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Journal Autistic's Journal: New articles, new information. 24

Journal by Autistic
The topic of Autism comes up again every once and a while on Slashdot. It's come around again today.
I like that it is getting more attention in regular society, and not just relegated to some edge condition.

In the last few years several topics have come and gone on the subject. One of the most controversial is the possible link to mercury bearing vaccine perservatives. There is a lot of genetic connection as well.

In my case, I am very mild, and my father decided he fit the pattern as well once he read more about it, also very mild. His father may have been more severe. He's gone now, but the people who knew him said he hardly ever talked to anyone, even his own family.

My wife is smart and typical (code word for normal). But she comes from a very smart family, and there may be some symptoms in there somewhere just not clearly defined.

Which leads us to our son, now five, who is more autistic than me. He is very late in developing language, and has many of the symptons of autism. We had a little trouble getting a diagnosis, but I attribute that more to vagaries of the definition of Autism than to his condition. It's just one of those things that noone wants to try to nail down (and take responsibility for). "Somewhere on the spectrum" is usually the best we can get.
He was born right in the middle of the time the mercury bearing vaccines were used, but our doctor gave us the option of an alternate vaccine w/o mercury, so we took it. We may have dodged something there, it's hard to say. Or maybe something else he did get was just as bad. Who knows.

I like the observations and discussions I've seen on slashdot, and hope others will to. As always, it's a learning experience, even from the inside. :)

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New articles, new information. More

New articles, new information.

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  • Please keep writing about the subject. I liked your journal entries.

    I am interested on the subject on autism (however I don't know anybody who is autistic).
    • I have some comments in the above linked article, if you have not already found them. They may be of interest to you.
      I have some more ideas of topics coming soon.
      • I have some comments in the above linked article, if you have not already found them. They may be of interest to you.


        I've found you through your comments there. :)
  • I posted a comment on that /. story today ( http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/01/ 30/129205 [slashdot.org]), with the title "Dad and I have Aspergers, and my son is Autistic". You'll find a lot of correllation between our situations. I was diagnosed in college with "Autism-lite" (rofl)! I am also physically coordinated (a life-time of martial arts, taught myself to juggle in a week of evenings). I imagine that /. is full of autistics and aspergers, diagnosed and non-.

    The big factor involved seems to be the abil
    • Your experience is similar to mine. I think it's the convergence of genes. "Geek genes". We just occasionally hit the magic combination in our kids and they become engineers. When the wrong subset of genes is expressed, you have profound autism. Our species is just sorting out the genes necessary for adaptation. It sound a little cold and random...such is evolution. But certainly see advantages to the more "technologically minded human". And it certainly means I love my kids more than life itself, n
  • I'm not trying to put you down or anything, but I cannot believe that you have recently figured out you are autistic.

    It simply may be that the definition of autism is not clear. All of the autistics I have met are unable to play nice with others or even provide basics like food or shelter for themselves.

    What symptoms do you have, and what basis (checklist like from the DSM) do you have for being autistic?

    Also, please see a reply to a reply of yours that I made (does that make any sense?) here http://scienc [slashdot.org]
    • You would not recognize many Aspies or people with autism because the ones with higher IQs are pretty good at adapting to the world. Not great, but they can pass. Heck, some date and marry.

      It takes some people a tremendous amount of energy to appear normal. Read any book by Temple Grandin. She is far more severe than some people I know, but she sure makes Autism easier for neuro-typicals to understand.
      • Aspies may or may not even exist, we are talking about autism which seems to exist. I still have never met an autistic that can do anything like take care of themselves, date, or marry (what dating or marrying has to do with anything is beyond me).

        Temple Grandin is new to me. I'm reading http://www.autism.org/temple/visual.html [autism.org] this now, and I have my doubts.

        1) She is inconsistent with her self diagnosis and/or objective measurements. She says that her "ears are like a microphone that picks up and amplif
        • OK, I can't stop. She did another bozo here:

          "Autism is a neurological disorder that is not a result of psychological factors."

          I believe this, but she is talking about psychological issues when regarding herself. The "wild animal" thing has nothing to do with autism. The difference between a wild and domestic animal is learned, and has nothing to do with the discussion of a neurological disorder.

          Now she goes into saying that autism is a meta-illness and includes fun features like, "Some of the traits that
          • The freaky little kid screaming his brains out may have been doing it because it felt good.

            Why does and pigeon bob it's head when he walks? 'Cuz it feels good.

            The definition of a syndrome is a grouping of symptoms. Not every person with a given disorder is going to display every symptom.
            Believe me there are thousands professionals who work with autistic individuals everyday. People are not just pulling all of this out of their asses.

            I believe you are too rigid in your thinking. Neurological differences
            • Why does and pigeon bob it's head when he walks? 'Cuz it feels good.

              That's why I do it too :)

              The definition of a syndrome is a grouping of symptoms.

              I know of no definition of autism being a syndrome. I really don't know of a standard definition of autism. I guess its like porn, I know it when I see it.

              I believe you are too rigid in your thinking.

