Comparing a world without autism with the world today
Comparing a world without autism with the world today
EDITOR:
April is Autism Awareness month. Years ago, it was rare to even hear about autism. Now, the stories are everywhere, every day. Articles litter the news ranging from studies conducted to determine the causes of the fastest growing childhood disability to a handful of feel good success stories about a couple of individuals with autism. Sadly, at times there’ll be a story about a child who wandered off and drowned, or maybe one about a child who was out of control at school and got arrested. Once in a while stories of absolute tragedy and heartbreak emerge like when a mentally fragile caregiver has “snapped” and harmed or killed their affected loved one. Since 2009 began there have been two incidents of severely affected autistic adults beating their caregivers. Both caregivers died from their injuries. One man has been place indefinitely in a mental facility; the other awaits his fate in jail.
Where did all this autism come from? The official stance seems to be we are just better at diagnosing autism now. But we don’t know what causes it. Basically, just learn to live with it.
I was an education major at YSU back in the late ’80s. I never heard the word autism mentioned in any of my classes. I furthered my studies at Cleveland State in the early ’90s entering into special education. Through all of my classes, and field experiences, I never saw a child with autism, never even heard about one. One time while substitute teaching, I saw a child with severe autism. He ran into the classroom and began running in circles around a table banging an old dial style telephone on the center of the table. I observed him that day and was amazed by his condition. What I didn’t realize was in the future I would know his kind of “condition” very well. Autism came into my life. My son was diagnosed with autism when he was two years old.
What I have seen occur over the last decade with autism is nothing short of astounding. Where 20 years ago they weren’t even talking about autism in education classes, YSU now has an autism center. What happened?
Autism Centers are popping up all over the country. Autism has created many jobs by expanding the need for therapists and specially trained teachers. Autism has become big business. In February, I read a business article about the five autism stocks to watch. Pharma is banking on the continued growth in the use of five mood altering medications in managing the symptoms of autism. The last autism conference I attended I felt sick when I looked at all the “autism awareness” trinkets such as jewelry and car magnets being peddled. We might be hurting the economy if we figured out what causes autism and stopped it.
But, what people don’t seem to realize is the ultimate cost to society. The cost of lifetime care for an individual with autism is estimated to be between $3 million and $10 million. With a new case diagnosed every 20 minutes- where will that money come from? Sadly, I don’t think it is going to be there and I don’t know what is going to happen. When parents age and they can no longer care for their adult sized autistic children what will happen? Maybe the adult children will end up in jail or mental hospitals?
I’m worried about all this new found “autism awareness.” And, you should be too.
ANDREA KELLER
Canfield
Move on, Mr. Cheney
EDITOR
After reading Carl Leubsdorf’s March 20 column, I would like to say to our former vice president, Dick Cheney, move on and get a life. Your tenure is over.
We have a new administration, thank God, and I think that President Obama has accomplished more in his short tenure than Cheney’s administration did in two terms.
ARMAN ANSEVIN
Austintown