Autism awareness month

**scissorhands** · 23rd April 2013, 22:47

April is autism awareness month. Autisms have been a special interest of mine for the last 2 years.

Corporations and employers are starting to wake up to the potential of an autistic employee.

Captain Kirks right hand man Spock, was the initial modern media example that shows the benefits of employing someone with an autistic difference.

Below is a video of a 18minute Ted Talk, given by 11 times world champion skateboarder Rodney Mullen. Rodney Mullen became the champ at age 14 and was only deposed because the industry changed the goal posts, and the new style called street skating began mid nineties. He lived in rural Florida, and only had his parents garage floor to skate on, as no other paved area was available on his farm.

The video clearly shows his spoken communication issues. I hope to add interesting bits to this thread over the next week. Including news items, and other autistics on youtube.

The ted talk is interesting in that it shows how minority outsiders affect the insider majority

**scissorhands** · 24th April 2013, 06:47

Autistics are often thought of in terms of their cold rational and lack of empathy or inability to exteriorise emotions.

The onion has a series of parodies around a character named Autistic Reporter Michael Falk

To many in the autistic community these are offensive, but I'm an apparently offensive person anyway's as I faux pas my way thru life, much like Michael Falk

**Akzle** · 24th April 2013, 07:00

should it still be called mental illness?

**scissorhands** · 24th April 2013, 07:16

Originally Posted by Akzle

should it still be called mental illness?

There are two types of people in this world
Those who know they are crazy
And those who dont
Relatively speaking
we all have crazy moments and do crazy things

when attending support group meetings at autismnz
I would say yes
as many were much lower functioning than I
lower functioning autitics often dislike the higher functioning
much like the poor dislike the rich
grouping all types together under the new DSM [disgnostic something manual] category of ASD
Autism Spectrum Disorder
and removing the term aspergers syndrome altogether
has offended many higher functioning types
much like the rich look down on the poor
much like the north shore being angry when the Auckland supercity formed

many people prefer the term 'difference'
the problem for most mild autistics
is other people and bullying

the mental illness industry is just that, an industry
big pharma makes 2 trillion a year
it would like more customers please

are you fucken crazy?
is thrown toward difference
as well as genuine mental illness
it is both
depending on the person
just as a 'normal' or neurotypical person
can be little mental

here are some signs to look for in others:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/signs.html wrote:

Possible "Red Flags"
Not respond to their name by 12 months of age
Not point at objects to show interest (point at an airplane flying over) by 14 months
Not play "pretend" games (pretend to "feed" a doll) by 18 months
Avoid eye contact and want to be alone
Have trouble understanding other people's feelings or talking about their own feelings
Have delayed speech and language skills
Repeat words or phrases over and over (echolalia)
Give unrelated answers to questions
Get upset by minor changes
Have obsessive interests
Flap their hands, rock their body, or spin in circles
Have unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel
Social Skills
Does not respond to name by 12 months of age
Avoids eye-contact
Prefers to play alone
Does not share interests with others
Only interacts to achieve a desired goal
Has flat or inappropriate facial expressions
Does not understand personal space boundaries
Avoids or resists physical contact
Is not comforted by others during distress
Has trouble understanding other people's feelings or talking about own feelings
Communication
Delayed speech and language skills
Repeats words or phrases over and over (echolalia)
Reverses pronouns (e.g., says "you" instead of "I")
Gives unrelated answers to questions
Does not point or respond to pointing
Uses few or no gestures (e.g., does not wave goodbye)
Talks in a flat, robot-like, or sing-song voice
Does not pretend in play (e.g., does not pretend to "feed" a doll)
Does not understand jokes, sarcasm, or teasing
Unusual Interests and Behaviors
Lines up toys or other objects
Plays with toys the same way every time
Likes parts of objects (e.g., wheels)
Is very organized
Gets upset by minor changes
Has obsessive interests
Has to follow certain routines
Flaps hands, rocks body, or spins self in circles
Other Symptoms
Hyperactivity (very active)
Impulsivity (acting without thinking)
Short attention span
Aggression
Causing self injury
Temper tantrums
Unusual eating and sleeping habits
Unusual mood or emotional reactions
Lack of fear or more fear than expected
Unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel

**Scuba_Steve** · 24th April 2013, 08:20

DAN BULL [Douglby]

**Hitcher** · 24th April 2013, 08:56

Autism covers a very broad spectrum. I believe that any of us is capable of demonstrating some form of autism under certain conditions.

My heart goes to parents with autistic children. That is truly hard work.

I once had the privilege to briefly work alongside American animal behaviour specialist Temple Grandin. I learned a lot about animal behaviour and gained some poignant insights into autism.

**yungatart** · 24th April 2013, 11:50

I work with several teenagers who are autistic.
They are very different from each other in their behaviours, pretty much like the rest of the human race really.

Looking at your list, I have displayed a heap of those symptoms too....

It all comes down to tolerating differences in people. It would be a boring old world if we were all the same

**scissorhands** · 24th April 2013, 12:09

Originally Posted by Hitcher

Autism covers a very broad spectrum. I believe that any of us is capable of demonstrating some form of autism under certain conditions.

My heart goes to parents with autistic children. That is truly hard work.

I once had the privilege to briefly work alongside American animal behaviour specialist Temple Grandin. I learned a lot about animal behaviour and gained some poignant insights into autism.

Thanks Hitcher, Temple Grandin has been such a good ambassador for autism.

