Here is a link to the original article:

http://thestir.cafemom.com/big_kid/118432/6_rude_things_moms_let

This is my response:

I vaguely remember when I was also young, childless, self righteous, and suffered from a lack of humility, understanding and charity towards others. Life has taught me a lot since then. It is important to understand that not all kids have an equal capacity for self control, or the ability to comprehend the social graces you smugly demand of them. Some real and very challenging issues are not physically visible. Many people are quick to judge what they can not even begin to understand. You can not know what any of those kids, or parents are dealing with on a daily basis. I am sure I didn't understand before I was the parent of two kids on the autism spectrum. I understand a lot more now. I know some of those kids have sensory dysfunction that makes going into places like a grocery store seem overwhelming and maybe even physically painful. I know some of those kids have worked for years to learn to do things that came very easily to you, things that you take for granted. I know that many of these parents have gone to great lengths to try to avoid the situations, and things that might cause a meltdown. Sometimes we don't know what is bothering our kids, and their communication deficits can make it impossible for them to explain it to us. Maybe you think we should shield you from our kids and their seemilngly unforgivable behavior. Unfortunately, the babysitter isn't always available when we run out of groceries, and our kids need to practice being out in public. Our kids are trying very hard to fit into a world build by typical people for typical people. Despite our best efforts, we can't protect our kids from your unreasonable expectations, so we hope and pray they don't notice your openly disapproving stares and comments. Our kids suffer from a great deal of rejection, stigma and bigotry. They just want the same things we alll want, understanding, and acceptance. If it is beyond you to give that to them, then perhaps it is you who do not belong out in public!

 First of all, we have made great strides in being included in education. Now we attend regular classes and some of us even go on to go into higher education. That is a great improvment because as little ast 20 years ago we would not be included in regular classrooms.

Now one thing that still needs to change is employment. Employment can still be hard on us because a lot of companies it seems that if you are different you will not get hired. This needs to change as most of us on the Spectrum can be bood workers. For companies that do hire Autistics we often find ourselfs getting under paid and getting pay cuts. I would go on to argue that sometimes we get jobs that is the lowest on the polls but yet we have talent to do good job

I also find that we are still misunderstood on in the public

So we are the true percent and like everybody else we have a voice that needs to be heard 

Campbell 

However like the article suggested, I did have immune problems, and I still have them to this day, but when I was really young I had a lot of immune problems. At a young age doctors said I had some Autism traits but not quite enough to be diagnosed. However, this would change later in my life when they determined that yes I was Autistic but high functioning. In this new study, it talked about P.A.N.D.A and other infections that Autistics seemed to have a lot of when they were toddlers. I also have learned something about  myself and my other Autistic friends is that sometimes before we get sick we are more prone to meltdowns. Moreover, it also possible that those with Autism may develop immune problems down the road.

Now, I'm not saying that every person who is sick a lot is going to develop Autism and not every Autistic will develop immune problems down the road. What I'm saying is I think more private research needs to be done between immunology and Autism, because it appears there could be a link between the two.

Campbell Teague 

AutismHWY.com loves to hear our members experiences! Everyone can teach and learn from each other!! Thankyou Campbell!

Taking the Reverend King's speech. I also have a dream. My dream is a little different but I believe it holds true. My dream is that we who are Autistic and have other issues or disabilities as the media likes to refer, would not be judged by society standards. My dream is that those with Autism can have opportunities rather it be school, jobs, and most of all for us to be understood and heard. My dream is that we will be seen as important to society and not judged because we are not what modern society calls normal. For a person not to be judged by his handicap but by his skills, his heart, and his or hers contributions to society.

Autistics and others with disabilities are often seen as outcast by society. So much as we are often denied rights, such as in some states schooling, job opportunities, the right to be understood we are often overlooked. Here is also another factor in at least 28 states a person with a disability who falls in love cannot marry. People point to the Disabilities act of 1991 but it is not enough because if you are socially awkward or have obvious issues no matter how qualified you are you may not get in a school or college. For example, those of us with autism are seen  as dumb, lacking cognitive ability, freaks, and no goods. When we interview despite what we have on a resume we are often shunned because sometimes its obvious such as we do not always make eye contact. In some States Autistics and others are denied rights to sit in a classroom with our peers, we are denied rights to colleges, because of stereotyping, we are often rejected This has got to change.

