Diagnosing Autism: The Earlier the Better

The interventions autistics children are on often get all the credit for their development, so I'm sceptic to such a way of thinking.

It is correct that you don't see much difference in older autistics if you put them on intervention, but what does that really tell you?

Even Dr. Temple Grandin who is an Aspberger's person herself will tell you that early intervention is key.....She credits her mother for a lot of her success.....I am in the somewhat early stages of learning about Autism and Fragile-X Syndrome, but I will tell you your negativity and skepticism is irksome to parents who are really trying to give their children the best possible and safest starts in life. For those of us who have children on the severe end of the spectrum, our lives revolve around keeping our children safe.....And it is much easier when the child becomes receptive to teach them about dangers than to stand over them and prevent them from taking the wrong step in the wrong direction....because then we are preventing them from living....but early intervention teaches a child and gives them the freedom and tools to cope in society......and no, sir, I do not give the intervention the credit for my child's success, I give that credit to my child!!!! BUT, without the intervention, I would not be learning very well about my child, nor would my child be given the opportunities to play as freely as he can today....

Intensive training can be usefull for learning everyday handling skills for many, I'm not denying that, but I don't like it when interventions are made to be greater than they really are and ultimately a "must" for any child on the spectrum.

Personal stories from parents who have tried an intervention on their child have proven to be very convincing. Letting numerous of alternative treatments for autistics to become popular, and it's definitely not just chelation.

I don't believe it is negativity to believe that many autistic people can manage just as well without any potentially expensive and even dangerous special intervention.

well, you have a very good point. in Temple Grandin's day, there was hardly the choice options for intervention than O.T and speech.

I would also have to agree that this is exactly what helped my child along with RDI (relationship devlopement intervention which didn't cost me a dime other than the price of one book) my child was also diagnosed with severe autism, some where in that 8 pages they even wrote "affected this child severely every second of the day". my son's intervention is very convincing, doesn't mean what I did would click for ten other children. maybe one or two....

well in any event- generally teaching danger reaction/ prevention is a life long thing. there really is no one intervention that's going to challenge and remove all behaviors and aspects of autism. but being a parent, there is no way not to want your child to become independent of a care giver, understand what a 'bad' touch is when they have sensory issues, understand what hot and cold are when you live where it get's to 30 below.... you cant hardly blame a parent for wanting those things.

some parents try very many of the interventions out there. if they can afford it, why not? it may take a few combined in order to see progress.

but if a parent did nothing, that child would never have a change. the hard part for a parent is knowing what that something is and accepting the fact it's ok not to know this.

I believe there's a balance, and I believe that if parents were educated with a better perspective regarding interventions they would probably be better able to choose what that's the best plan.

What's typical for a neurodiversity supporting aspie such as myself is to be very sceptical towards the many special interventions presented to autistics, maybe that's because we're fed up with stories about what mistreatment autistics have been put through under different types of intervention. There have e.g. been stories about autistics dieing under exorcism in the news lately, and the story of how ABA first was developed for autistics is like a horror story.

It could seems as if many parents are abit too quick at putting their children on interventions:

http://www.youtube.com/watch...

I don't watch too much youtube however I do not like not being warning prior to viewing content. since some or most of us are parents and might have our children around, a warning of content would be appreciated.

some of these interventions have been used for years and years, long before you or I was ever born. many of these things are streaming into other area's and autism is one of them. do many or any help a child with autism? couldn't say, most are harmless. yea, I've heard about the church goings on (and a death) shock treatment- some therapists are mean and so are some grandma's.

fact is, most parents do not go to that extreme. some do, many do not and although we're on topic to autism, I could care less if the child had autism, they were a child first. one died due to a church exorcism, it's mistreatmemnt of a 'child'. autism doesn't define the child nor does it define you. you and everyone is a person first, autism maybe second.

that all said. if a child has a speech delay, they do need intervention. if a child has sensory issues, they do need intervention. if a child has heavy metals, same as adults, they'd attempt to get that out of the body (I just don't happen to trust basement labs)if a child has certain behaviors that preoccupies them and prevents many daily functions, they need intervention. in some countries, autism is a shame to the family and the child is hidden with no intervention help at all. some countries just don't have the ability to have therapists or resources tohelp kids with autism, at all.

my son would not be where he is today with out interventions and although I may have chosen all or few, I am sure when he grows up he wont hate me for things I had no idea the answer. he might, but I wont take it personal. I know he has trouble expressing what he really means. you may experience resentment towards your parents, until you're faced with a zillion intervention choices thrown at you for your child, you have no idea how difficult these choices are.

