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

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Thank you all for this conversation that you are allowing the rest of us to eavesdrop on! The autism spectrum disorders fascinate me because I have always felt that there have been many famous people who made great contributions to society who were accepted as being "eccentric".

Yes, there are great things that can be offered to children now, and in some cases there are wonderful therapies that can be given, which is miles beyond removing children. BUT, I also think slapping a label on some spectrum disorders may give people the impression that the person is limited. I truly have found autistic students to be amazing thinkers. I really enjoy the way their minds work and I am more than willing to accept the "quirks".

But, tell me what you think of this theory: A student told me that he thinks autism is actually an evolutionary step forward and that the reason there are so many more now (aside from diagnosis mania) is that humans are advancing. He thinks the quirks are temporary simply misunderstood reactions to an out of balance world. He believes his inability to read other people's emotions allows him do what he needs to do without getting caught up in emotional morasses of insecurity or jealousy.

I asked him if he thought he would miss out on love and he said he was certain that when he found some one who was as evolved as he was they would be able to love each other on the same level.

It was a great discussion. He's a wonderful young man with a great career ahead of him as an engineer.

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

I dont want to offend but I have read all the posts here and honestly. You all have described my entire family and I. And none of us have ever been diagnosed or thought to have any form, or level of Autism.

When I was a kid I pretended to be a horse. Only read horse books. Took riding lessons instead of playing soccer(did it for one season and hated it.) Preferred my horses. I have notes that the teachers sent home to my mom and remember one nun getting mad at me when I took out Black Beauty in the 6th grade. I didnt get why the other kids liked what they did. I liked horses why didnt they?

I am very artistic. Love patterns and colors.
Hate math, especially algebra. But LOVED geometry and the sciences. I measure everything when I bake, but only twice then I can do it by sight. I hang pictures in perfect form/pattern with out the use of rulers or levels. Still amazes my dh.
I have an amazing imagination. In reading books I escape. Movies ruin books for me since that isnt what "I" saw. Same with music videos.

I do not like loud noises and avoid them as much as possible. I hate parades. And will only watch fireworks from a distance.
I can pick patterns out of those white noise machines and then cant stop hearing the pattern. Ruins those things for me. If the fan is a bit "off" I can pick that up as well. Same with engine "ticks" Hence the reason I take care of the Hyundai.
Know facts about Camaro's and horses down to the last dot. Getting a ex race horse was a bonanza for me! Lines and his record. Woo Hoo! Am now doing the same with chickens.

I do not like to make eye contact with people. It makes me uncomfortable, always has. I have to force myself to meet someones eyes.
I cant have doors or draws even slightly left open.

My dad preferred animals as was very artsy. Same as my mom.
My sister is OCD and is pushy and has "little" social skills. But she is incredibly book smart.
We all have a higher than "average" IQ.
My dad, sister, daughter and I can write with either hand.
I have one leg that is longer and foot that is larger, than the other. Same as my dad.

My daughter prefers animals. Hates loud noises. LOVES PLANES. And chickens and patterns. Has always tested above her age in skills. Is in the advanced reading group and will sit down and do "work books" and make herself homework when she is home.

None of us are autistic. If we are then no one has said anything about it in many years.

Maybe some of it is just being different, or just that bit smarter than other people or being a "kid" and a "teen" and some of the stuff that carries over is just "left over" insecurities from being a kid/teen.

As far as Vit D goes. They are doing TONS of research on this vitamin and how it affects brain growth and the human body in general.
They have recently connected it to Multiple Sclerosis, bone loss in children and teens and to fighting the cold and flu.
IMHO it is the key to a whole lot of things.

 

[AngieChick]

Autism is characterized by many traits coming together. We all have some if them (in differing quantities) but some people have enough of them and to such an extreme that they meet the diagnosis of autism. Again, this is a spectrum disorder.

