The Autism Problem

The Toronto Star has offered a concise, to the point, editorial on The Autism Problem. The factual context leading into the editorial is the situation faced by Susan Fentie-Pearce mother of a 14 year old autistic  boy "who has become increasingly violent -- pinching, kicking, biting and pulling her hair out." Ms. Susan Fentie-Pearce claims that she sought help from her elected Member of Parliament who allegedly suggested that she should have her son charged with assault so that a judge could "order him moved to the front of the line." for placement in a group home. The Star avoided the he said-she said argument and focused on the need to for Ontario to deal with the Autism Problem and increase funding for group homes and autism treatment.

The need for autism specific group homes, with autism trained staff and  centers or  "villages" designed to provide a decent life for the most severely affected by autism exists in most Canadian provinces including here in New Brunswick.  It is not really a choice. We can either continue to dump the most severely affected by autism disorders in psychiatric hospitals and prisons or we can provide a range of decent autism specific residential facilities to accommodate their needs when their parents no longer can.

It is not a question of whether tax payer dollars should be spent on early intervention, autism specific education, community centers to assist parents or adult residential facilities. Autistic persons need help across the life span.  If we do not address our minds, and dedicate adequate resources, as a society, to helping autistic youths and adults live in decent residential  facilities, if we simply throw them overboard in choppy waters of difficult economic times we are not humane.