Comments on: Who is to blame for Tim Whattler’s death? http://www.blisstree.com/articles/who-is-to-blame-for-tim-whattlers-death/ Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:45:01 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Your Asperger’s Quotient http://www.blisstree.com/articles/who-is-to-blame-for-tim-whattlers-death/comment-page-1/#comment-537958 Your Asperger’s Quotient Thu, 02 Aug 2007 14:55:43 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/who-is-to-blame-for-tim-whattlers-death/#comment-537958 [...] the daily round of exclusion from the rest of the lunch crowd in the cafeteria and more. What about Tim Whattler? ASD, Aspergers, autism, children, Education, family, health, meme, parenting, PDD NOS, test, [...] [...] the daily round of exclusion from the rest of the lunch crowd in the cafeteria and more. What about Tim Whattler? ASD, Aspergers, autism, children, Education, family, health, meme, parenting, PDD NOS, test, [...]

]]> By: Kristina Chew, PhD http://www.blisstree.com/articles/who-is-to-blame-for-tim-whattlers-death/comment-page-1/#comment-539106 Kristina Chew, PhD Tue, 31 Jul 2007 03:41:31 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/who-is-to-blame-for-tim-whattlers-death/#comment-539106 Charlie chewed up 2 pairs of headphones in 3 days. I've been trying to think of the best way to tell him that when he does this, it means there is nothing to listen to his iPod with. He has been laughing---I've seen this reaction in him before when he does "something wrong"----it could mean that tomorrow he may get upset when he finds he has no headphones. Or he may still laugh and I know I need to calm my own feelings..... I'm still trying to think of a better way to handle this. Charlie chewed up 2 pairs of headphones in 3 days. I’ve been trying to think of the best way to tell him that when he does this, it means there is nothing to listen to his iPod with. He has been laughing—I’ve seen this reaction in him before when he does “something wrong”—-it could mean that tomorrow he may get upset when he finds he has no headphones. Or he may still laugh and I know I need to calm my own feelings….. I’m still trying to think of a better way to handle this.

]]> By: Daisy http://www.blisstree.com/articles/who-is-to-blame-for-tim-whattlers-death/comment-page-1/#comment-538993 Daisy Mon, 30 Jul 2007 15:00:23 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/who-is-to-blame-for-tim-whattlers-death/#comment-538993 I'll never forget our conflict with the middle school, when the liaison officer told us that Amigo could end up in foster care. He was posturing and acting tough, and even though I know that we would not lose our boy, it still hurt deeply. I ache for this family and their loss -- their many losses. I’ll never forget our conflict with the middle school, when the liaison officer told us that Amigo could end up in foster care. He was posturing and acting tough, and even though I know that we would not lose our boy, it still hurt deeply. I ache for this family and their loss — their many losses.

]]> By: Robin H. Morris http://www.blisstree.com/articles/who-is-to-blame-for-tim-whattlers-death/comment-page-1/#comment-538987 Robin H. Morris Mon, 30 Jul 2007 14:36:54 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/who-is-to-blame-for-tim-whattlers-death/#comment-538987 Kristina, I recognize the "laugh". Oftentimes my son is laughing at the "movie in his mind" having little to do with the situation at hand. My mantra at a host of parent-teacher meetings was "It's not about you, it's about the disease", as I addressed the staff. I bristled when they blamed my son for his inadequacies. Ego is a powerful force, whether it be doctors or teachers, it can blind progress. I ache for the Whattler family, and Tim's devastating pain. He was not safe, even from himself. Given that there is no magic bullet to address depresson in ASD, I am hopeful that there are medication supports out there, as Temple Grandin found. reslilientmom Kristina,
I recognize the “laugh”. Oftentimes my son is laughing at the “movie in his mind” having little to do with the situation at hand.
My mantra at a host of parent-teacher meetings was “It’s not about you, it’s about the disease”, as I addressed the staff. I bristled when they blamed my son for his inadequacies.
Ego is a powerful force, whether it be doctors or teachers, it can blind progress.
I ache for the Whattler family, and Tim’s devastating pain. He was not safe, even from himself.
Given that there is no magic bullet to address depresson in ASD, I am hopeful that there are medication supports out there, as Temple Grandin found.
reslilientmom

]]> By: AnneC http://www.blisstree.com/articles/who-is-to-blame-for-tim-whattlers-death/comment-page-1/#comment-538918 AnneC Mon, 30 Jul 2007 06:05:04 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/who-is-to-blame-for-tim-whattlers-death/#comment-538918 Kristina: I remember in third grade having to write (50 times, or something thereabouts): "I will not laugh while I am being reprimanded". Kristina: I remember in third grade having to write (50 times, or something thereabouts): “I will not laugh while I am being reprimanded”.

