Articles by Autistics
Parents of newly diagnosed children are often bombarded with
books and pamphlets, written by so-called "experts" in the field of
autism (many of whom are selling something). While their intent may be to
inform, we find that much of the literature presented to these parents tends to
increase, rather than decrease, their confusion and anxiety. It is unnatural for
parents to conclude that a perfect stranger knows more about their child than
they do, yet, in the absence of any real knowledge of what being autistic really
means, this is the very conclusion that many of them reach. The Asperger's
Express believes that the best "experts" on autism are autistics
themselves. We sought out written accounts by adult autistics and hyperlexics
early on, in the hope that an inside view of autism would help us make better
decisions on Katie's behalf. The articles listed below are some that we have
found most helpful. We also encourage you to visit the autistic-owned web sites
listed on our links page.
Don't
Mourn for Us, by Jim Sinclair
"when parents say, 'I wish my child did not have
autism,' what they're really saying is, 'I wish the autistic child I have did
not exist, and I had a different (non-autistic) child instead.' Read that
again. This is what we hear when you mourn over our existence. This is what we
hear when you pray for a cure. This is what we know, when you tell us of your
fondest hopes and dreams for us: that your greatest wish is that one day we
will cease to be, and strangers you can love will move in behind our
faces."
Love,
Devotion, Hope, Prevention, and Cure, by Amanda Baggs
"Discard the notions that you may have been taught
about autism. Discard any similar notions that you may have arrived at on your
own. That autism is a disease or a defect, that autistic people are damaged
versions of you, that the lives autistic people lead are intrinsically worse
than yours."
The
World I Want to Live In, by Amanda Baggs
"So-called autism experts write papers about us,
detailing all of the dysfunctions and deficits we are supposed to have.
Doctors recommend that we be medicated, confined, or subjected to behavior
modification therapy, all with the goal of making us less expensive, more manageable,
and less autistic-looking. Genetic research is carried out to see if we can be
eliminated or prevented."
Genius
May Be an Abnormality: Educating Students with Asperger's Syndrome, or High
Functioning Autism, by Temple Grandin, Ph.D.
"I am becoming increasingly concerned
that intellectually gifted children are being denied opportunities because
they are being labeled either Asperger's or high functioning autism. Within
the last year I have talked to several parents, and I was disturbed by what
they said. One mother called me and was very upset that her six-year-old son
had Asperger's. She then went on to tell me that his IQ was 150. I replied
that before people knew about Asperger's Syndrome, their child would have
received a very positive label of intellectually gifted."
My
Position on ABA, by Frank Klein
"I am not against giving the child the tools to live
in this world. I am not against teaching the child to communicate his
needs when he cannot. I am not against helping the child! That
does not mean that I am in favor of molding the child in your own image, just
so you can deal with his presence more easily."
Introduction
for Parents of Autistic/AS Kids, by Frank Klein
"A child with severe sensory difficulties may be
totally unresponsive to you and to the world in general. You may mistake
that for the child being "in his own little world," or "lost in
his autism," or some equally trite phrase. Don't make that mistake.
Sensory dysfunction is not autism. If you can get the senses to work
more effectively, the child will begin to connect with the world on his own.
When I say that autism is permanent, I am NOT saying that the child that seems
lost in space will never be any better. Sensory problems can, and
should, be addressed, and again, the earlier, the better. If there is
one area of autism where the "locked in a shell" analogy was true,
it is in the area of sensory dysfunction. This is probably the single
most important area to remediate in kids with these problems."
