What's Your Opinion About Autism Speaks' "Know the Signs" Ads?
- No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter
- No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles, or other facial expressions by nine months or thereafter
- No babbling by 12 months
- No back-and-forth gestures, such as pointing, showing, reaching, or waving by 12 months
- No words by 16 months
- No two-word meaningful phrases (without imitating or repeating) by 24 months
- Any loss of speech or babbling or social skills at any age
One of the moms hosting the radio show noted that she certainly had met children with autism who didn't meet that description. I agreed. In fact, my own son would certainly not have met that description. He DID babble, interact, hug, smile, and speak. He didn't actively lose speech at any point. He did imitate and repeat phrases a great deal - but so do many typical children. In fact, had I used this description as a guideline when observing Tom, I would have been greatly relieved. I might well have put off seeking evaluation for another year or more!
Today, Autism Speaks announced that Starbucks will be putting "Know the Signs" on their cups:
Starbucks is now featuring special autism awareness cups as part of its “The Way I See It” program. The cups feature a message from Autism Speaks founder Bob Wright urging parents to learn the signs of autism and act early if they suspect their child is experiencing a developmental delay. The message appears on “venti” hot cups. The first one was spotted at a Starbucks on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, just two blocks from the Autism Speaks Los Angeles office. Look for it to appear in your local Starbucks soon.While I'm sure that this effort, like all of the awareness activity sponsored by Autism Speaks, is well-intentioned, I can't help but wonder about its effectiveness. Reading those "signs," will parents be unreasonably reassured? Unnecessarily worried?
And what about the last line in the message: "Early intervention could make a big difference in your child's future." Early intervention certainly is a good thing! But I find myself wondering whether the average parent will understand that sometimes it works... and sometimes it doesn't.
I know that ads really do need to be short and sweet ("Coke is it" remains one of the great taglines of all time!). But is this type of campaign useful - or does it create more problems than it solves? What's your opinion?
Comments
This campaign is absolutely essential. If I had been aware of it early on, my son could have been diagnosed six months earlier. I will live with that regret for the rest of my life. First Signs and Autism Speaks are doing a phenomenal job in getting the word out and I am incredibly thankful for that.
I do think that we do need to find a way to clarify that about 20% of autism cases are regressive in nature. Not sure how to do that. I know when I watched the Oprah show, it seemed to be a bit confusing as most of the panel had children who had a regressive form of autism. We need to find an effective way to get that part of the message out as well..
But Starbuck’s coffee cups and radio ads are absolutely helpful!
My 3 yr old nephew was recently diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, and he did not have any of these “signs”. So while getting the word out is commendable, a more thorough list should be put forth to the public — otherwise, like the author notes, one could be misled into not seeking an early diagnosis by relying on this list.
Any awareness raised is good awareness. I find there are so many parents and community people who have no idea about Autism or ASD’s.
As a mother of a 5 year old with autism, I cn say that she does not match this description word for word. For example, she definately smiles alot, and contrary to popular belief, she is affectionate with immediate family and her designated aide at preschool. And she uses some basic phrases such as “I want more”, “Let’s go park.” etc. They are limited to the extent that she only uses a few selective phrases, and not all too often, but she does use them. Anyhow, the signs listed above be suiting for some autistic individuals, but not all. I think it is really important to stress to people that this is a spectrum disorder, and that all individuals with autism are NOT exactly alike.
Autism Speaks generally doesn’t address- or fund much research on- the link between vaccine and environmental toxins, autism and other neurological disorders. This list of “signs” is limited because the list was formed based on the concept of autism as a somewhat static genetic disorder. Since poisoning can vary in level and timing, symptoms of neurological damage may differ widely. I agree that this list would be overly worrisome to some parents (since some children quite naturally speak later than 16 months) and overly reassuring to others.
And if the disorder is accurately identified- then what? Are early intervention therapists going to suck the mercury and chronic viral infections out of these children’s brains?
