Washington Post Breaks Taboo and Reports Honestly on Autism and Aggression

The Washington Post reports on aggression and autism in an article curiously titled In Va. assault case, anxious parents recognize 'dark side of autism'.  I call it curious because many parents of autistic children have dealt for many years with the impulsive aggression that can accompany autism. It is in fact the big mainstream media that has been reluctant to talk about this negative autism reality. The glorification of autism disorders plays out constantly in the mainstream media which focuses on autism feats or the "self" advocacy of  a few very high functioning autistic persons.  The WP deserves credit for reporting this story straight up and for offering some parent perspective of this harsher reality of autism disorders in its coverage of the assault trial of a young with Aspergers:

The cause of autism - a complex developmental disability that affects a person's ability to communicate and interact with others - remains the subject of heated debate. What's not in dispute is the soaring number of children found to have the disorder. In 1985, autism had been diagnosed in one out of 2,500 people in the United States; now the rate is one in 110.

Champion said parents are just beginning to acknowledge what she calls the "dark side of autism," their children's capacity for aggression when they are frustrated, angry or overstimulated. Her son recently hit his attendant and attacked his father in front of a movie theater. Other parents describe scary episodes of biting, kicking and hitting.

It's not easy to talk about children lashing out, Champion said. But it's necessary because many are getting older and bigger and yearn for more independence, which leads to private struggles becoming public.

During Latson's three-day trial, no one disputed that he assaulted a Stafford deputy one morning in May. The deputy was bleeding so profusely that responding officers thought he had been shot.

But why Latson - who has Asperger's syndrome, a relatively mild form of autism - did it and whether he could have stopped himself played a central role in his defense and has engaged the sympathy of parents in the Washington region and beyond."

When my 6 foot, 15 year old son with Autistic Disorder and profound developmental delays has a difficult time he will lash out ...  at himself.  In a recent mid night incident he could not stop hitting his face and head.  I tried, unsuccessfully to stop him by using words, distraction and diversion.  When I felt it necessary to grab his harms to stop him from hitting himself Conor lunged forward biting my arm.  Such actions are rare for Conor and I have no doubt that he did not wish to harm me. There is also no doubt that his actions are a feature of his Autistic Disorder a mental health disorder.  Those who pretend otherwise are denying reality. 

I believe that refusing to acknowledge these harsher realities of autism disorders does a disservice to all those who suffer from them.

Read more »

"Take My Son" Severe Autism, Disrupted Families, and Difficult Choices

"When police officers finished binding her son Colin's hands and feet, they turned to Teresa Abernethy and asked what she wanted them to do with him. .... Teresa knew the answer but was surprised to hear herself say it: Take my son."

Parents with severely autistic children, usually sons, with self injurious behavior and aggressive responses toward those who care for them should read the Arizona Republic article Phoenix family makes painful choice due to son's autism by John Faherty. It portrays honestly the heart wrenching realities faced by the Abernethy family which could no longer endure the violence and disruption visited upon their family by the severely autistic son they  loved.

"As he grew older, Colin's outbursts were becoming more common and more violent. And they were usually directed at his mother. "He was such an imposing figure," Teresa, 42, said. When Colin was at school, there was respite for Teresa, but it was temporary. "The bus delivered him to the front door every day. He would come home, and I would be petrified."Some days he would run into the home, drop his book bag and start hitting her.

"Living with Colin was like living with an abusive spouse," Teresa said. "You never knew what was going to set him off." Colin's doctor, Dr. Kevin Berger, told her it was common for someone like Colin to lash out at the person he is most comfortable with. Teresa wore long-sleeved shirts to hide her bruises and bite marks, but she knew Colin's behavior was beginning to damage her entire family, something she and her husband had vowed would never happen."

The Arizona Republic and reporter John Faherty deserve high marks  for breaking through the usual mainstream media obsessions with a few exceptional and high functioning autistic persons and portraying honestly the heart wrenching realities that severe autism can impose on a family and their loved one who suffers from it. The Abernethy family deserve applause for their courage in talking honestly about the son and brother they love so dearly.  To the Arizona Republic and to the Abernethy family this father of a severely autistic, soon to be 15 years old,  son says thank you. 

Read more »

Autism, Self Injury and Aggression

"I had no patience with good and decent colleagues who told me how busy they were. Busy? Try spending an evening sitting in a closet with your back to the door trying to hold it shut while your child kicks it in."


"Sky, as he always does, showed me the way. Even on the worst of days, Sky would find something to enjoy, even if it lasted less than 30 seconds ... So I started to look for my joy."


- Gertrude "Trudy" Steuernagel

The above quotes are from an AP article on the death of Professor Gertrude "Trudy" Steuernagel, who died a week after a severe beating and whose autistic son is now charged with attempted murder. Professor Steuernagel, according to the AP and other reports, was devoted to her son and found great joy in him. But she wrote openly about the challenges of caring for an autistic child; challenges which can include serious self injury and aggression towards others, including loved ones.

It is possible that Neurodiversity ideologues Ari Ne'eman, Estee Klar and Kristina Chew have never experienced the darker side of autism realities. Ari, a person with Aspergers, does not seem very prone to aggression, judging by his media interviews and internet videos. Estee and Kristina may not have experienced these harsher autism realities in their autistic children. But for many they are real.

My son Conor brings me great joy but sometimes he injures himself. And sometimes he is aggressive to others including family members. I do not believe he intends to cause harm. At times he is just overwhelmed and grabs hair or pinches faces. These are realities that it does no good to ignore.

The QSAC Clinical Blog (Quality Services for the Autism Community) has a blog feature on the Challenge of Changing Self-Injurious Behaviors in Autism. I encourage everyone, including Ari, Estee and Kristina, to read this article by Dr. Francisco Monegro. Dr. Monegro provides an objective, professional review of the studies which have examined the self injurious behaviors and the treatment options available to address them.

Ignoring these challenges serves no useful purpose. Those of us who are parents of autistic children should discuss these issues openly .... because we love them.

autism

Read more »