Re: Please read this article from the Hernando Today from April 4 2008

[Guest guest]

What disturbed me is that so-called learned professional lumped

autism spectrum disorders among those that parents want to blame for

their kids being " bad. " As if WE chose this, or we are " pathetic

parents. " This smacks of the " refrigerator mother " days to me -

autism is obviously the parents' fault, clearly.

If I could have control over this disorder, I certainly would.

AND - if there wasn't something wrong with me before this horrible

disorder became apparent in 3 of my children, well guess what?

There's something wrong with me now, I'm sure.

janet powell

miami, FL

P.S. PPD = Pathetic " Professional " Disorder.

> The Correct Label: PPD Pathetic Parent Disorder

> Fri Apr 4, 2008 12:08 pm (PDT)

> The following article ran yesterday in the Hernando Today

newspaper.

>

> If it pisses you off as much as it did me, I suggest you send them

a

> letter to the editor:

>

> HYPERLINK

> " http://www.hernandotoday.com/lettertotheeditor.htm " http://www.hern

and

> otoday.com/lettertotheeditor.htm

>

> The Correct Label: PPD Pathetic Parent Disorder

>

> By DOMENICK J. MAGLIO

> Neo Traditionalist

>

> Published: April 3, 2008

>

> Every year our mental health industry creatively packages a new

catchy

> 2-4-letter abbreviation to capture the imagination of the American

> public.

> Like the yearly most popular name for a new baby, the letters for

> disorders change every year. This year's winning letters are AD,

> which is a tie between Autistic Disorder and Asperger Disorder.

> Past winners were ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder, ODD

Oppositional

> Defiant Disorder, CD Conduct Disorder, TD Tourettes Disorder and

SAD

> Selective Anxiety Disorder. All these labels have one thing in

> common. They focus on the child's inappropriate behavior, not the

> reasons for being improperly socialized.

> In the past when we saw a child act out, we first looked at the

> parent's behavior. The way they reacted to situations was most

> important. Were the parents willing to stand their ground

regardless

> of not being liked by the child? Friends and family scrutinized

the

> way the parents disciplined their child, the relationship between

the

> parents and the amount of time devoted to the family. No words

were

> needed to be spoken, but the glances spoke volumes.

> Everyone accepted the role of parents as the heads of the

household;

> children were expected to listen to parents not the other way

around.

> Parents were supposed to help the children deal with life. This

meant

> the parent was expected to do everything possible to make sure the

> child behaved. The parents knew the ultimate evaluation of their

> parenting was how the child turned out.

> A revolutionary concept of " returning to the past " has great

promise.

> Examine the parents. If they are not fulfilling their parental

> duties, then label them PPD instead of labeling the

child. " Pathetic

> Parent Disorder " is a more accurate pinpointing of the cause of

> acting out children.

> Today too many parents are unwilling to limit their daily

indulgences

> for the sake of time devoted to the family. Instead they believe

they

> only need to set up an appointment with a mental health

professional

> to solve all the family's issues. The parents want to believe the

> solution to all their problems lies with the problem child. The

> professional obliges by first labeling the child then sending him

on

> his way with a magic pill. The child's disorder is supposedly

cured.

> This process has been a winner for the medical and pharmaceutical

> industries and a loser for the child and his parents. The medical

> route temporarily lessens the child's actions, only to have them

> flare up with greater intensity after the drug's effectiveness

wears

> off. Although the parents are not the winners, they are relieved

to

> transfer their responsibility and authority to someone else. The

> other children in the family and especially the child whose normal

> development has been ruined by the label and the drugs is the

loser.

> The consequence of a parent not dedicating sufficient time to

their

> child is a poorly trained child. Labeling and drugging a child

into

> submission does not do anything to improve the quality of the

> parent's life. It requires the parents to spend more time in

offices

> and battling the child over taking the drugs then they would have

had

> to spend getting the child properly socialized in the first place.

> Modern parents can end their dependency on the pharmaceutical and

> psychiatric industries by realizing they have the power to mold

their

> child's behavior and character.

> Only through guilt for their shameless behavior toward their

children

> can we nudge the parents back into their rightful position as

heads

> of the family.

> The solution to these American families is to change who is being

> labeled. To focus solely on the child has not worked, as it avoids

> addressing the accountability of the parents.

> The new PPD, Pathetic Parent Disorder label is the answer. Unlike

the

> child label gimmicks of the past, this label will empower the

parents

> to do their job. The parent's inconsistent, ineffective, selfish

or

> lazy behavior will be obvious to themselves and others.

> Revitalized parents will see the effectiveness of their acting as

> parents. When they realize their child CAN listen, CAN obey and

CAN

> gain mental strength to overcome any limitations, they will become

> more successful in school.

> Parents united, making the necessary decisions and consistently

> following through on them will result in children who will accept

> parent's authority and eventually will appreciate them for being

> loving parents.

>

> Dr. Domenick J. Maglio, Ph.D., is the author of " Invasion Within "

and

> " Essential Parenting. " He is a psychotherapist and the

owner/director

> of Wider Horizons School. Visit: www.drmaglio.com.

>

> Just my thoughts but if this man holds a PhD and is the owner and

> director os a school - I in no way shape or form would want my

child

> to attend there. I feel that he is ignorant beyond belief and

right

> now i am trying to maintain a level of calmness to respond

> appropriately to the newspaper. Please now matter where you are

> located, the Hernando Today news paper needs to hear from parents,

> grandparents, teachers, professionals and anyone that has a child

on

> the spectrum. There is also a web site to Dr Maglio, I have yet to

> visit it as I am not calm enough yet.

>

> Kathleen Avouris

> Florida/Michigan Unlocking Autism Rep

> Grandama to Hunter age 7

> Aspergers/PDD/OCD/ODD/PCS

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

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