If by “early intervention”, Autism Speaks in any ways means “Early Intervention” the public program, I can attest that these therapists often attempt to indoctrinate parents from the get-go that “thimerosal doesn’t cause autism” and that “there’s no epidemic, just better recognition”, effectively “innoculating” parents against seeking information on alternative treatments which might help their children even more than behavioral modification. Behavior modification has its place, may even “rebuild pathways” as in stroke patients, but is not a cure in itself.
Hopefully if people get early help for their children, it won’t come along with unhelpful vaccine apologias and brainwashing.
The awareness should come with web address (not just AS) for people to get the whole story on symptoms, not just the ones they mention. This time the message is too short and very incomplete. Without refrences for people to go to for help or diagnoses or whatever pertains to the tidbit on the cup, what have they really done to help real people? Nothing! What have they done for AS another cudos, and for what? I noticed that AS doesn’t mention the reason AS was founded was because of their Grandson Christian and their daughter Katie, anymore. Interesting.
Lori
these are good signs, but focuses a lot on language skills. there is more to signs than lack of words. there should be within the signs: developmental delays, milestones not met, fixations to objects sensory issues, appearing to be deaf. smiling is often a reflex and not a good sign at all for autism. a lot of toddlers with autism do babble but never form language and babbling is a good sign a child with autism will one day learn language.
I also agree however awareness is awareness and these are signs, and although I have not always agrees with AS ad’s, it is awareness and it’s being put out there to the public
I remember when my son was first diagnosed several years ago, we referred to him as autistic and someone said:”Oh, he’s artistic, how nice”.
We’ve come a long way friends, and I embrace every commercial, every news article, every documentary that has the face of autism on it. How else will we spread the word,that research and awareness are paramount!
Believe me “first signs” were not invented in the last ten years. Nearly 20 years ago,the doctors at Yale Child Study invited me to have all of my children tested, when only one was diagnosed as “atypical”.
An ad campaign or messages on mugs cannot characterize every symptom, nor are they boasting to do so. Let’s consider them impetus to investigate.Parents should neither be encouraged nor discouraged, simply enlightened.
With Hope,
Resilientmom
Every child with autism is different and shows signs differently as well. ANY campaign is better than none at all. I wish these campaigns were out there when my son was diagnosed 1 1/2 years ago just before his 2nd birthday. Though we suspected something was wrong, perhaps seeing these campaigns would have led to an earlier diagnosis…and that is all one can hope for. Until we know more, early intervention is all we have. We need more campaigns, more exposure, and more media coverage.
I’d have to agree. signs are signs regeardless of thought causes. my child’s autism has nothing to do with Thimerosal or vaccines, but the signs were and still are the same.
not all children have mercury in their bodies.
this is about awareness to the signs of autism, not causes.
I think Autism Speaks generally is doing an outstanding job at raising autism awareness. The Starbucks initiative is another excellent awareness campaign by AS.
Not all autistic children will display ALL the signs on the Starbucks cup but they some will display many of those signs. And it is not possible on that type of product to produce essays setting out different nuances and perspectives on autism.
It is good that parents spot the signs early and take early action even if it is to be reassured that their initial concerns were unfounded then to have autistic children whose parents - and doctors - are not aware of the signs miss out on early diagnosis and intervention.
I haven’t heard of any intervention that is proven to be effective no matter how early in life it might take place. The only thing important about early detection is that a parent be interested enough that he will be aware of the personality of his child from an early age. Whatever the parent does for the child may or may not be beneficial, except that parental attention is good for any child.
A note to Judith…Honey, 6 months difference in diagnosis of your child won’t make or break his future, please don’t hold onto that guilt as regret for the rest of your life. Dwelling on “what if” will never help and only robs you of joy and energy you could be spending on your son!
