enough with the autism....i get it

frig man....they are pushing this autism bit pretty hard core....i have the news on all day in the background and cnn has run the same autism story probably 4 times an hour since the 9 o clock hour....

i get it....sometimes you can't diagnose but if my kid starts staring off into the never never and reciting the phone book, i'll get him checked.....you know

reply to post by Boondock78



Agreed. They are pushing Autism awareness. It's difficult for me to stay objective on the subject, as my little boy is autistic. It's more than just staring into never never land. The spectrum is very wide. I knew he was different since before he was one. Admittedly I put my head in the sand and figured the he would just catch up. Once enrolled in Pre-K it became more than apparent that he truly was different. He repeated pre-k in a school which is specifically design for autistic children, and his development since September is truly amazing.

Personally speaking, and again I admit that I am not the most objective person on this subject, I feel that increasing the awareness is a very good thing. Every night before I lay to sleep I ask myself if maybe I could have helped him out more if I had acted sooner. If I was more aware, maybe I could have given him a jump start. It is heart breaking to know that something is wrong with your child. It's even worse when you feel as though you could have done more to help him.

reply to post by lombozo


i know it is far more than staring into the never.....i was just trying to be coy.
it just seems like this is the 'new' illness that we are going to hear about for the next year nonstop....the news is all over it.....maybe it will take the place of all the fibromyalgia adds.

reply to post by lombozo


(Slightly off topic).
You must have wondered more than most how autistic people perceive us.
Do you ever think they might just be of a far more intellectual state than to have to keep blabbing away like the rest of us?

They might actually look at us with disdain.

Have you noticed any 'talent' far and above normal yet?

reply to post by AGENT_T


In fact I have thought along those lines. He is very smart - I mean like scary smart. He can hear a song once, and recite it.
He cannot write. Not even a single letter or shape, however put him in front of the computer, and he will type the words you say. Organization and strict adherence to a regimented schedule are his way of life. If there is any deviation you are flirting with him having a meltdown. Not a spoiled kids temper tantrum - a real meltdown. His vocabulary is exemplary, and his imagination is exquisite. Every single day, I have to tell him a story. Usually a scary story. I make them up as I go along and he hangs on every word. He tells me stories as well, and damn! They're pretty good.
He associates everything with smells. He smells everything. Sometimes, for no apparent reason, he 'shuts off'. I don't know how to explain it. He just shuts off, alone inside himself.
More than once, he would be able to tell me what card I had in my hand after he looked at the rest of the deck.
He's such a great kid, he's just wired differently.

Originally posted by lombozo
In fact I have thought along those lines. He is very smart - I mean like scary smart. He can hear a song once, and recite it.

That is just plain awesome.. I'm classed as 'gifted' in the audio department,music comes fast but word/lyrics take repeated plays to remember them.

You know though.. It really pees me off no end when people force their 'learnings' onto other people/kids eg.

I'm a great believer in finding talent and developing it.
SO WHAT!! if your kid can't write or count..
SO WHAT!! if he doesn't fit into the 'normal' ideology of 'learn your 3 r's' get a job and fit into the pathetic idea of 'society'

He could end up writing symphonies that would make Mozart puke with envy.
Try him with instruments.If you find he's playing like a genius in no time,equipment has advanced and is cheap enough to automatically notate it.
More than anything,let him develop himself.

I'd be interested to know if there is an actual physiological change in his senses re. the smelling.More receptor maybe?
It's not exactly the same,but dogs have an amazing ability to 'sniff out' dodgy characters.
I had one that wouldn't let a guitarist near the house..Not going into details but he turned out to be 'not a desirable character' and I was months behind my doggies opinion.
Wish I'd listened to ole Shep..

no doubt...lombo, put on a simple song like day tripper and hand the boy a guitar and see what he does with it....you might open a door.

edit* lombo, i hope you give it a shot....your little one might be a little virtuoso hiding behind the curtain...

[edit on 31-3-2008 by Boondock78]

reply to post by AGENT_T


You're absolutely tight. He is my entire universe, and my best friend. He may be only 5 but he really is my best friend.

I'm way ahead of you on the music thing. As a former hair band rocker myself, I recognized the musician in his soul a long time ago. He has a Fender Squire (which is a small strat), with his own amp, and an acoustic. A drum kit, a keyboard, and a microphone. I'm teaching to play guitar, he bangs the skins, and 'plays' the keyboard all the time. He likes singing the best.

I rarely watch the news so I could be completely off here but if you have it on 24/7
wouldn't it obviously seem like overkill to you when in fact it really isn't? If I watch
a 1/2 hour sitcom I see the same commercial twice or more sometimes. Wouldn't that
be along the same lines? I would think we'd be better off knowing how to see signs of
autism, chronic fatigue, etc. than an ad that will push us to eat a sloppy whopper. lol

I hate to break it to you, but this is only the very early stages of covering this issue.

If you chart the incidence of Autism, Alzhiemers and Diabetes in the general population, it almost exactly correlates with the predominance of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) in the American diet.

The incidence of these diseases are only going to get catastrophically much worse before they get any better.

Essentially, until the the U.S. stops subsidizing and pimping corn, we will all suffer. They more people who know, the better.

[edit on 31/3/08 by kosmicjack]