When Autism Becomes a Political Football, Whose Interests Are Served?
Mr. McCain referred to "precious children" with autism, and suggested that Sarah Palin would be a strong supporter of parents of autistic children (presumably because she has a child with Down syndrome). Mr. Obama described plans to increase funding for autism research and implied support for increased funding for special education (though he made no particular mention of how or whether special education might be reformed or improved).
Personally, I feel that autism has become a political buzzword - and I can't say I like it. I don't want my "precious child" to be a political football; I don't want to select a president on the basis of not-yet-budgeted funding for not-yet-defined autism research; and I don't believe that increasing funding for poorly managed educational programs will improve my child's chances for success.
In fact, knowing that my adorable baby boy is now 12 - and will be 21 all too soon - I find it a bit distressing that both candidates are thinking of autism as a childhood disorder. Even if a new president really followed through on the plans described tonight, my son - and many other sons and daughters - will be too old to enjoy the benefits.
And though I do speak as an "autism mom," I am also the mom of a typically developing child. I am the proprietor of a small business. I'm a healthcare consumer, an investor, and member of more than one environmental organization. I worry about my own retirement, my children's college, and our ability to heat our home. I am not an "autism voter," and I don't intend to be.
Certainly the autism community deserves a place at the table. But I personally will not be casting a vote based on the number of times a candidate mentions the "a" word.
Comments
I have to agree with you. I feel it’s a hot topic, so why not bring it up to gain a vote? But would we see any progress in this? And besides that, I believe most people wouldn’t want a Gov funded research anyway. I about threw up when it was mentioned the whole community and would ‘embrace’ this. Obviously one candidate hasn’t been well informed on public opinion in this area. One did bring up a good point, at how a program was started but not well attended to but what does it all matter if we’re kicked out of where we live? Cant afford gas for our cars or heat for our houses? I believe services wont be too forth coming until the worlds issues are settled. Schools are going to have those same heating and gas issues as we do.
My mom called me right away when she heard that “A” word. I had never heard Palin’s child had autism and my mom was furious about this. I don’t really like the lumped together special needs. A parent whose child has a different disorder may never understand what we go threw when it comes to autism. You know it’s one thing when we’re just parents, not knowing a disability until we have a child born with one however it’s different when you’re a political figure and the state you live in lacks in services for years for those special needs kids as well as those with autism. As that figure, you’re suppose to be for All People and pay attention to those around you even if you don’t experience it with in your own family. And you’re right, our kids will grow up one day. What about those and the adults who need assisted living?
I wont vote only due to the topic being brought up, I think the countries main focus right now is many more pressing issues that could make having a child with autism even worse.
I am LIVID that Palin is being touted as some special needs heroine when she cut funding in her own state by 60%.
And as the mother of an autistic daughter, I know exactly why McCain opted to drop the “A bomb” 4 times….because autism affects 1 in 150 children & DS affects 1 in 8000 — so we are a much better demographic.
I am an infuriated demographic & I will be voted for Obama after over 20 years as a Republican. And by the way, I am also the mother of a Marine who has served 2 deployments in Iraq. Sarah Palin does NOT speak for me.
Amen!
As a mother of a infant with DS I did a lot of reading about Sarah Palin’s record on special needs. Not impressed, nor are either one of us experts on DS. Five months does not make either one of us experts. Even though I wanted it to be so, I believe the accusation about her decreasing funding by 60% has been debunked. My understanding is she moved a big line item program to a different budget area so the overall number went down. But she slightly increased funding for special needs. You can do a little more research about this issue. Nevertheless, she is not an expert on either DS or autism, and she doesn’t speak for me either.
Re: the autism issue
I also thought McCain’s comment about autism was strange. It turns out that a child with Down Syndrome is 10x more likely to also present with autism than the general population. Sarah Palin’s sister also apparently has a child with autism. It would have made McCain sound less schizophrenic if he had actually explained this link between autism and downs, however. The way it happened, it sounded like pandering for votes from parents of autistic children, and/or mcCain having a senior moment.
Regardless, for McCain to portray Sarah Palin as someone who knows “better than most” about autism is laughable. Read some of the comments from parents of autistic children on this board for confirmation.
On the one hand, I don’t think such a comment like the one made by Denis Leary should be ignored. On the other hand, his primary motive looks to be selling some books. I do know that traffic to my website soars everytime some bonehead make this kind of statement.
I get the impression that Obama may have been abit in contact with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, I believe I heard somewhere that he had been involved in disability rights which ASAN definitely appears very much involved with.
But I dunno.
I would like to point out that on Sen. Obama’s website he addresses the issue of autism and talks about more than just early intervention. He speaks about the need for life-long resources and services. That matters to me as the mother of a teenager with autism. He also actually has a plan for addressing the epidemic rise in autism. Sen. McCain’s site — no so much.
I also do not like the way the whole autism topic was brought up, and that was done by Sen. McCain. I felt like it was just a play on the emotions of parents of special needs kids for the sake of votes. I also think Sen. Obama is right about funding for research. Without funding, talk is just talk, and he has a plan for putting together a commission to look at how and what should be funded.