I appreciate getting the word out about autism, but I’ve seen so many parents worried needlessly because of “checklists” like this. Autism is indeed a serious disorder, but I think the focus should be on pediatricians learning better screaning techniques they can use at well baby checkups. My child’s pediatrician told me “No way does she have autism” when I went in with my early intervention screening and request for help. He had no clue. She’s now 8-1/2 and still has autism!
It was the loss of words and the sudden turning inward that lead me to get an evaluation when my son was just past 2 (in 2003). However, looking back, at his 18 month visit the pediatrician mentioned his toe-walking, which is something that should be on the list, as well. Also, repetitive behaviors (opening and closing doors, flicking light switches) started around 15 months. Early intervention has done great things for my son (he’s HFA). I’m glad there is so much awareness now of Autism/ASD and hope that will make my son’s life easier as he grows up. I believe anything that gets the word out is a step in the right direction.
Awareness of autism is sorely lacking in our society so I commend Starbucks and AS for putting this forward. Like most first attempts, it’s less than perfect. Like Lisa Jo and many other parents I would have read that and thought “Well I don’t have to worry about autism then.” I’d prefer a short ad that says “Don’t Blow Off the Milestones” followed up by some of the most common signs like a child that doesn’t point, doesn’t bring things to you and doesn’t pretend play. This should be followed up with the name of a website “For More Information on the Signs of Autism.”
I really would like to see the awareness of autism and its first signs parallel society’s awareness of breast cancer and the possible meaning of a breast lump. When I found a lump in my breast and told my friends about it, they all told me to get it checked out right away. NO ONE said “Oh you’re needlessly worrying! I’m sure it’s just a cyst.” (It was a cyst, BTW.) When I told friends that I was concerned that my daughter wasn’t talking, almost EVERYONE said “Don’t judge you’re child by those milestones, I’m sure she’s fine.” Some public awareness may change this attitude. I don’t see the need to protect parents from “needlessly worrying”. It’s a small price to pay when the alternative may be not getting the child the help he/she needs.
Nancy, I’m curious….would you really have responded well to “Your daughter probably has autism…get it checked right away!”? I know many parents who have been alarmed by that type of response from well meaning family and friends. My son had no speech at 18 months and horrible tantrums. The pediatrician gave me the “wait and see..boys talk later..yada yada yada” but I knew something was off so I called Early Intervention. He had speech/language issues but no autism. My daughter is the one with autism even though boys are more likely than girls to have autism.
Parents need to trust their gut instincts and if they think there’s an issue with their childs development, get it checked regardless of “what everyone thinks”
My daughter has severe autism which she talked and then quit talking after she received MMR shots. We have her on video… There are other signs of autism like rocking on the sofa consistently, lining up items (toys), eating certain foods, up at night, banging their head on the wall, only drinking water, eating just chicken nuggets, french fries, (chuncky foods) pretzels etc…. She now speaks but does what is called movie talk in between speaking to us…. She will receit from cartoons… She screams from too much noises.. LIke in the stores… Too much sensory over load.
Kathy,
Just because you asked: I would be a little taken aback if someone said “Well your daughter probably has autism”, just as I would be if a friend said “We’ll I think you have breast cancer.” I would have apprecaited it if someone said “We’ll you probably should trust your instincts so get it checked out. If there is something wrong the earlier you find out the better.” I got it checked out in spite of what people said. When there was a 6 months wait for a developmental pediatrican and the speech therapist said my daughter didn’t have autism, I didn’t push it as I probably should have. Your advice to trust your instincts is good, but when we’re feeling alone and vulnerable sometimes that’s hard to do. Some public awareness may help give a mother’s intuition some support.
Haven’t seen the ads yet, no tv, just my son’s videos- Increase in awareness is a NECESSITY. Life is hard enough without those looks. He is 7 and wonderous to behold, when he is not melting down due to sensory issues.
Once again, Autism Speaks takes the work of another organization without giving credit. Will it ever end?
First signs should be credited.