This is my dream that things will change that we will no longer be judged and seen as outcast

Also my dream is Salvation through Jesus for the world

Kelly Green is just one of the very involved moms in the world of autism. Her son's autism has prompted her to get highly involved in breaking down the stigmas and raising awareness of the condition.

For the second year in a row, Green put together an Autism Awareness Chalk Festival. This year's event was held Saturday in front of the Beach Side Cafe at 1319 N. Grand Ave., Covina, to celebrate National Autism Awareness Month.

"There are a lot of people in the world of autism that have talent and a lot of people don't realize that because they have the old stigma that we're all real sad and none of us can make friends," said Green. "But it's really changing. We've made friends with people all over the world."

The festival offered a chance for people to come and see some of the great work done by people with autism or by people who support them. The point is to not cover up the differences, but to accept and embrace them and to educate the public on issues that affect people with the condition.

Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the first three years of life and affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills. Green has made a variety of coloring books that teach people about autism in a fun way that's easily understandable. http://www.makingfriendswithautism.com/  

"We want everybody to understand that we're a little bit different, but once you get used to it, you realize that the talent that some of these kids have is really

One being, 12-year-old Jeremy Bernstein, who may be one of the youngest entrepreneurs, with a handmade jewelry business. He has a retail license and sells at different fairs where he allows other kids with autism to sell things with him and make their own money.

His passion for making jewelry started in the fourth grade when he was required to do a "Dream for Jobs" assignment. Since then he has been making jewelry.

Jeremy's autism has not stopped him from doing things he loves. According to him, it has helped.

"My disabilities have actually given me inspiration to go through with the work and do it," he said "In rough times and good times, it's inspired me."

Bernstein is a lucky participant in one of the schools that offers "Danny's Farm," a nonprofit organization that provides a farm setting with a safe, peaceful and loving environment for children and adults with developmental disabilities. The group was formed in 1997 by former Los Angeles Dodger Pitcher Jim Gott and his wife Cathy in honor of their son Danny, who was diagnosed with autism.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 88 has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder.

Joel Anderson, 21, also has autism but is probably more productive than most people his age. Anderson, who lives in Fallbrook, paints, makes videos and speaks to kids in local schools about autism. http://www.joelsvisionarts.com

Anderson said it's important for people to know about autism "so they know they have possibilities, even though they have autism."

He, like Burnstein, has attended the Autism Awareness Festival. He strives to spread the message he believes is most important - "Be the best you can be!"

 

“She is all tuckered out” I reply, “She’s spread out all across my bed, sleeping.”

“N’aww” we both say in unison.

“Do you have a bubba?” my sister’s friend interjects, thinking I’m talking about my own child.

“No” I laugh, shaking my head. “She’s my cat.”

I can understand the confusion. The way I talk about my cat Lyra is with the heir of a new parent, and I certainly do go on about my Lyra like one would talk about their own child.

“See that? Lyra is so smart. She understands my words completely” I’ve been known to praise.

I’ve lately been aware that the way I speak to Lyra, in fact all cats and even dogs, is not how I speak to young children or even babies.

Yes, when it comes to the term ‘baby talk’ I don’t even apply it to the intended target. I usually look upon a baby like a work of art; bright eyes, upturned nose, cubby little fingers – yep, it’s all there. Or I might focus or the roundness of the nose, that bit of dribble sticking to the bottom lip. Or sometimes like a physician because autistic symptoms show by 18 months old and when they are in those first few months I wonder ‘will this child be autistic?’ I look for hand flapping and eye wandering.

The way I talk to a cat especially my own is like this: “Hey Lyra, hey baby, how you going?” I admit the ‘baby’ is mimicry from my mother who often called her that. I also give her such ‘pet names’ as Bubbles or Buckles or something in a sweet voice that makes me stop and wonder – just what am I doing?

When I cuddle her I squeeze and hang on for dear life and only let her go if she squirms. When I hug (not even cuddle) a person it’s as if they are made out of sandpaper and my arms are tree branches. It feels awkward and forced and really has no emotion to it. I still love these people, I just don’t hug well. It’s like giving a social nicety: it’s forced, no matter how genuine I am and it’s not my chosen way to convey these feelings.

When it comes to talking with children I notice I don’t simplify words for them. Once two children came over to my house – some children of my mother’s friends – around the ages of 9 and 12 and because I was my mum’s youngest she said I should hang out with them. Well, they talked to me and I smiled like I cared but the whole time I had the overwhelming feeling to talk about astronomy. I put on a documentary because I thought I’d find it interesting and my sister came in and made some remark about it being boring and the two kids laughed, and then I left to go into my room and sulk.