              Why do people keep saying this? I'm very openminded, and am willing to change my opinion at any time based on new data. I'm in search of the truth, knowledge an
              • "That is completely new information to me. I've never heard of such of a thing. But then again, I've never heard of an autistic being affectionate. I'm not doubting you, as I said, this is new info. You say he is "pretty functional" and "could" get along working in a small office, but it sounds like someone else is fronting the bill for him to have a place to stay and food to eat. Regardless of the cash flow, does he get his own food, prepare it and eat it? I would like to know more."
                Ok...He makes 75K as a
                • Ok...He makes 75K as a developer. He has 3 pieces of furniture. He will only buy the same types of clothes, but only after somebody points out when the old clothes are worn out. He has never dated. He never knows if he is being too loud. He alternates between inappropriate staring and no eye contact. He usually eats carry out and seems to prefer restaurants where the wait staff use English as a second language. You have to be blunt when speaking to him. He is emotionally/socially around the age of oh...a 14
                  • Ok...He makes 75K as a developer. He has 3 pieces of furniture. He will only buy the same types of clothes, but only after somebody points out when the old clothes are worn out. He has never dated. He never knows if he is being too loud. He alternates between inappropriate staring and no eye contact. He usually eats carry out and seems to prefer restaurants where the wait staff use English as a second language. You have to be blunt when speaking to him. He is emotionally/socially around the age of oh...a 14
        • Autism is first a neurological disorder. Psychological and behavioral differences vary across the spectrum. If you know anybody with autism, you know they have profound sensory issues. There are people who are sensory seekers and those who are undersensitive. This is also a recongnized notion that some people are both depending on level of anxiety or physical pain. This third catagory is sometimes known as "sensory modulators". If you know any pediatric occupational therapists, they will tell you they
        • "Aspies may or may not even exist, we are talking about autism which seems to exist. I still have never met an autistic that can do anything like take care of themselves, date, or marry (what dating or marrying has to do with anything is beyond me)."

          The marrying and dating are significant on two points...1) it is the means to procreation and carrying on of affected genes. 2) It represents the level of social and emotional imparement.

          We as a society also do not warehouse all autistics in institutions;
    • Well, as I said, I have no diagnosis. It is very much a case of not knowing what autism was before now. I had never heard any real definition or symptom list until recently.

      I did have various learning weaknesses when I was young, but it was not grouped or classified at that time as autism. That was in the 60's/70's, autism was still a fairly new field of study, and I was in school on military bases overseas. The military education systems tend to be more like assembly lines: they don't diagnose and treat,

      • OK, a little background about myself.

        I have an undergrad degree in Psych. No big woop. But I've worked with (in psych hospitals, and random coworkers, and other people) and known many people with various psychological, psychiatric, and other biological problems.

        Although the line is blurred, there is a difference between psychiatry, biology, and psychological problems.

        I've known people with Terrets syndrome. Judy Rappaport told a friend of mine that he had OCD worse than anybody she knew. She wrote "The
        • if you feel comfortable, I would like to know why in the world you believe your autistic

          I don't know that I am. I know that I have some of the symptoms associated with it. I know that my son does have it. I say I do, at least mildly, but I don't know for sure. So if you want a denial, I'll oblige you: I'm not.

          But I am close, and I am connected, and I am concerned. I want to understand it as well as I can. And as something similar, it concerns me personally as well as relationally.

          I am putting this forum

          • I don't know that I am. I know that I have some of the symptoms associated with it.

            Go get a copy of the DSM-IV, and read it cover to cover and make a list of _all_ of the things you have some symptoms of.

            I would gladly give $1k to autism charity of you could convince me that you are autistic. Thats a cold bet, because I know I would never have to pay.

            Drop the slashdot account, and go on with your life. I'm not saying you have issues, or may be a little "weird" or "different" from people, but I have no rea
            • *sigh*

              The purpose of this forum is for people to share their experiences, observations, and if they are willing, their own feelings on what it is like to be autistic or at least similar. That can be hard to do on a good day. It is especially hard to do in the face or confrontation and agression. That just makes people what to go away and hide.

              And confrontation is what you are doing. Most of what you have done here is complain, correct, berate and generally make the atmosphere suck. While I don't doubt you

              • Obviously, I have social issues as well.

                I was not trying to make the "atmosphere suck" or anything like that, honestly I was/am trying to help.

                I do not understand how self diagnosing and labeling yourself as someone with a severe and life disabilitating neurological disorder is going to help. As I said, I have my own issues, but they are not 100% neurological, but a combination of my biology and my upbringing. I can't too much change my biology except with medication it does get a little better for a whil
                • Trying to understand and trying to help are a possitive approach, whether the execution is well doen or not. I was no great shakes for a long time either. I wrote about my own self correction in Introspection [slashdot.org]. It may not be the best approach, but it worked for me. I'm over forty so I've had a while to work with it.

                  Something else I observe is that when people hear or see something they think is not correct, they can have several reactions: They might want to correct the person as a challange, as a way of pr

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