AS does give credit on their website to First Signs. maybe First Signs wanted it that way, the focus being more on the signs than where they obtained the info from. but AS does give them credit.
Nancy, Thanks for your reply! This is exactly why it’s so important for pediatricians to have a basic knowledge and understanding of how to do a simple check for autism, like the CHAT test. They can point the way to early intervention and help you start the ball rolling. You shouldn’t have to wait months to take any sort of action when you’re concerned.
Many parents don’t even realize that early intervention is available without a doctor’s referral. Your local school districts special education department will have the contact information in your area. It’s almost always free as well.
I’m just not sure it’s worth the hurt that it causes. I think that parents are hyper-aware of their childrens’ developmental milestones. A more useful campaign might be one that would give parents the phrases to counter-attack against their school principal, who will be too concerned with budgets to serve their child. I know quite a few adults wth autism who happen to love coffee, and I don’t know that anyone needs to read a litany of their faults every time they go to Starbucks. And that’s my other issue; that the media and general public seem to think autism goes away after childhood.
I should list my creds - I am the mom of a 23-year-old man with autism. He lives with several other men and a housedad, and they run a workshop where they build birdhouses for a living. They allow me to volunteer there once a week and it is fun!! I also sit on the board of directors of the Maine Autism Society.
I would love to see a campaign to help to create more schools specialized in autism and research.
The good schools are only for the privileged. Never thought in my life my family would become second-class-citizens.
We work very hard to sustain our family. Paid our taxes, Donate to the Red Cross. But unfortunately the district has denied placement for our with the excuse that all the school are full already.
Any ideas for a campaign?
Not true. My son went to private school for preschool, and then again from the age of 9. The problem is the number of failures the student has to have under their belt before the school district will tuition them out. Best bet is to see a lawyer so that you can cite chapter and verse the law that says your child can go, and do not let up even if it means being a meanie. Also call your state autism society. In Maine, we have trained workers who will attend all meetings with you, free of charge, to stick up for you.
I don’t agree.Our son Patric is autistic.He was developing on on time.The only thing he did’nt do was crawl.He rolled around instead.He was diganosed at age three with autism.He does smile,and shows much affection towards his siblings,his father and my self.He communicates really well.He’s eleven now.It’s good that word is being spread around about autism however it should be the correct word.First off autism can be diganosed at any age.Read the USA today newspaper dated 7/23/2007 it talks about Asperger’s Syndrome another form of autism.Any levelof autism on the ASD(Autism Spectrim Disorder)chart can be diganosed at any age.Also most autistic children do show love and affection and happiness.They do smile and laugh and have fun.Our son Patric does and he was diganosed with classic autism and brother does too he has Pervasive Developmental Disorder(P.D.D.)another form of autism.So the facts need to be correct-no two autistic people are alike their all unique in their own ways.With care,Bonnie Thorson of Morley,Michigan
I am a Special Ed teacher who has worked with children w/autism and have a 11 month old child & am constantly worried about autism. Is it needless worry? Possibly, but it seems too soon to tell based on parent anecdotes of children w/autism that I see on these sites. I do think these First Signs are beneficial, however, I think they also cause some needless worry in parents who may not have need to worry. That being said, I still think it’s better to have some early warning signs so that children can be diagnosed earlier, even if these signs do not fit all children. I hear many parents commenting that their children did not have these First Signs, but I can’t help but think that parents had to observe some “signs” that caused concern and prompted a developmental evaluation of their child.
when my child was born, there was no talk of autism and not in any baby book I ever read. for many parents like myself who did see early signs, I might have considered it being something than just listening to “all babies do that”. I wouldn’t have over-worried, parents tend to worry anyway but it may have helped the ’shock factor’ at age 3. sensory issues should also be listed in signs, some kids show them early and my child did as an infant. my baby never had the startle affect and still doesn’t. my baby never cried except for at night or as a result of sensory things. but the key is the word debilitating. how does one gage that in an infant? as a child becomes a toddler, that’s where yo see it more so and that’s what autism is based on in many area’s. some autism is not as debilitating as other’s autism.
as for educational topics, that is more a State- Government area. there is no real public awareness for that than to do so within your own state. all states are different as are the school districts. a general national ad wont hardly help unless it’s a presidential election year maybe, and even them State laws have to be acknowledged.
