Comments on: Knowing Nothing About Autism

By: Theron

Theron — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:14:05 +0000

@Kristina: Our son (Alex) started middle school in September, which is 6th grade in Oregon. We held him back one year so he’s a bit older some of the other 6th graders.

Alex is an excellent reader and very empathetic, but not much for spontaneous chatter. The main difference in behavior I’ve seen is a dramatic increase in compulsive traits, which is a new wrinkle to what was already a challenge at school. We’re thankful that at least we live in a state that funds special education moderately well.

By: Do you ever turn off your cell phone?

Do you ever turn off your cell phone? — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:12:07 +0000

[...] is an immediate obviously of course never!. Being a mother/working mother of a special needs child, that slender metal and plastic device is a lifeline. Ok, I do turn the [...]

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 23:53:14 +0000

@Theron, greetings—does your son start middle school next year or is he in it already? Charlie is already in middle school (6th grade) and definitely in (yes, gulp) adolescence—-

By: Stephen

Stephen — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 23:40:40 +0000

John McCain will give individuals to choose from any state whichever health insurance provides them most cost effective plan. I’m guessing McCain is against federal regulators mandating what insurers must cover. I do not have a child with autism. If McCain is elected, shouldn’t the majority of people be allowed to select a health plan that does not cover special needs children if it costs less?

By: Theron

Theron — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:09:32 +0000

Kristina,

I just learned of your blog on a link from Newsweek, and wanted to thank you for sharing your insight on the political aspect of parenting an autistic child.

We have a 12-yr old son with autism and have spent an agonizing year trying to weigh alternatives for middle school (which is hard for everyone anyway). I found McCain’s statement that Palin understood special-needs parenting an outright insult. Regardless of her politics, I don’t think you can say as a parent of a toddler that you have any idea until you’re dealing with schools and (gulp) adolescence.

Thanks again for bringing up similar points.

By: Cliff

Cliff — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:48:07 +0000

Now, I already voted (and just three minutes ago!) on an absentee ballot, so in many ways my personal consciousness is kind of clear of the whole thing.

But I guess I’d agree with Nancy Nally here, in terms of them knowing that they didn’t understand things as much as they think. Although the issue of knowledge is more complicated in my case, I have to admit. Ideally, I’d want someone who understood disability rights in terms of access to societal structures in relation to those disabilities and no further. But typically where the former exists, you get someone who has all of these notions about disability that, frankly, I’d find unhealthy in a public official.

Cliff

By: Fielding J. Hurst

Fielding J. Hurst — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:37:37 +0000

Rainmanretired, Before Kristina knew anything about autism she wasn’t a) running for president or b) pretending to know about it when she didn’t.

By: Nancy Nally

Nancy Nally — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:20:18 +0000

And even more than knowing everything, I want my leaders to know what they *don’t* know, so they know when they need to turn to other people for information and advice!

I don’t expect John McCain or Barack Obama to be an expert on autism. I expect them to have a basic understanding of what it is and what concerns those parents have that have political solutions (for instance, health insurance coverage problems).

For the rest, I expect them to know when to call on experts.