**NEW QUESTION PG. 12** Autism: Yes, you may ask my opinion!

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ursusarctosana

ursusarctosana

Songster
11 Years
Aug 6, 2008
465
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Spokane, WA
I am not shy about answering questions having to do with the neuro-biological disorder known as Autism (this includes the scope of all autism diagnoses, including Asperger's or other terms people use like "low" or "high" functioning).

I am a person diagnosed with autistic disorder. I have been a guest on panels in order to educate the public about living with autism. I can give you my opinion about anything you may wonder, either to dispose of myths or stigmas surrounding this "difference", or just to give another perspective or idea.

I plan to approach this post with the idea that you are helping me out and not just the other way around. Sometimes I like to be a part of what's going on, though it is often difficult for me, because I say awkward things or rub people the wrong way. At least on this thread we all know the situation up front.
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Hi there
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Thanks for offering to help.

I am not autistic, but my youngest son is PDD. If it weren't for a friend of mine who is HFA, there are so many things I would have done wrong in dealing with my son.

I have always found the best source of information on autism to be those who actually have it.
 
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Thank you for posting. There are professionals I work with who consistently encourage me to share, and I'm trying, though it is sometimes a bit scary. I think there are probably a great number of insights that I have which can help neurotypical parents of children diagnosed with autism, or give them, at least, another take on the situation or the thought processes of their child, though we are all individuals.
 
I think it does help us NT's to get a different perspective. Since I am ADD and my son is mostly non-verbal, we can seriously drive each other up the wall at times
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His flapping and stimming distracts me. My constant need for change is disruptive to him. With his "Aunt Abi's" help we have made compromises and adjustments so we can enjoy being around each other.
 
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People would think that two people with autism could get along better, but it's not always the case. My son, who also has autistic disorder, and I had a horrible time. Now, after everything has passed, I can make the connections and see more of what was happening, but at the time I didn't understand it. I'm really bad about "not understanding something as it happens", though I tend to be able to pick it apart later and disguise myself as someone who "gets it".

My son, for example, liked to move things into places he thought they should be. I do not like my stuff moved. You can imagine what happened next!

My son used to talk endlessly about cars. Everything was "this make, this model, this hp, this 0-60 time, etc." I would criticize him for it because I was not mature or learned enough about myself to see that I had been the same way--truly obsessed with cars for almost a decade, rambling on and on about them, driving my friends (what few I had) and family nuts. I just made that connection yesterday...that we were the same and that what bothered me about him was something I had once done.

Pretty funny!
 
You should see me, Abi & Max on a car trip!
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Me the next day...

"Why are their foot prints on the inside of the windshield on the passenger side?"
"What happened to the phone charger?"
"Who peeled all the rubber stripping off the door jambs?"
 
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You know, there have been many cases of parents diagnosed with ADD, bipolar disorder, etc., when they really have Asperger's Syndrome.
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In my case there was a second opinion performed, after the initial diagnosis of autistic disorder made by an autism specialist, through a state examination. In general many psychologists don't have the knowledge to diagnose autistic disorder and there have been many cases of adults diagnosed in late middle age and beyond because the examiners could not see past the depression and anxiety features that mask the underlying autistic thought processes. It can take a highly skilled professional who is familiar with many patients and there can be mistakes, such as someone who has autism being labeled borderline personality when, in fact, the person does not demonstrate the behaviors more concrete to borderline personality, rather the person with autism (particularly female) is so good at mimicry that his or her behaviors or circumstances are misinterpreted. I think this can be a major obstacle in helping a person with autism move forward. (If, in fact, the person in question really has autism and has been extensively examined over a long period of time.)
 
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Welcome to thew board! I am glad you posted.

I don't have it, don't have anyone in my family who has it, but I have been fortunate enough to have gotten to teach several wonderful people who have varying degrees of autism.

Each expereince has been rich with insight for me. (Hopefully they learned a thing or two as well!
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I also got to read the book written by the woman who designed cattle shoots?? I can't recall the name right now. Great book!
 
Professor Temple Granden (I think that is how you spell her name).

You know, there have been many cases of parents diagnosed with ADD, bipolar disorder, etc., when they really have Asperger's Syndrome

Also lots of cases with parents who are definitely ADD and/or bipolar, or have other unique brain configurations in the family tree who end up with autistic children. (This is our case. Special brains....ummmm...braaiiinssssss!
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I think there is connection between these disorders which is why it is so easy to confuse them.

Are you familiar with the Vitamin D theory of autism?
"We do not know what vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy does to human brains, but we know what it does to rat brains and it is not good. In a series of recent animal experiments, Professor John McGrath, Dr. Darryl Eyles and their Australian group found severe maternal vitamin D deficiency in mother rats produced babies with abnormal apoptosis (normal cell death) and abnormal brain cell proliferation, reduced production of proteins involved in nerve structure, and baby rats who have subtle abnormalities in both learning and memory. Ko P, Burkert R, McGrath J, Eyles D. Maternal vitamin D3 deprivation and the regulation of apoptosis and cell cycle during rat brain development. Brain Res Dev Brain Res. 2004 Oct 15;153(1):61–8. Feron F, et al. Developmental Vitamin D3 deficiency alters the adult rat brain. Brain Res Bull. 2005 Mar 15;65(2):141–8. Burne TH, et al. Transient prenatal Vitamin D deficiency is associated with hyperlocomotion in adult rats. Behav Brain Res. 2004 Oct 5;154(2):549–55. Becker A, et al. Transient prenatal vitamin D deficiency is associated with subtle alterations in learning and memory functions in adult rats. Behav Brain Res. 2005 Jun 20;161(2):306–12.

Several months ago, Dr. Almeras, Professor Feron, and their group at the University of the Mediterranean in Marseilles found developmental vitamin D deficiency disrupts 36 proteins involved in mammalian brain development. Severe maternal vitamin D deficiency leads to rat pups with increased brain size and enlarged ventricles (chambers in the brain), abnormalities very similar to those found in autistic children"
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/health/autism/​
 
I have WHAT in my yard? :

Welcome to thew board! I am glad you posted.

I don't have it, don't have anyone in my family who has it, but I have been fortunate enough to have gotten to teach several wonderful people who have varying degrees of autism.

Each expereince has been rich with insight for me. (Hopefully they learned a thing or two as well!
wink.png
)

I also got to read the book written by the woman who designed cattle shoots?? I can't recall the name right now. Great book!

You mentioned one of the most famous people with autism, Temple Grandin, who wrote "Animals in Translation" and "Thinking in Pictures". She's incredible.

I think of her when I interact with animals, because I think I am able to relate to animals in a way that's close to hers--I think about things from their perspectives and draw analogies from things that frighten animals to things that frighten me, and the whys and hows of these things startling me, and animals, but not so much startling neurotypical people.

Animals are also not as complicated as people. I have spent days on end trying to analyze why people do what they do or say what they say and it exhausts me. Animals, on the other hand, are straight forward. I often find myself amazed at how little many people understand about animal behavior or at the silly prescriptions people apply to animal antics, though sometimes I am guilty of this myself.

But, I have met many people with autism who are fearful of or can't stand animals. I am one of the people who are absolutely fascinated by animals.​
 

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