While it’s not perfect, this campaign is needed- I am a musician in Texas and during my shows, I frequently bring up the fact the my 14yr old son is an Aspie and I talk about Autism Awareness and put info flyers out - I am constantly surprised at the number of people who don’t know ANY of the characteristics of Autism. It’s a good way to get discussions started- my son didn’t ever lose speech, and he’s incredibly affectionate w/ a great sense of humor- but he does have odd eye contact and social interaction, very formal speech and sensitivity issues ( esp w/touch). He wasn’t diagnosed until age 9 because he was making great scores on his academic tests- and the educators at his school actually discouraged me from having him “Labled” despite his clear lack of friends and the fact that he was hiding under his desk in third grade- Had I been in an environment where Autism was even discussed I may have gotten him earlier intervention and found the support I needed. Fortunantly, things are changing rapidly—- all of you are remarkable for being part of that change-
I think the ads are definitely helpful- to open-minded people. There will always be those who say “Not MY child!” Being a teacher I recognized these problems in my son before he was one but wasn’t sure if it was autism, and our doctor was no help. I had to push for testing at the 18m checkup. Had these ads been out I don’t think I would have doubted myself and my boy could have gotten help sooner. Big believer in the ads!
Kacky, I live in Maine and I am interested in advocates who are free of charge. I have had to pay a lawyer and an advocate to get what my son needs just for Kindergarten. I looked everywhere and talked to a lot of people, and no one knew of any other advocates. Thanks!
My five year old son was diagnosed with PDD-NOS and did not have any of the symptoms Autism Speaks lists. What happened to poor eye contact, fixation, lack of inhibition, and echolalia? I think this list is more misleading than helpful!
Part of what delayed my son’s diagnosis were cut-and-dry descriptions of what autism looks like, such as these, that he did not fit. “Children with autism do not form attachments” is the one I recall best, because my thought was, ok, well, he’s attached to me, I know he loves me, so he can’t have autism! Uh…wrong. My niece and I were the ONLY ones he was attached to, but see, the criteria I was looking at didn’t have any room for a grey area, so instead of a diagnosis at 22 months, we waited until he was almost 3 to have him evaled. EI gave him the chances he would never have had otherwise.
I agree that this is misleading for the PDD and Asperger kids which are often harder to diagnose because they are not classically autistic.
It should mention:
a) lack of desire/refusal to play with other children from age 2.5 on
b)toe-walking
c) not being able to follow a finger pointed at an object at age 2.5 or not pointing at objects and asking what’s that by age 2.5
d)Not responding to conversation, such as not answering when his or her name is called and not looking at the caller either
e) not stopping or asking why you have stopped when the parent stops while walking( age 3+).
f)Hugging other people’s mothers- being very affectionate to strangers- from age 2.5 on.
g) At age 2.5-3 not asking the incessant why question.
For the so-called high-functioning and PDD kids these more subtle missing milestones and signs of needs for OT like an inability to jump, run, stack blocks, etc. may be indicative of a developmental disorder.
The problem is the pediatricians- shot docs. They spend No time with the child and really don’t listen to the parents. They think they know what autistic spectrum looks like but they don’t. I think that if your child is missing any of the important milestones of development you may as well sign up for a visit with a neuro-developmental pediatrician, as it takes about 8 months to get the appointment. You can always cancel it later if the child catches up.
I think the concept is great. The actual list of what to look for is not accurate. My son has the biggest smile and is always laughing. I put off diagnosis by 6 months because of this. It also doesn’t mention eye contact. Last, they don’t describe what they mean by social skills. Many peope are not aware of what social skills a one year old is expected to have.
