Autism Reality: Autism Is A Disorder

Bruise from injury suffered trying to prevent my son from injuring himself

There are few mainstream media outlets that provide reality based accounts of autism.  Feel good stories and Rain Main stereotypes abound.  I have tried to present a reality based picture of autism disorders including emphasizing the fact that Autistic Disorder and the other PDD's now referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder are exactly that ... disorders. I was pleased to be interviewed recently as part of a brief article by the National Post which tried to at least dispel some of the myths about autism a disorder which interferes with the everyday life of those who suffer from it.

Autism is a disorder which impairs daily functioning abilities of autistic persons. If a person does not suffer any substantial impairment or limitation in their daily functioning abilities they should not be referred to as autistic, they should not call themselves "auties" or "autistics" and they should not misrepresent themselves to the world as being entitled to speak on behalf of persons with autism disorders, particularly those with severe autistic disorder.  Parents of autistic children face enough challenges without having to deal with myths generated by those who have no real knowledge of what it means to be severely autistic. 

In   Wellbeing: Tuning in to the realities of autism  Melissa Leong  and the National Post interview Suzanne Lanthier of Autism Speaks Canada about some of the myths generated about  autism disorders and the Rain Man stereotype which still dominate mainstream media autism accounts. It would take a series of lengthy, in depth analysis to cover all autism myths adequately. This short article only highlights briefly some of the myths but it does attempt to speak to some of  the realities of autism disorders.   Ms Leong interviewed me for the article and includes my  brief account of my son's  mid January, middle of the night, meltdown where he bit me on the bicep while I tried to grab his arm to prevent himself from hitting himself in the face and head.

My son Conor is a smiling, happy boy who is a lot of fun to be with ...  in him I find great joy  .... but not in his autistic disorder .... not in the disorder which limits his life, and occasionally causes him to injure himself and, even more rarely, those who love him.

Autism is a disorder and its harsher realities are not pretty.