

To want a so-called "normal" life for one's child is actually a part of loving that child. The good parent wants his or her youngster to grow up happy, loved, feeling confident, and to be able to live a fulfilling life. Having autism does not destroy those potentials; it only alters their course. It changes how things must be accomplished. It creates a fascinating, complex individual who stands out and is remembered, even for little things. Instead of trying to push a "normal" life upon a person with Autism, the goal should be re-evaluated. Those who are autistic will always be autistic. They will have unusual behaviors and distinctly different thought patterns. They will have their personal routines and rituals. They will always exist apart from the regular flow of life. This is a blessing and a type of freedom.

One can't force a person who is not like everyone else to live a life like that of everyone else. "Normal" is what is expected and accepted, a standard of the masses. It does not fit all individuals to be that way, including even some non-autistic people. It is a compliment to me when people see me as different - even when someone says, "She's a bit weird," in a nice way, because it affirms my natural tendencies to skip along my own path. Trying to force an autistic person to totally blend in is to deny his or her own personality. It also is a fruitless action, since that person is still, forever, going to appear rather like one who is displaced from another land.

Autistic people don't do things just so others will say they are bizarre. They follow their own urges. They go about their lives to the rhythm of their own being.

The self-stimulation that is noticeable in autistic children needs to be accepted in autistic adults, too, since this condition is not out-grown. The rocking, toe-walking, hopping, hand-flapping, humming, starting at specific points, love of movement and shiny things, and the many more, including the ones unique to each individual, are a deep part of that person. They relax, delight or arouse. They are no different than the activities so-called normal people perform to feel good or get an exciting sensation, such as dancing, swimming, or having sexual intercourse. People get pleasure and joy in countless different ways. Autistic people perceive themselves as the center of their world, so they choose activities that begin and end in themselves, and are very close inside them. They do not differentiate between public spots and their own rooms when doing their self-stimulating activities. They are at once very free, and very controlled in their inner homes. They have surprising, unique ways of expressing themselves.

Autistic people are paradoxical. They need to be helped to cherish their differences, not to view them as barriers to life that must be overcome. They do not deserve to be put away in institutions, or to be pushed aside or covered by shields. They are real people who deserve to be part of the human experience. They must always be treated with loving care, patience, and respect. No matter how eccentric they may be, they do have a place, just as others have. The autistic person's place must be his own, and not that of someone else thrust upon him. Each autistic person is born with that right. It isn't earned only if he behaves as others think he should. It is his right to claim his place, even if he lives a very shy, quiet life. It is his right, even if he rocks in public, likes to look at his hands, pulls funny faces, speaks with a peculiar intonation (or doesn't speak at all), doesn't look often into other people's eyes or care much about their conversations, even if he is a savant in some areas, and very under-developed in others, even if he needs some type of care. He cannot be shunned in favor of someone who is considered socially acceptable.

Autistic people can do marvelous things. They need the space and opportunity to bloom, and the freedom to be themselves.

 

that seems really excessive. from the very little i've read/heard about ait, it seems to consist of listening to special cd's on headphones. maybe you could find the discs for sale online somewhere and diy? we used to have huge auditory problems, but since the change in diet, they've faded away to almost nothing~the blender and the vaccuum are still scary, but i can totally understand why and it's easy enough to work around. Recently talked to a (neurotypical) woman who has no noisy electrical appliances in her home because she cant stand the noise~she had all the carpets removed so that she doesnt have to vaccuuum! LOL, i thought that was great.

ps, great article, kathy!

 

more out of curiosity than anything n knowing my own n both my kids hypersensitivity to certain things... how many with autistic traits are also very empathic(physically / emotionally etc, and intuitive,,ya know sixth sense type things)... i may have taken a rather different approach to m younguns "autistic traits/ spectrum"... i have always had to monitor noise levels etc,, have had to limit dietary things,,, make major changes dietarily,,,, the kids have to be very strict with regularity in life style,, bedtimes, routines etc,,,(and i spose me too but have done so for so long dont recognize it longer)...we are also very intuitive, very empathic, clairescient(spellin is skrewed up), clairevoyant,, yadda yadda,,,,, n i have basically gone with a more spiritual route with all of it,,, balancing energies,grounding, unplugging n blocking , meditational types of things,,,, the learn to deal with what you got etc,,, change learning n teaching styles to fit individual...... n have done n my kids do very well with it,,, most of the time our strange lil quirks n foibles n weirdness are unnoticeable to yer average human idjit.... sure they rear their ugly lil heads at times but only us know whats triggering it n others chalk it up to a bad day... i personally dont agree with the medical route,,, the drug therapy routes,,,, the its a disease n we need to be compensated for our wacky brat route..its justour hand in life so we gotta learn to deal with it as best as we can and just be us and be ok with that.....

oops off an a tangent....

anyway was just wondering how many of the autistic trait folks seem more 6th sense oriented than other folks...

