Robert MacNeil goes back to reporting for a special on his 6-year-old autistic grandson.
MacNeil narrates the comments of Nick’s mother: “I couldn’t be more sick of the word awareness. If I were any more aware of autism, I’d be dead,” she said. “I think we’ve moved beyond the point where awareness is necessary. I think it’s time we moved to action.”
Amazing statement. And how can anyone not agree..?
There is autism in my own family–and with one in a hundred or so kids having the condition, I’m sure your family too.
And I agree with the mom in this situation.. Awareness. What a word. AIDS awareness, Cancer awareness..autism awareness. Domestic violence awareness. We are all aware of these situations. It’s sad that have to compartmentalize and dedicate a block of time for the particular situation we need to have awareness of. Who does that help? And does it work to solve immense problems that autism, AIDS, cancer, and anything else supply us?
No.
I have heard a number of people argue that autism is over-diagnosed now, that it was always the same as it is now, and that there really aren’t more cases today than there were years ago. I have no hard evidence to tell me what opinion to have, but I’d defer to the startling numbers of a rising rate of autism. I just don’t believe ‘it was always this way’ and just not diagnosed the right way. Sure, you can argue that mental health clinics and eugenics programs were fully stocked with kids in time gone by, but I just can’t get myself to agreeing that autism is not a more severe problem than it was decades or so ago. I just can’t.
I see the challenges that my own family faces with autistic kids. The toughest part is getting to know them. After all, they are kids, and they like and do things kids like to do. They are not a new species.. they are not ‘pathetic’ or ‘unfortunates’. They are people.. individuals with habits, happiness, tears, and hunger pains.. They go to the bathroom. They get potty trained. They learn to read, write, and in the case of my nephews, they probably are a lot better at math and learning than I am. As a matter of fact, they may be a lot better at many things than their adult counterparts.
Perhaps the scariest thing for any parent is understanding that, despite a Google search result of the question finding millions of websites, no one really absolutely knows for sure what causes autism. No one.. There are theories. Most famous, of course, is the MMR shot. And then lots of people attacked Doctor Wakefield over his study they say was shoddy from the beginning. Interesting Wakefield stands by his 1990s research–and the journalist who constantly writes about him continues to do so.. Autism got political. When vaccines were put into the limelight of criticism, big drug companies came out in full force to tell us everyone saying their product caused the learning disorder was wrong. And then they silently too thimerosal out of their product.. I guess just in case.
Plus, who really wants to argue with Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy, who like many others, believe vaccines are a factor in autism.
Vaccines would be simple.. If only we can correlate the date together exact. It would be a relief.. But what of the kids who get vaccines and do not get autism? And why boys more than girls getting it? And why..? And how? .. the questions go on.
It would be great to have an easy answer..
Maybe it’s a lot of things.. perhaps our kids’ brains have become a stew of over-advertising on TV, chemicals on toys from China, GMO crops from Monsanto, kids food not being healthy.. too much WIFI… to little early learning? And why so many higher numbers in the United States? What is different here compared to other places?
I just don’t know.
So there you go. We’re aware. Lots of people are. Awareness.
Awareness has yet to solve the problem. However, I guess the first step is admitting there is one.
SO WHY DO SO LITTLE PEOPLE CARE THAT 1 IN 100 CHILDREN GET AUTISM!?
So there you go. My thoughts. My awareness. My confusion, my anger.. All in this long post.
The lack of answers cause me to fear the MMR shot.. a lot.