]]> By: Kristina Chew, PhD http://www.blisstree.com/articles/who-is-to-blame-for-tim-whattlers-death/comment-page-1/#comment-538901 Kristina Chew, PhD Mon, 30 Jul 2007 04:01:57 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/who-is-to-blame-for-tim-whattlers-death/#comment-538901 Handful, mindful......... So you've 3 minds to keep track of and then your own........ As I read the Times article, I kept thinking of how hard, and how horrible, it must have been for Tim Whattler to be placed in so many environments without, it seems, anyone with a clear sense of all of his needs. I can't imagine how my son would fare in an institutional setting, away from us and all of his beloved things that give him security: That would trouble him more than a little. When I have a student in class who responds in a "different" way, I often think now that this student may have "something" and needs, perhaps, a different kind of attention from me as a teacher and understanding-----I just keep thinking of the part in the Times article about Tim Whattler's difficulties at school with teachers. Charlie too laughs sometimes when being scolded and I can really see how this could be taken the wrong way. Handful, mindful……… So you’ve 3 minds to keep track of and then your own……..

As I read the Times article, I kept thinking of how hard, and how horrible, it must have been for Tim Whattler to be placed in so many environments without, it seems, anyone with a clear sense of all of his needs. I can’t imagine how my son would fare in an institutional setting, away from us and all of his beloved things that give him security: That would trouble him more than a little. When I have a student in class who responds in a “different” way, I often think now that this student may have “something” and needs, perhaps, a different kind of attention from me as a teacher and understanding—–I just keep thinking of the part in the Times article about Tim Whattler’s difficulties at school with teachers. Charlie too laughs sometimes when being scolded and I can really see how this could be taken the wrong way.

]]> By: AJ http://www.blisstree.com/articles/who-is-to-blame-for-tim-whattlers-death/comment-page-1/#comment-538899 AJ Mon, 30 Jul 2007 03:44:49 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/who-is-to-blame-for-tim-whattlers-death/#comment-538899 Kristina, These reports are deeply disturbing to me, having a 12-year-old diagnosed with Asperger's at age 5. We're looking at a very different set of behaviors from Ely's diagnosis of "severe autism". I am understanding the "spectrum" of autism, thanks to having two very different children dealing with two very different types of autism. I really can't decide which "version" is more difficult to deal with, as a family. And I can't figure out which is more difficult for the child to deal with....one who can speak very well, speaking, in fact, like a "little professor", or the one who really can't speak much at all. Honestly, I don't know what's going on in the mind of the 12-year-old, whereas it's pretty obvious with the 5-year-old. I always tend to worry more about the 12-year-old, NT or otherwise. Heck, I try to keep in touch with the mind of the 15-year-old NT girl, regardless! Just....kids. Handful, regardless. AJ Kristina,

These reports are deeply disturbing to me, having a 12-year-old diagnosed with Asperger’s at age 5. We’re looking at a very different set of behaviors from Ely’s diagnosis of “severe autism”. I am understanding the “spectrum” of autism, thanks to having two very different children dealing with two very different types of autism. I really can’t decide which “version” is more difficult to deal with, as a family.

And I can’t figure out which is more difficult for the child to deal with….one who can speak very well, speaking, in fact, like a “little professor”, or the one who really can’t speak much at all.

Honestly, I don’t know what’s going on in the mind of the 12-year-old, whereas it’s pretty obvious with the 5-year-old. I always tend to worry more about the 12-year-old, NT or otherwise. Heck, I try to keep in touch with the mind of the 15-year-old NT girl, regardless!

Just….kids. Handful, regardless.
AJ

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