Re: Re: ABC tonight Primetime Autism report

April 22, 2004

Kendra,

My husband pointed out that they made the statement several times " autism is

increasing at an alarming rate and we don't know why. But then they blamed it on

the male brain, and then on genetics. They went right past the vaccines and on

to

the school issues. My husband said it was like saying, hey, there are a bunch of

soldiers

getting killed in Iraq and we don't know why?

Bonnie,Lukes mom

kiwidp12@... wrote:

They did a five minute segment of the show this morning and it is a

huge endorsement for ABA, though from the film footage it seems to be

the Lovaas approach, including the therapists grabbing the childrens'

mouths to form their lips. Physically putting them in a chair over

and over and over again. I hate that form of ABA because it does to

our children what we would not like done to ourselves.

If you grab my lips, I'm going to hit you and I am not Autistic. I

used VB principles with my daughter and am more than happy with the

results.

There were in today's show, several questionable statements by the

reporters, including calling ABA a new, cutting edge and

controversial therapy.

They also used the number 1 in every 166 children which was good.

And my now favorite stupid statement, " that much of the increase is

due to better diagnostics " . Please!

I am so sick of people with supposed intelligence repeating this

unbelievable crap.

My take on this is:

Anyone that has seen even one child with Autism, knows that not one

of these kids would ever go undiagnosed. We would have to believe

that 10 or 20 years ago a parent would not have demanded to know why

their child had regressed after being normal. Would not have

demanded to know why they suddenly couldn't relate to the outside

world. Would not have demanded to know why they persistently rocked,

flapped their hands, walked on their toes, bit themselves, and banged

their heads to the point of serious damage. Why they had 100s of

meltdowns every day and could not stand a change in routine. You

would have to believe that schools and teachers also somehow missed

this and these children managed school and just slipped through the

cracks. To believe this you have never seen even a mildly Autistic

child. No child with Autism ever went undiagnosed or their condition

would never meet the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. The diagnositic

criteria has not changed in California for over a decade yet the

rates are doubling every 4 years. 13 Children in California are

diagnosed every day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and these are

only the most severe. They are not counting children with Aspergers,

PDD-NOS, or Hyperlexia, so imagine what the real numbers are. Anyone

with half a brain knows that better diagnostics has NOTHING to do

with the increase. The media and government continue these

unbelievable and ridiculous denials because they don't want to face

up to the fact that they are poisoning their own citizens, the

youngest and most vulnerable, all in the name of the almighty

dollar. One Congressman in California said, " I can pick out an

Autistic Child from a mile away in an airport, these children do not

now nor have they EVER gone undiagnosed " .

Kendra

=======================================================

April 22, 2004

When these children start to grab their face to talk with them they will be

confused as

to why they are doing it...Go figure.