As understanding of autism increases, so does the number of children diagnosed
May 19, 2012 at 7:00 pm in Duluth News Tribune
When Peg Ferguson started work as an autism teacher for the Duluth school district in the late 1980s, she was one of three who did that work. Today, with a smaller school population overall, there are 12 autism classrooms and teachers from kindergarten through 12th grade. Continue Reading
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You clearly don’t know anything about autism. The reason for the increasing rates doesn’t matter much to those of us who have kids on the autism spectrum. No, they aren’t just “weird.” They cannot function in the real world with assistance in being taught the things that come second hand to everyone else in the world. Some of them still can’t and never will function as independent adults. It’s not about them being weird. It’s about them having the same chance to learn and function as everyone else. My son is high functioning, he was diagnosed with Asperger’s which supposedly won’t exist separately from Autism anymore (which I think is a mistake). We are lucky that he can attend normal school in normal classrooms, with some accommodations. We have been lucky that he has very supportive friends and teachers and coaches. Not everyone does. And even if you simplify it to them being “weird kids” you clearly have no idea what it is like to be a “weird kid” in school and how many “weird kids” kill themselves every year for being dubbed as such but adults like yourself, who spew your opinions of kids you clearly know nothing about.
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Lots of people have issues that make them a bit deviated from the “mainstream.” Doesn’t mean they need medication. Doesn’t mean they need a label. It means they are special, unique, and valued. Duluth Spock is right on with his comments. Not to say more severe cases don’t exist, because they do – and these are the ones that may need medical focus and medicating; but there are less severe cases that don’t need medication and therapy and they will adapt and be just fine.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Thank god there’s medication and counseling available (for a nominal fee, of course.) Did they run out of kids to diagnose with ADD? Or depression? Or whatever the most recent “epidemic” was? You want to steer your kids in the right direction? Tell them to get into the pharmaceutical industry. They’ll make a fortune.
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duluth spock: i think that could be said about the ADD and ADHD diagnosis. But not autism.
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more like all the environmental damage being spewed out by big industry is the reason for more health problems in mothers and children
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Several years ago my daughter made a new friend. But this girl was wierd. She just “didn’t get it”, she stood to close, talked over people, obsessed over the smallest things. I was explaining to a friend who never met her how much my daughter was struggling with this girl and my friend suggested I research aspergers. BOOM there it was. I had my daughter research it and that was it. She is now one of my daughters best friends, when the girl stands too close or stares too long or talks over others, my daughter tells her to back off. In the past two years this girl who was pretty much bullied all the time has grown into a social butterfly when she is with my daughter or other close friends who can remind her of social skills.
NEVER has she been seperated from her classmates, but her true beauty and talent is amazing. My daughters whole life has been enriched by knowing a child with Aspergers. And so has mine.
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Your point is quite well taken, but has nothing to do with the article. The fact that this “strange” person found a friend in your daughter more than likely helped her more than anything an autism specialist would have said or done. It takes a more humane, friendly, accepting approach to help these kind of people. Bullies need to be stomped out. When the force can take on the dark side, society will win. I don’t buy the argument that “kids are mean, so deal with it.” That means their parents suck, and I’d rather deal with them by sterilization.
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Actually I got carried away with explaining about this great girl that I know, missed the point I was trying to make.
The point was: These children in the past were labeled as troubled, or weird. Now with the publicity more people are looking at the problems that these children have and work with them to live a life full of possiblities.
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The numbers haven’t increased – we’re more aware, and with early intervention a larger number of these children will be able to become independent, self-sufficient productive members of society. The diagnostic criteria is changing with the release of DSM-5 next year, the criteria is becoming significantly more detailed than anything, I’m not sure how you came to the conclusion that the criteria was becoming more lax but I am very curious.
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i agree with you somewhat but that doesnt mean we shouldnt devote resources to finding out why their are increasing numbers of autistic children. Yes people overemphasize the need for action, that does not hide the fact that action is needed however. Yes many people who are for the most part normal just socially awkward are a different category but to claim autism rates of the others arent increasing is naive. As someone who works with adult autistic people i can add this to the article…you need to help them develop at an early stage and get them as independent as possible but for a lot of people who deal with autism you find that many of them cant get better they just get older.
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I find it interesting that Duluth has 10 Autism classrooms for 162 students, I’m wondering how many of these kids are mainstreamed? I am no longer in the Duluth district but in our current district self-containing is extremely rare, kids are pulled out for resource room/specialists but are virtually always mainstreamed.
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It would be interesting to know exactly how many kids are mainstreamed…especially since the front page of Sunday’s paper states: “Teacher Stephanie Twardowski, who teaches students with autism at Laura MacArthur School, calms Dakota Corrigan, 12, with a hug and gentle words during a recent class.” This student is 12 years of age – at an elementary school?? Ask your Duluth school board what they are accomplishing to improve autistic children’s rights to an equal education. Better yes, how much state and federal money does the district receive for each special needs child, and how are those monies being spent in light of more cuts in speical ed programs/services??
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try telling that to a parent who has an autistic child…..im sure once the money stops flowing to the school district her/his kid will magically become a normal healthy child according to you. no money no problems you said right? its one thing to say you dont want to pay for it (through your taxes/and money could be spent on other things) but dont insult a whole segment of society by claiming what they are experiencing is made up when actuality you have no clue.
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ill repeat myself dont….i can play your petty games too
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and dan if you wanna talk about an unlimited budget to combat a (virtually) non existent problem look no further than our war on terror.
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I assume your head is still attached to your neck. Seems to me like the war on terror is working.
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Pulling Asperger’s and other autistic-spectrum kids out of normal classes and putting together in one class is another liberal “solution” that is ineffective and costly–both to the taxpayer and the child’s development. Think about it: You’re putting a bunch of kids with few social skills together and expecting them to learn social skills from whom? Each other?
The best thing for these kids is interaction with other “normal” peers.
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