I already left a comment here however I have a few more things to say.Our son Patric and my brother Nick also do make eye contact.Once in a while though with our son Patric he doesn’t.Also like I already stated each autistic person is unique in their own ways.Most autistic people do show love,affection,happiness,they smile and laugh.Our son Patric does this and so does my brother.Like I told people in the past and I will continue to tell people-our son and my brother are no different then you or I they just have a special need.As the founder of the Mecosta County Autism Support Group,and being that I am going to be attending college to be a psychiatrist for people with autism,I feel knowledge and awarness are very important.However the facts must be correct.At any age you can be diganosed with any of the ASD’s(Autism Spectrim Disorders).Like I said no two autistic persons are alike their all unique in their own ways.With care,Bonnie Thorson of Morley,Michigan
Karen, call 1-800-273-5200 or http://www.asmonline.org. Tell them you met Kathy Williamson online and you’d like to have an Information Specialist.
I agree all our children are different and have showed so many different signs. Awareness is awareness but more help is needed for so many children. I feel that awareness is SO IMPORTANT. But when my son stop meeting milestones i hit the computer and researched over and over again awareness is out there.
NOW WE NEED HELP WITH THE RIGHT SCHOOL AND THEREAPY.
My comment that they should put school advice on coffee cups was purely rhetorical. I was just trying to make a point. If a parent is going to be in denial, these signs will fall on deaf ears. If a parent is going to be a worrier, they will see signs even where there are none. Most of us fall somewhere in between. I am one of the ones who started to raise alarms before the one year mark and I was not listened to until he was almost two. That was 1985 and there were no therapies, but at least he did get into school while still a baby.
The more people know about Autism the better understanding they will have for our children with Autism. I think the best gift and help we can give to our children with Autism is for our families, friends and the community to be accepting and to have patience and welcome them into our everyday lives. Let us make sure that our children with Autism experience life fully and at the same we can draw from them the virtues of honesty and love that all of them give us everyday unequivocally.
It is my “personal” opinion that we are now putting too much emphasis on early diagnosis and interventions, which while is proven to be helpful, I believe there is a HUGE lack of services available for those already diagnosed. Just my thoughts!
I think awareness is so important for the public. Early intervention is the key to helping families and their children to living in a healthy world.
Children with ASD/PDD-NOS need the public to be more sympathetic and understanding towards the techniques and order applied to the children in their daily life. Families and friends have worked very hard in their homes to give their children better lives and skills.
It is very difficult to take these children out of their unique surroundings and bring them out into the public where sensory issues maybe a factor and people that that are ignorant towards the condition the person with Autism faces.
I believe that there is not enough information for the public out in focus so that the public can be more sympathetic towards a family that faces the devotion and patience needed to raise a child with special needs through Autism Spectrum Disorder/Pervasive Development Disorder.
I am a parent that faces criticism and would like to have pamphlets readily available while attending grocery shopping, walks, parks and the list goes on!
Continuing to be a strong advocate for my child.
I think the campaign is a great idea, though I think the final sign should be “trust your parental instincts: if you think there might be something different about your child, there probably is.”
Love what you put Dee Gorden. We need awareness to the fact that for our children they need alittle more understanding and compation in public places. I purchuse these cards that states my child has autism so forth and so on but have never used them. I just feel that my child deserves respect and understanding and i am not going to explain anything to so that does not seem to care less. But to those that so compation for the situation i do chat with and some time let them know that public places are hard for us
I’m most likely an Aspie (not dx’ed — the mental health professionals I turned to for help adamantly REFUSED to make a diagnosis of anything at all). And don’t worry, I’m not part of the “neurodiversity” crowd that looks at autism through rose-colored glasses — AS has ruined my life, and I don’t celebrate it. Anyway, I fully agree with Kristy. Finding a cure for autism is fine, but organizations like CAN and Autism Speaks are putting all of their attention exclusively on finding a cure, at the expense of trying to help those people who are already autistic and their families. There are a lot of autistic adults out there who need help and are not getting any.
