Saturday, June 30, 2007

Into the world of the Autistic

Hi, this is my first blog. I am the 43 yr old father of 7 fantastic kids...... 4 of these are autistic. My kids range from my recently graduated 17 yr old the twins at 3 yrs. As every one has been made aware Autism is the #1 growing "malady" in the pediatric medical world. The numbers from the government reflect that 1 of 150 to 166 kids will be born/diagnosed as autistic. I choose to label them as autistic instead of having autism or ASD (Autism spectrum disorders) because as this is becoming more and more clear that this is not a neurological or an environmental "disorder" but more of a genetic disorder we will need to address the idea that these kids are something special, something beyond the normal plane of consciousness that we as human beings are used to address. Now saying this I am not one of those people that believe in "star children" as an excuse to deflect the reasons that our kids are Autistic. No I am a devout Catholic that at this time realize the blending of creationism and Darwinism as a viable and actual fact. Now this does not help my kids that are Autistic deal with our world but maybe it can help us see into their world a Little bit clearer. When my first child was diagnosed as Autistic after many months I told my older kids that now that he was diagnosed we all had Autism. Not because we are at the level of the Autistic mind but that we would have to be the voice, the advocate for our Autistic family member in a world that they do not live in, or can verbalize any understanding of, our world.

I will add additional thoughts to this blog as they come me. And when I can get on the computer.

5 comments:

Ruth Ann Angus said...

Hi Mark,
This is your Aunt Ruth. Good blog article. I'm with you 100% on your assessment of this autistic life in that it is a whole family situation and not just the autistic person's situation. Interesting to see that you have found that there is probably a genetic cause for this affliction as I have felt that way for a long time. I know several autistic adults here in Morro Bay -- some are more severely affected than others. Most people view them as retarded which is a problem.

I do have a problem with the wide range now being stated as autistic. I think a lot of those diagnoses are off base and by labeling those people that way, it sets them up for this problem of being viewed as retarded or slow. My understanding of true autism was the child that perhaps didn't speak, didn't make good eye contact, had outburst of behavior, etc., and not the kids that seem to be afflicted more with attention deficit problems that are now being called autistic.

I think quite frankly that if I had been looked at by the medical community that exists now when I was a child I might have been labeled autistic. I had some of the behaviors that are now being diagnosed that way, but eventually literally grew out of them.

On the subject of genetics -- on the Angus side of the family there is clinical depression and possible schizophrenia, although I think that person may actually have bipolar disorder. The clinical depression was mine and the schizophrenia was my older brother Raymond. Who can say what genetic traits may have filtered down and ultimately resulted in your children's autism. I certainly wish that more was known as to causes for this. But then I wish the scientific world knew why the immune system fails the cancer cells we all have in our bodies and creates malignant tumors. I guess we just have to keep praying for cures and breakthroughs in finding causes for these disorders.

Aunt Ruth

Mark said...

Hi Aunt Ruth,
Not bad, 1 year between publishings I am a writing juggernaut. We are actually a part of a large genetic research program where they actually came to the house and drew blood from every one in the house. Be it genetic or some other type of pysiological mutation in the human race it is a growing concern. Personally I feel it is a combination of factors, including but not limited to genetics, evolution, not so much for environmental factors like vaccines, I remember standing in line in grade school to get some type of shot in the nurses office from some type of gun bigger than my 14 volt drill, we all still have that nice little round scar on our arm to show for it. I am sorry that was quite a scary deal, broke some of the bigger kids in my class into babbling cry babies. Maybe it is the quantity of these vaccines that may break some type of connection between the hemispheres of the young and growing brain, maybe it is the removal of essential fats from the diets of many young children like from whole milk that the brain needs to finish the delicate wiring that God has started in our brain. What ever it is it does lay across a broad, no huge spectrum of the population and only with the onset of better diagnotic testing and improved awareness of the professionals and the general public it is finally getting the attention needed.

I our house alone we have all of the spectrum evident, from Aspergers, high functioning autism, and just plain autism our 4 boys show all of the classic signs from hand flapping, rote repetition of movies and tv shows, poor eye contact, lack of speech, and akward interpersonal relations we have seen them all.

Of the other misrepresentations of the condition we can surely report tht they are very loving, always ready for a big kiss or a bear hug, intelligence beyond my comprehension since I believe the 3 younger ones can read ( they just wont tell me most times) to music. Oh the music that fills my house would have Motzart green with envy. Not only is there singing, alway on key ( they all have perfect pitch) to making up their own harmonies while singing along with every type of music, even on the first listen, to playing musical instruments correctly. They are all exposed to music in the home and at school and they will all sit down at the piano and play by ear songsfrom their computer games, web sites, & tv shows. Peter plays a version of Twinkle Twinkle, and Mary Had a Little Lamb in minor keys, our piano has pre programmed songs and he will play a harmony line while the piano is playing the melody. It blows my mind!!!!

I feel that with the current adult population is in the current state due to the lack of early intervention and mis diagnosis by under educated but a well meaning population of doctors and shrinks. I also think the old Rain Man stigma of autism, while exposing the general public to the condition may have dome a little more harm than good, while the depiction of autism in the Gilbert Grape movie actually is a more realistic and hopeful depiction,even though I can't bring myself to watch it again. It showed how even with the lack of "professional" care that Leo's character had been given, but with the love and help of his family he actually was quite well adjusted and was able to al least stumble through his world almost as well as the rest of his family could.

For the genetic link to autism we are kind of leaning toward Lynn's side of the family for that key. Her Dad is adopted and we have zero family history beyond him. He seems, and Lynn will back me up on this, almost aspie in some of his mannerisms as is her youngest brother.

To the clinical depression, well we are Catholic, what else do we have? Just kidding. Since you are and will always be a Jersey girl there in lies the answer to our cancer question, when you were living in the great garden state your body was used to being bombarded with carcinogens, from the natural radioactivity of our soil from radon, to the toxic waste in our water we were made immune to cancer. I myself after graduating from Paul Smith's had blood work done for a job at chemlawn nearly failed the test, but in subsequent testings after spraying the pesticides my blood work just kept getting better and better with each test. That's my story & I am sticking to it....

I will try to do better by blogging more than annually. You are in our prayers and I wish we could all come out and invade, I MEAN VISIT YOU.

LOVE YA,

Mark

Unknown said...

Hi Mark and the gang! I hope you are all well. Glad to see you've also found the world of blogging. I read both and shared them (hope you don't mind) with two of my co-workers. They each have one autistic child. It is a big thing down here in Florida too. It is so prevalent that Gov. Charlie Christ signed an autism insurance law back in May guaranteeing insurance cover autism therapy for very young children.
While I'm far away from all of you, you are all in my thoughts and prayers.
Love ya,
Kath

Compost John said...

Hi Mark, I am a 42 yr old chap awaiting an assessment for Aspergers. The Maudsley Hospital in London assessed me last year for ADHD as my lifestyle is really quite unusual, and they said I am able to concentrate too well for me to now have ADHD (may have had it as a kid) but they thought I had AS with Hyperactivity.
I have two sons, one who has very challenging behaviour at present, and one reason I'd like a diagnosis is to help him, as if I have AS, he may be more likely to be offerd help. He's getting minimal help right now, the authorities are more keen to help me and mum cope, rather than seeing him and helping him....
I'll bookmark your blog and drop in from time to time.
I write two blogs on green issues, which you'll find if you google my name.
All the best with your family, John Cossham, York, UK

Compost John said...

ps, your Aunty Ruthy sounds lovely, I've just skim-read her blog... I'll bookmark that too!!
John