Susan's Blog: Autism: Hope At Any Age

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Autism: Hope At Any Age

My article, "Autism: Hope At Any Age," was published on the Washington Post's oped page today. You can read it here.

Let's hear it for Early, Middle, and Late Intervention, and for giving people with developmental disabilities the support and acceptance they need to have a happy life. That means voting for leaders who will do what it takes to properly fund health and human services, and public education. That's all, Folks.
posted at 8:25 PM  # permalink

Susan, Older children have improved with chelation. It is not too late to look into it.
— added by Blogger Fore Sam at 10:20 PM, March 18, 2007  
What a FABULOUS letter! Thank you for writing it!!! My son is still young, but we still have to fight tooth, nail, and lawyer for every little thing, every little inch of service. From what I am getting now, I am sure I will be tearing out hair by the time my boy gets to high school, too. What is it about "lifelong" that people just don't "get"?

I wish we had won that $300 million lottery. It wouldn't have been enough, but it would have been a start.
— added by Blogger Joeymom at 12:42 AM, March 19, 2007  
Yes, exactly, except...

...I've never been able to become comfortable with the word "intervention" when used in this context. It always seems to, regardless of what I try, mean something far more invasive and misdirected than how I view teaching of autistic people.
— added by Blogger ballastexistenz at 1:22 AM, March 19, 2007  
i am so moved by your story of nat's first question to you.

what a beautiful article. thank you for that.
— added by Anonymous kyra at 3:16 PM, March 19, 2007  
Susan, an editor friend sent me your WP article. I have a PDD son who will be 20 on Thursday - countless times I have experienced the emotional see-saw you expressed so poignantly in "Hope at any age."

PLEASE see this press release about Rett's Syndrome research in Scotland. Dr. Bird, the primary researcher, says that recent discoveries will eventually carry over to a broad spectrum of autism disorders. Immediately, I go to that hope/fear place: how amazing is that?/but will it happen too late for my precious son?

Here is the site:
http://www.rsrf.org/reversal_
experiment/index.html

or google Rett Syndrome Research Foundation, Press Release, Feb 8, 07

Marikay Tillett
Huntsville, Al 35803

scribbleonthesky@aol.com
— added by Anonymous Anonymous at 12:12 PM, March 20, 2007  

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