 

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Kathy, thank you so much for sharing that article. It nearly made me cry. It so accurately describes myself and my daughter, something I once thought nobody understood. I never realized there were other people like me in this world and did everything I could to hide the fact that I was/am different. It also made me realize something else. A friend of mine has an autistic son, and the first time she told me, I instantly thought, "No way! He's so much like I was at his age." Now I'm coming to the realization that I must be somewhere on that spectrum myself. I sent her that article, too. thanks again.


dilli - definitely true for us. My younger daughter not so much (even though she's the one with the rainbow aura), but my oldest and myself, yeah. We are hyper sensitive, not just to the physical world, it would appear. I really like Sonja Choquette's book called "The Wise Child, Fostering Intuition in Your Children" or something along those lines. It has helped me so much, in accepting my intuition and to have the strength to listen to my inner voice even/especially when everyone else is telling me something different. And to be a positive role model for my children to trust in their intuition as well.

 

sounds like a decent read, just from the title. Have definitely noticed that my kiddo knows things. He's a Crystal child

 

i'm so glad you liked the article. jasmine o neill wrote a book called 'through the eyes of aliens' (i think that's what it was called) i would love to find a copy of that book. she is a wonderful writer. it's also great to hear from people who feel the same way about these supposed disabilities. i get soooo tired of dealing with schools and docs and people telling me in great length what is wrong or needs to be corrected in my kid. it always begins with "niki is a very nice charming boy, he works soo hard but . . . . then we spend the rest of the time speaking about negative things. it breaks my heart because i just see the nice and charming and hard working part, the positive, optimist, fun loving person he is.

i read the description of the crystal child and really see niki in that. the number of autistics at school has absolutely sky rocketed in the last few years. that would fit with that theory. i will be sure to check out The Wise Child too.

kathy

 

As I said I have realized I myself live on the autism spectrum,as a person with Asperger syndrome. I don't think I'd really want to be neurotypical. I've always been aware of things in a different way than most people, in a sort of psychedelic way. I do believe there is a reason for us to be this way, that the world needs this point of view to be here and maybe to help show others a different way of seeing,thinking,being. As a kid I was always treated as a "weirdo" and made to feel outside but as much as I wanted to fit in I never wanted to give up what it was that made me different,as that is what it is to be ME. And I don't really want to fit in to normal society either,but want to see the world become better. Maybe that's why so many kids are coming along who are this way.maybe it's even evolutionary? Just rambly thoughts

 

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Hi from UK - I don't have kids but my brother has an 8 year old son who goes to an autistic school.My brother found it quite hard to accept at first but explained to me that the hardest thing to accept was the fact that Kal would need to be cared for most of the time.I've never been into labelling things - I half do and half don't - just because I don't trust the idea that if a majority points at something and says.....THAT's what it is - then you must see it that way.There are alot of tabboos about any kind of disorder in people - be it physical or mental that people shy away from but in my experience - I'm no expert but I have entertained alot of hospital audiences singing/piano - you can only take people as they are.With Kal it just takes time to know him - alot of time - but I can relate to his way of thinking than I can alot of people.A really creative ARTistic and musical streak runs in my family and that in itself makes you - not uncommon but more sensitive to the world around you.To me, it's like Kal lives openly in the world that I feel I should keep a secret - cos people don't class the way I inwardly percieve things as 'normal' - I don't smoke or take any hallucinogenic drugs because having experimented when I was in my teens came to the very early conclusion that while for some people it gave them something extra,I already percieved the world in quite an abstract way - which is what helped in my success as an artist and a musician.Kal has certainly moved on in learning the ways that we are 'supposed' to communicate because he can now have conversations on the phone - but it's the little things I see in him that really make me laugh cos in some ways he can be more shrewd and playful than me - almost like he knows what we think but he's going to play a game and fool you.Like at a Christmas party where he wouldn't let anyone play with him & the toys he'd got - he guarded them with his life - and then put a sheet over his head and walked around crying 'i'm a ghost - i'm a ghost' and then gradually shifted towards a cupboard where the chocolate is kept and slyly kept saying 'i'm a ghost' while stuffing his pockets.But he would never respond to his name or any invited interaction other than from his mum and she is the only one he has so far reacted violently too - kicking/punching.Kal has a slightly older sister,who is really quick,very pretty and intelligent and they have grown up together.She has had a string of boyfriends already and she's only 12!! (Oh dear..!) but looks after and understands him so well - when he is doing something 'strange' she'll grin at you and shrug her shoulders as if to say .....'well - thats Kal!!'.I don't really have any advice - cos I know there are all different levels of this autism thing ....I so far know for a parent it can be exhausting,but it seems like little steps are still the most wonderful thing... and... whenever I see him I look for the little signs... if that makes any sense... cos they are like little gifts of gold that generally people don't often give...

 

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