 

[BarkerChickens]

Rhett&SarahsMom,
I think that some people get the case of "I have that too" when reading symptoms...We all probably do it to some extent. I don't think what you described is anything to consider as autistic...maybe more of common "symptoms" of people with higher IQs, but not autism. I can relate to many of the things you described, but would not compare you or I to the symptoms that my brother (who is autistic) would exhibit. For example, I LOVE science...I am a scientist (hydrogeologist), but I cannot do things scientifically like my brother can. The best way I can compare it is to OCD. I won't leave the house without checking the straightening iron to make sure it is off...sometimes I will check it twice. I always double check or triple check to make sure the car doors are locked before I go in the house. I am VERY picky and detail-oriented, but I am NOT OCD. While I may have a mild (VERY mild) case of many of the symptoms one would expect for OCD...I do not have the obsessive-compulsive behavior to be anything more than just picky retentive about certain things. I think that people are'quirky' by nature and that all of us will have symptoms of a little of everything, but for a person to actually have something is completely different.

Does this make any sense?

Autism is a very real and very common neurological disorder...not a common fad like some syndromes are becoming.

I understand your point and recommend not reading too much into things. Enjoy your horses (I think they beautiful and hope to have the opportunity to own one someday!)...enjoy chickens and be very proud of your artistic talent!

 

[Wifezilla]

I dont want to offend but I have read all the posts here and honestly. You all have described my entire family and I. And none of us have ever been diagnosed or thought to have any form, or level of Autism.

And I was never thought to have ADD because I wasn't hyper. I was just "lazy" or "unmotivated". Nobody knew that I was a classic example of ADD- Inattentive Subtype. Heck I didn't know until last year. It explained so much about my childhood!

Just a few "autistic traits" is often called Aspergers syndrome. There are also people who do not quite fall in to the Asperger category, but they have sensory integration issues.

What they label you really isn't that important, it only matters if you are having problems I guess. Knowing I wasn't a mutant freak and that there was actually a reason for the way I tended to do things was a big relief to me. I also have a better understanding of what is going on and can work around my interesting brain wiring.​

 

[AngieChick]

Quote:
I think you are thinking of "Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified"?

Aspergers is a subset within ASD. Though those who have it do tend to be higher functioning, it has its own specific characteristics as well as the more general Autistic ones.

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

I have had kids in my care, when I was doing daycare, that were diagnosed with ASD. On boy was just out of control. He began hitting and getting violent so I had to let him go. Punching other kids in the face was it for me.
One little girl wasnt diagnosed because her parents didnt want to have "an Autistic child" I kid you not. The mom told me this. Then went on to tell me that they were going to "try and have another baby and maybe get a normal one next time"
The poor little girl was just so lost in herself. I called attention to things and they just didnt care. I took online classes and bought things to help her some. But without the parents being on board it was lost so quickly. I will always wonder what happened to her.

BarkerChickens Dont get a horse. Find someone that owns one and enjoy theirs. Mine had me just as worried about him as I was about my human kid last night. He was just not himself at dinner time yesterday. Plus she at least picks up after herself.

 

[Wifezilla]

"Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified"?

Nope... my son is PDD. He is mostly non-verbal, reads at a second grade level, can only do basic math and he is 19. THAT is PDD.​

 

[Cats Critters]

I went thru life knowing something was "wrong" with me... my social skills were WAY off... I am Very social, but body language, facial expression etc.. throws me... and People always got mad and called me a "know it all" because I read voraciously and absorb it all... and allways try to help with what I've learned if I can...

You sound like me (witch kind of worries/creeps me out) Except I'm not that social, I'm the "Shy kid" but when I talk I just can't stop and go of on topics no one else knows about (really strange facts etc.) I read a lot (and very fast) and absorb it all , Talking is what screws me up with people, that and with people teasing and doing the stupidest things, there strange to me anyhow and I understand animals 100% better then I do people. Also I don't like eye contact I'm getting better at it but it just makes me nonconvertible.​

 

[BarkerChickens]

Rhett&SarahsMom :

BarkerChickens Dont get a horse. Find someone that owns one and enjoy theirs. Mine had me just as worried about him as I was about my human kid last night. He was just not himself at dinner time yesterday. Plus she at least picks up after herself.

I love that idea! That is what we have done with kids too!

We enjoy kids and have no problem taking someone's kids for the day (or a long weekend in the case of his sister)....then we give 'em back! ha ha While I think we would great parents, neither of us have the "ticking clock" thing (and I have Systemic Lupus, so I'd be high risk plus pass on nasty genes, which is my primary reason for stopping the gene pool with me!), so we get to be the "fun" Aunt and Uncle...with the farm. We've talked about adoption since I won't even consider having out own, but then I think, why?, when we have nieces, nephews and cousins!​