You would agree that many children would benefit if the parents had better possibilities of getting perspective on the interventions?

I don't want to discuss the philosophical views of autism, but I must say that I view autism as an essential aspect of who I am.

most parents to do research prior to implementing any intervention that's other than O.T and speech therapies. some I suppose jump from one to another, or have a bad advisor, or are so hopeful for anything to sink in- but I would bet most parents do not jump blindly into interventions, or anything else when it pertains to their kids.

you are obviously not an 8 year old child. I asked my 8 year old if I could make the autism go away, would he want me to? he didn't answer right away, but he said yes. he also asked me if a number of things would go away. his struggles today at his age makes him resent autism, not embrace it. he is well aware he has a harder time than his peers and that he thinks differently. it takes time for one to become comfortable with what they have that sets them different from others, autism or not. we as parents struggle hard to get people to see our children not defined as autism, they are a child first. autism isn't who they solely are, it's what they have. down syndrome is not who that person is, it's what they have.

I am glad you're comfortable with who you are, and I believe I've read you have asperger's. although autism and asperger's share many of the same things, autism is harder for the parent and the child. my son may never be able to articulate as you do, or be understood verbally by others, or ever fit it.

I identify myself as autistic, it doesn't mean that I think all the problems many autistics meet or cause are great.

I don't see head banging as autism, I see it as a problem that could hopefully be solved in a reasonable way.

What autism is to me is people, which many of I can identify with, often be more comfortable communicating with, and maybe even share interests with. But I'm perfectly aware that there are people who have difficulty in their situation, and I feel I should stand up for those.

At an old poll at Aspies for Freedom's forum a question was "Would you rather die than become neurotypical?", many answered yes - I did not as I think of myself as more than just autistic.

Some philosophy, but oh well.

No cricism? Everyone agreed?

I want some response...

I don't have autism. my son doesn't have asperger's, he has autism. no one can disagree with what your own opinion is. not all with autism head banged, my child never did. head banging is a stereotype of autism just as rocking is.

I myself see no reason why anyone cant share interests with all people, not those just also with ASD. those with ASD only hanging out with those that have ASD, doesn't mean you all will be more tolerant of each other, or that you'd never get annoyed with each other's behaviors. everyone still does have human behavior.

"Would you rather die than become neurotypical?" push come to shove, I'd be betting everyone would choose to live. a phrase is easily said knowing at this time there is no choice.

the thing is, my son's autism affects him differently than it does another. there are no two alike exactly. so aspies hanging out, they all have to deal with each other's differences just the same as you would anyone else.

on a side note, my son hangs out with the neighbor kids, he hangs out with an older boy from school with autism (of which both boys know they have autism). in either situation, neither is treated differently by each other. my son wants to be with each equally.

I hope by the time he grows up, he learns autism doesn't set him aside from other's, everyone is different in this world and he can learn to relate to typical just as he can with someone with autism.

Off-topic, there are borderline cases between LFA and high-functioning conditions, and they are both on the autistic spectrum. So I wouldn't say there's any clear line between the two.

To give another perspective: Amanda Baggs expresses anger against "aspie-elitism" and wants neurodiversity to be for everyone on the spectrum.

autism isn't really defined by low functioning or high functioning diagnostically. it is a descriptive word/ term only. the only people who really use those terms are schools and some people. the terms itself should never be used at all, since there is a wide range of abilities or non abilities left out.

you know, I'm all for reading about Miss. Baggs and I am glad she can display anger appropreately. my child cant and there are a whole lot of other more important issues than LF and HF

I doubt Amanda is very good at it when confronting her helping-staff, but she has apparently managed to do so a few times by writing which is great for her.

And... don't let misery become universal authority when it comes to autism.

I made a thread I called "Autism - To have or to be" here:

http://www.aspiesforfreedom.com/showthread.ph...

And *please* if you want to comment it you do it in this thread, I've a bad experience which no-one benefited from.

make no mistake- there's no misery over in my house. autism is hard but it's not the end of the world-

I do think early dectection is a great idea- for any child showing delays

friend wrote:

make no mistake- there's no misery over in my house. autism is hard but it's not the end of the world-

Sorry if you took it that way.