I’d like to take that hot cup of coffee and pour it on my ex-pediatrician. We confronted her, about not making a diagnosis of autism, rather she prescribed strict time-outs for bad behavior. And for mixing up our kids vaccines. And refusing to put up a warning signs flyer in the waiting room. She told us it was not her responsibility to make that diagnosis. She did not want to upset parents. There are never too many warnings when it comes to autism.
1) Behaivor analysis (aka behavior modification) does not propose to be a cure.
2) Any information getting the word out is good. Kudos to Starbucks.
3) Pediatricians rarely make functional, evidence based recommendations on how to handle behavior. They are Medical Doctors not Behavioral Doctors.
4)If you’re concerned your child has an ASD but is not diagnosed, there are still excellent resources available to begin early intervention (Catherine Maurice’s book, for example).
Andrew Houvouras
This is soooo hard. My son had some of these at that age, not all. But is that really the point?
No, it’s awareness. I had NO idea that this could be in the realm of possibility for him until he was 16 months old and I read a quickie “red flags of autism” note in Parents Magazine. Reading the questions “does he flap at ceiling fans?” and “does he not respond to his name at 12 months?” floored me. Although I railed against this label for him for another two years, having my eyes opened in this manner compelled me to seek early intervention for him.
So yes, I think it’s a good idea — even though I would’ve said it wasn’t at the time.
And can I say just one thing about all the people who seem so upset about AS and CAN not doing enough for people with ASD now, but rather putting all their emphasis into research?
Are you serious? The Autism Society of America’s state and local chapters have done an amazing job of leading advocacy efforts as well as providing local support for families with affected children. Why reinvent that wheel?
And how can you not want better treatments for your children or loved ones in the near future? How can that not be a huge wish for you?
Finally, it was through the combined efforts of the Autism Society of America and Autism Speaks and Cure Autism Now that got federal legislation passed this year for the Combating Autism Act — to do that very thing you’re so focused on — helping our kids NOW with funding.
So I really am not understanding your gripe.
I think it is great, but have yet to see a cup at one of the 15 starbucks we have in Stokcton/Lodi CA area.
My son has just been diagnosed with an autism spectrum condition(still waiting for an official diagnosis). While we knew that he had a speech delay, we thought he did NOT have autism. It is because of lists like these, that I thought he couldn’t have autism. Most of these do not apply to him. I think the information is misleading and that some parents may be unnecessarily relieved - like myself.
Forgot to say, my son is 5 and is just now being diagnosed, even though he can hardly communicate at all. The only thing on the list that fits him is the “no two word meaningful phrases…”
I’ve very, very glad that Autism is receiving more attention. However, it feels as low functioning Autism is receiving more attention than high functioning. Autism is a spectrum disorder, and these signs lean more to the lower end of the spectrum. I wish they would educate more about Asperger’s and High Functioning as well.
Not that I don’t know about Autism and how it affects an entire family, but…
I’ve been wondering about these radio spots myself.
Is their ultimate message that if you knew _really_ early on, that you could abort your autism-bound baby? Abortion would be the ultimate “early intervention.” Think of all the grief that would be avoided.
It seems to me that one would have to be pretty unobservant or uncaring to NOT notice that a child was laying quietly around most of the time. And what does it say about the pediatrician who wouldn’t notice signs?
Perhaps the ultimate goal of the campaign is to get more govt. $$$ for research and that those who would benefit from that are behind it.
The pink ribbons for breast cancer had their high point in Oct. 2007. Autism could be the next condition to get a big push.
I have met folks from Autism Speaks and I expressed my concern about how they feel about adults living with Autism. If you look at their website, there is not much for adults. As a professional in the field and someone who lives with autism on a daily basis, I challenge AS to seek alternative resources for adults.