Another time I watched my step brother play with his son while in my mind I tried to construct the best how to draw exercise for him to do because I thought maybe I could teach my four year old nephew how to draw using a geometrical model to get the scale right. His potato faces and tiny beady eyes just weren’t up to par.

And recently while I was aware that the best baby talk I could ever do was to say ‘hi’ in a high pitched voice while feeling immensely awkward, I tried to show one of my niece’s how to work a motorised toy but it’s was faulty so I spent half the night obsessing over fixing it. I basically learned what codec it used and how to hack into it so I didn’t have to pay extra for a play set, while looking up how to activate this mode that wasn’t working on Google on my smartphone.

When speaking to my nieces I don’t put on a ‘baby’ voice as if they are small kittens pleading for the remaining milk in my cereal bowl but like I would any adult, teenager, ten year old, seven year old and new born. My style of talking to each age group is universal and it’s because my social skills were developed throughout my early twenties. I basically only know how to speak to an adult audience - and I struggle to that properly at times.

So, what’s left is how to transfer this speaking style from cute fluffy animals onto the young of people I find confusing to begin with.

“Would you like some Whiskas treats” might be a start but could be misinterpreted as me trying to feed small children cat food, and that won’t go down very well, especially because their parents are vegetarian.

I tell Lyra, “Want your rope?” when I’m trying to get her to play with me. I even talk to her like a child when taking photos of her: “it’s OK, last one I promise. I know it’s loud. I know you hate it.”

How can I transition this over to babies and young children – you know, the ones you’re actually supposed to talk like this to?

When I’m lost at what to say to adults (or people – I don’t see age – I just see people more socially competent than me) I try to find a common interest. Conspiracy theories are what get me engaged into a long conversation but again…little children.  “What’s woswell?”

Really, the only common ground I have with little children is my old special interest in The Lion King, but again I can’t just talk to them in a way they can relate. I usually end up talking to their parents or any adult around who end up ignoring me because my excitement about talking about this long ago obsession can be misinterpreted as arrogance.

“I saw the original movie at the cinema when it was first released.”

“I’ve still got the very first preview of this movie. It’s upstairs, on VHS. Yes *laughs* on VHS.”

“I remember when they brought out the extended edition, thought I was experiencing memory loss.”

“So, who else had a crush on Jonathan Taylor Thomas when this came out?” *looks around expectantly*

I’ve very protective of my cats too especially around young children. When those two kids that came over to my house pet my old cat Ari I told them rather firmly to pat him gently and not on the back because he is very delicate.

After returning from a particularly disappointing night out I witnessed Lyra jumped from a balcony and land beside me. I was panic stricken. I picked her up and ran up to my room and told her while holding onto her dearly: “You’re all I got. Don’t you ever do that to me again. If I lost you I wouldn’t know what to do.” I’d never proclaim something so emotional to a person and somehow I think that's what a aprent would say to a child.

The difference between Lyra and other cats I’ve owned is that we are both attached to each other. We moved to a strange place that is confusing and scary and we have bonded strongly because of it. Lyra has always had canine characteristics; she comes when I call her and craves attention. I don’t know if all Maine Coon’s are as loyal and loving as her but I know she loves me. She jumped off the balcony because she missed me and like a true cat got jealous when I pet another cat.

As much I want to have a relationship with another person like I do my cat I struggle to. Even when I talk to people and find common ground there’s no feeling of connection, that I really am of the same species. People are very social minded and driven by emotions and are less analytical. I can tell by the way they speak and their choice of words and the emotionality of their words – not to mention the five seconds they spend talking on a subject that interests me and then nring up something completely random and unrelated and don't return to said interesting subject. Socialising to me is nothing more than obtaining information and sharing it. While I can enjoy being with someone, after I reflect on it when preparing for the next encounter I’m thinking about what I will say because I really need to share the information and simply hanging out and enjoying each other’s company doesn’t occur to me.

If I lack a connection with adults then what does that say about the way I feel about children? At the end of the day I’ll always have my cats to talk to, to cuddle, stroke and pet and feel comforted by and still be at a loss to know why I feel this way about them (especially my Maine Coon wonder cat) and not the progeny of my own species. Probably because I call them the progeny of my own species.