Klarinet Archive - Posting 001255.txt from 2004/03

From: "Christy Erickson" <perickso@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Re: klarinet Digest 21 Mar 2004 09:15:01 -0000 Issue 5156
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 07:56:37 -0500

It's obvious to me that you are determined not to see things any other =
way
but your way so we'll have to agree to disagree I guess. I feel you are
taking my statements and twisting them around to your "advantage" for =
the
sake of continuing an argument and I think it's a good example of the =
parent
of an autistic child fighting with the rest of us. Perhaps you yourself =
are
autistic. I don't feel you are looking at the entire picture.=20
I truly haven't seen many parents of autistic children fight for =
any
other cause than their own, but I have seen parents of children with
numerous other disorders go to bat for children with all types of
developmental and neurobiological disorders. The parents of the =
autistic in
our local group have expressed a desire to start a group for parents of
autistic children-never mind the rest of us. However, I've never seen =
any
of the other folks express such a desire to fight only for their own =
cause.

In a previous e-mail you mentioned the "unknown" causes of autism, =
now
you state that autism is genetic. Which is it lady? I'm afraid you are
contradicting yourself over and over again. Here is a quote from one of
your previous e-mails:

"You have to realize that there are WAY more of these children than =
there
used to be. It could be because of the chemicals in our every day
environment. It could be because of the mercury in MMR shots. I =
wouldn't
doubt if it was some combination of all these things. That autism and =
ADD
occur more often in males is more of a genetic thing, the weakness of =
the
traits in male genes that lend themselves and are more sensitive to ADD =
and
autism has been well-researched."
=20
There are many adults with mental health issues who are unable to =
live
on their own and there are many who can and do lead a fairly normal =
life.
The same is true of autistic people. I've known people with asperger's =
who
are married and have children, a good job, a good education, etc.... =
I've
also known plenty of autistic people who have been on medication and =
I've
known people with mental health issues who take no medication. =
Medication
is not always appropriate, much less fully effective for everyone. So,
don't give up hope for your own child. =20
Our son is highly medicated but that does not prevent occasional =
violent
temper tantrums. This is the reason we have not sent him back to =
school.
We are hoping he will outgrow some of this eventually and I do think =
that
some of his problems are related to allergies-it becomes far more
complicated than some would like to think. It's not just a matter of =
using
medication. It's a matter of finding the right combination that doesn't
cause too many adverse side effects and also the right dosage. That =
seems
to be different for everyone. We have been experimenting with =
medications
for our son since he was in first grade (5 years ago) and we have yet to
find the most effective combination for him. Fortunately, the pdoc and =
his
allergist are finally giving more credence to the allergy problems and =
we
have had some luck lately with histamine blockers. The fact that we =
have
not yet found the "magic" combo of meds for him has kept him out of =
school
for the last two years.
To ask me whether I have begun working with the mental health lobby =
yet
is a rather silly question since I already mentioned I am very active in
this area. =20
I also NEVER said there was no stigma attached to autism. I guess =
you
just made that one up. You are the one who complained bitterly about =
the
high degree of stigma attached to autism but I never said what you claim =
I
did. You need to learn to read without twisting things that people say
also. There is stigma in our society for anyone who is different.=20
As far as mental health, I think it is even more difficult for =
people to
understand since our children often don't look or behave any differently
than anyone else. Therefore, what they cannot see, they do not believe
exists. I have had many comment that Matthew ought to "just behave, or =
just
control himself." There is very little understanding that the disorder =
is
very real and Matthew can't simply change himself and cure his =
depression.
This attitude is very prevalent in our society, along with the attitude =
that
family dysfunction somehow causes the symptoms of mental illness. =20

Christy

-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas [mailto:thomas@-----.com]=20
Sent: Sunday, March 21, 2004 9:16 AM
To: klarinet@-----.org
Subject: [kl] Re: klarinet Digest 21 Mar 2004 09:15:01 -0000 Issue 5156

> Lynn, I'm afraid you are making statements and assumptions about me =
=3D
> without
> knowing our history and what we have been through.

No, I am making statements based on what you posted.

> This year, we started a group for parents of children =3D
> with
> special health care needs in our community which includes mental =
health,
> autism, physical handicaps, etc...

Good. I stand corrected. Have you begun working with the mental health
lobby yet? Because the bigger issues are what affect ordinary people.

So, I DO run in these circles and =3D
> in
> this area, mental health is LAST on the priority list and the autistic =
=3D
> have
> access to far more resources than those with mental health issues.

Autistics don't have access to mental health services, either, BTW. =
Autism
itself is neurobiological, AND is based in genetics, scientists Have =
found
this out lately (so your assumption there is wrong as well). Plus when =
we
go to a psych for testing to get services for our kids, it is not =
covered on
a lot of insurances, because psych is thought to be mental health.

> Unlike autism, =3D
> which as
> yet has an unknown cause, mental health problems are often genetic and =
=3D
> run
> in families.

Autism HAS been found to be genetic. You are incorrect.

Therefore, the parents of many of these kids do not have =3D
> the
> education and money that the parents of autistic children have so =
there =3D
> are
> truly fewer of us to fight for their cause.

What does having mental health issues have to do with not having =
education?
I know several bipolar people who have several degrees. They are all on
meds.

> You say you do not want me to "pity you" because your son is
> autistic but that is exactly what you did in a previous e-mail in =
which =3D
> you talked about how much stigma there is for the autistic. It's a =
bit
> contradictory to me. =3D20

No, YOU said there was no stigma attached to autism. Sorry to =
disappoint
you, but there is.

You still don't get it.

Lynn

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