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This is probably my last post about autism during April. I doubt it will be my last post about autism though. There is plenty about it to rant about every day of the week, and twice on Sunday. But, I only have just so much time in the day.
For those of you just tuning in, Minion #1 has autism. It took forever to be diagnosed, no one wanted to talk about it when he was very young. It was like toddler VD, if the docs just don't talk about it, it would go away. So, thank you medical community! In your infinite wisdom and expensive training you cost us a few years of interventional therapies.
Until the pediatricians, school personel, and psychologists put on their big girl panties and started facing up to reality, we treated the minion as though he was a regular kid (we still do). A small, lagging behind, regular kid, with a pacemaker. Ok, so he's not normal but he's mine, so he fits in just right around here.
Now, to the people that mean well. I think at this point I've heard about everything to there is hear about having a child who's 'different'. When the well meaning people of the world start down their well worn path of BS in 'helping to make me feel better about 'my situation'' I actually say in my head (or at least I think it's in my head, a few times it probably wasn't. My give a damn is frequently on holiday) "Do you really think I need to hear your opinion?" And as they go on, "Oh, hell, you really do, fine, lay it on me, this ought to be good".
On the flip side of this, I recently heard a snippet from my Dad via my brother that was just awesome. After seeing the minion with his classmates, who also have autism at a recent party, dad decided maybe we weren't being so hard on the minion and he's better off for it. Dad's always been one of the well meaning people who thought we should just feed him what he would eat and not introduce new foods, allow him to just do the things he was interested in and not press him to explore his world more, and punishing a special needs child for not following basic social and family rules was awful. Dad's light-bulb came on this month, and it was blue!
For those of you just tuning in, Minion #1 has autism. It took forever to be diagnosed, no one wanted to talk about it when he was very young. It was like toddler VD, if the docs just don't talk about it, it would go away. So, thank you medical community! In your infinite wisdom and expensive training you cost us a few years of interventional therapies.
Until the pediatricians, school personel, and psychologists put on their big girl panties and started facing up to reality, we treated the minion as though he was a regular kid (we still do). A small, lagging behind, regular kid, with a pacemaker. Ok, so he's not normal but he's mine, so he fits in just right around here.
- God only gives kids like this to people that can handle them. Trust me, this is not the case, sadly. There are so many good special needs parents out there and just as many bad ones.
- You must have offended God with your behavior, this is your punishment. God, if you're listening, fix the minion, hit me with a lightening bolt if you're that pissed.
- Why can't you just let the professionals decide what's best for him, and stop making waves? Um, because he's my minion and it's wouldn't be the first time the 'professionals' were dead wrong?
- He would probably be better in an institution when he grows up. Why? Because he's smarter than you and you feel threatened?
- He doesn't look retarded. Yes, because all of a sudden I know what that looks like, here's a mirror so you do too.
On the flip side of this, I recently heard a snippet from my Dad via my brother that was just awesome. After seeing the minion with his classmates, who also have autism at a recent party, dad decided maybe we weren't being so hard on the minion and he's better off for it. Dad's always been one of the well meaning people who thought we should just feed him what he would eat and not introduce new foods, allow him to just do the things he was interested in and not press him to explore his world more, and punishing a special needs child for not following basic social and family rules was awful. Dad's light-bulb came on this month, and it was blue!
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