I like the sombre melancholic mood of Dan Bulls song, encapsulating autistic malaise, thanks for the video. I believe much of the negative aspects of autism are due to societies reaction to an autistic, rather than purely authentic to higher functioning autism. Much like the problems of Maori, are societally imposed

In a herd, or group, dominant males will eject different others, as primordial urges to keep the herd strong by banishing the different or/or sick, to prevent them mating with females. Chimpanzees usually attack non member males. Two will hold the outsider down while the third chimp will beat the outsider to death. In nature, predators often keep the herd strong by killing the weak or those dozy and unwary. Such is natural balance.

In todays world, many mental [and physical] problems exist due to immigration allowing lonely males to find breeding mates from other culture's, females who want into the west, and will marry just to live in a better country. IE AsianRussian wives today

Many English settlers who came to NZ in the 1800's, could not find a wife in old blighty, and the lure of a native bride, as well as unhappy family relations at home, impelled them across the seas.

Many scientists and inventors have autism, as well as artists and musicians. Shamans and medicine men, many were/are probably autists, as well as priests and philosophers.

Nikola Tesla spent the last years of his life living in a cheap hotel and feeding the pigeons

Sir Isaac Newton died a virgin

Henry Ford the father of assembly lines and mass production

Bill Gates

Steve Jobs

Warren Buffet

Burt Monroe John Briton

Some current top All Blacks and league stars

Einstein etc etc

The below vid is a trailer about Clay Marzo's film 'Just Add Water. Tony Attwood is an Australian autism specialist and a higher functioning aspie himself

**scissorhands** · 24th April 2013, 12:16

Originally Posted by yungatart

I work with several teenagers who are autistic.
They are very different from each other in their behaviours, pretty much like the rest of the human race really.

Looking at your list, I have displayed a heap of those symptoms too....

It all comes down to tolerating differences in people. It would be a boring old world if we were all the same

They say if you've met one autistic, you've met one autistic.

I have never had a meltdown or been violent. I'm probably better behaved and less antisocial than most neurotypical males.

Most higher functioning types are quite different to classic lower functioning autisms that require constant care

I believe The DSM to have many errors, especially the grouping together of these different types.

The thread is struggling so I'll leave it here, thanks

**Banditbandit** · 24th April 2013, 14:51

Originally Posted by scissorhands

They say if you've met one autistic, you've met one autistic.

About right ...

I have never had a meltdown or been violent. I'm probably better behaved and less antisocial than most neurotypical males.

Been there - done that .. learnt to control it (just plain don't give a fuck any more - it's hard to get angry when you don't give a fuck ...)

Most higher functioning types are quite different to classic lower functioning autisms that require constant care

Yeah .. I can and prefer to function by myself .. helps my wife is a specialist on working with Aspergers people ...

I believe The DSM to have many errors, especially the grouping together of these different types.

Yeah .. I wonder about Torrettes ... I show some of those symptoms at times .. mainly twitching - hands, feet ... I can write off my foul mouth (which is worse than I write ) to "don't give a fuck" biker attitude ...

I met Tony Attwood once ... didn't have a think to say to him ...

**BOGAR** · 1st May 2013, 08:32

I must say even a mild form of Aspergers makes my life difficult at the least. People don’t know why you think the way you do especially when something is obvious to them. I know everyone has a world view or bubble that they see the world from and it is shaped from their experiences in life. It is always hard to see something from the view of someone else. I have destroyed a relationship because I could not always deal with the way life worked and I could not get my thoughts and feelings across. Worst of all I was told I was emotionless when I just couldn’t express what I was feeling and thinking. This is tearing me up inside and makes me start to hate myself. I respect the people who work with someone with a condition that makes them different in the worlds eyes.

**awa355** · 1st May 2013, 12:46

I have a 7 yr grandson who is autistic. He was not diagnosed untill aged two. It was the most heart breaking two years of everyones lives. Nana and grandad couldn't make out why he would scream at us and push us away from him, not calling us by our names, He totally rejected Judy which just broke her heart. She couldn't feed him or hold him.

It got to the stage where we dreaded seeing him. Now that he is older, he is a changed child. He still lives in his own world mostly, but interacts with all the family.

I read that dogs have a form of aspergers syndrome. I can similarities between my dogs behaviour patterns and my grandsons. ie a fixed plan associated with certain words or actions.

I worry about how the world will treat him as he grows into an adult. People wont see the same young man that his family do.

**scissorhands** · 1st May 2013, 14:58

Seeking to improve a level of functioning, or always trying harder, can make a big difference in some ones life. Many get resigned and negative, which can make matters worse all round, some autistic kids can be real hard work.

The people I have spoken with have been the autistic people and their views are peppered with things like:

they had no idea how much the background noise was making it difficult for me
no one knew it was autism till I was 11yrs old and by then...

France and some eastern block countries are so backward with support services, Canada and Scandinavia are very good, UK's not bad either.

Ashrams and temples normally house orphans and mentally ill, in the west the government makes tax payers pay. Villagers give what they can.

I believe a warning index should be prepared for couples planning to conceive.

But then half of the conceptions could be up for review, I see many toddlers in Aucks very close to the spectrum. Industrialised whitey is breeding himself out. End of the line if ya dont get some of the those healthy polynesian genes in ya! Modern lifestyles are quickening chronic conditions like arthritis asthma gastritis autism heart disease diabetes...............

get out of town