As for Sarah Palin. She may be an nice enough person, but she is not an expert on autism, and until she has been at it a bit longer than six months, she isn’t an expert on being a special needs mom either. I wasn’t when my child was a baby. She has no idea yet what changes there are going to be in her life. Maybe this child is going to bring lots of changes in the way she looks at things. Mine did that for me.
Until they are seriosly discussing concrete proposals to improve things for not only children with autism but also all special needs children and adults, I think politicians should leave them out of political debates when the purpose is just a ploy to maybe rescue a few votes for a candidate that is behind in the polls.
Sarah Palin raised the funding for special needs kids in her education budget, that has been debunked by fact check. org. Also, her nephew has autism so she is probably more apt to do something about it than someone else.
From what I know about Obama, he watched his father-in-law struggle with a disability as an adult, so I don’t think he views autism as simply a childhood disorder. In addition, I noticed that he mentioned the word “autism” in response to McCain, but he was quick to say “all disabilities” need help. Yes, my son has autism, and I want politicians to care and help, but I liked that Obama didn’t single out one disability because all of them matter. In addition, I was glad that autism was mentioned, but I know that although I have a son with autism, it definitely does not make me an expert on Down Syndrome or other disorders. I appreciated autism being mentioned, but I’m not going to vote for McCain just because he mentioned it, or believe that Sarah Palin “understands” exactly what my husband, I, and my son go through on a daily basis.
I am the mother of a low functioning autistic son. I revel in the fact that the canadates are talking about the issue. Sarah Palin has made special needs part of her top 3 priorities if she’s veep. Last night McCain said we have to find out why the autism rate is skyrocketing. Look I can understand if you don’t believe in the Republican platform it may not change your vote, but if your on the fence…and a parent of an autistic child…I think the lean would be towards McCain.
Regardless of who claims what about what they are going to do about autism for political gain, I believe ultimately we are own with our children affected by autism. It is us who is going to have to continue to advocate, educate, and facilitate what therapies, treatments, and education our children will receive. So although autism and everything that comes/goes along with it is a huge part of my life because both of my boys are affected, I am not going to rely on even the President of the United States or anyone else to do much regarding this cause. I am not saying I am against any support toward autism, I just will not rely. There are so many huge issues that affect everyone.
Regarding Sharon’s comment about a schizophrenic John McCain response, I am appalled. Regardless of whether or not you believe Mr McCain should be president, I think you owe him a little more respect for what he has done for our country. I do not think schizophrenia should be made lite of either.
All I have to say is. Before I cast , What I like to call my pre vote, I went all all the candidates sites to look for anything about special needs and only on Hilliary Clinton was one sentence Now here is a mom with a beautiful baby boy and wants to help parents like her. As a parent of an Asperger’s boy I will take any help. I think we tend to over think and for good reason, assume that many politicians use special needs as a ploy. But this mom is living our lives. She didn’t ask or plan her boy’s special needs but she is doing the best she can. Just like the rest of us. So I say lets give her the benefit of doubt. We do need help with more programs and any help is better than no help. Just remember she is living our lives’s too. If anything she deserves our support like any other parent of special needs. I know I don’t get alot of support from parents that have kids without special needs so I will not turn my back on a parent that is walking in my shoe’s.
P.S.
Lets not let our political views color our views. Remember this is America and we all have a right to vote however we want without being bashed by the other side. We do have bond. We are the loving parent’s of very special kids. We our own group.
Thank you mvsdmom (something like that) for bringing up the fact that McCain brought up finding out basically what is causing autism because that is what ultimately needs to be sought out for effectiveness regarding treatment and prevention. I’m sure McCain can somewhat empathize with autism in the sense it does need advocacy. For example, brings out that fact that Palin is only tolerant of gay marriages and showed a short excerpt of her saying that, but neglected to mention that Biden or show the part where Palin said that her and Biden share the same opinion regarding this issue. And McCain too has people characterizing him as schizophrenic.(But hopefully just the one individual on this blog)
I think that autism being mentioned in a presidential debate is great. At least politicians are now beginning to realize what a huge issue this is. As for Sarah Palin, the fact that she has a nephew who has autism and a newborn with downs should definitely make her more sympathetic to the issues families of special needs children face. I think McCain’s right about vouchers and giving parents choices. I live in Florida and children w/ special needs can receive a McKay scholarship if they are not satisfied with the public school they are attending. They can use this scholarship to the attend the school of their parents choice. Competition between schools is a good thing.
Commentary on Children with Special Needs and the Election:
Who can be our advocate?
by Robert A. Naseef
All of the candidates are talking about disability advocacy, but what have any of them actually done? As the father of a son with autism and as a professional in the field, I have a responsibility to my own children and to the families that I impact to help define and advocate for what helps families in this situation.
What is it really like down in the trenches? Children with special needs are endearing and loveable while simultaneously draining their parents to unfathomable lengths. As a psychologist who specializes in family life while raising a child with a disability, I have met thousands of people.
Their children, such as my son with autism who is now 29, may cry and tantrum for long periods, break things, or injure themselves inadvertently because they cannot communicate effectively. Some children have dangerous or self injurious behaviors. As my son’s autism worsened, I didn’t sleep through the night for 8 years. I became more frantic, helpless, exhausted, and in need of services for myself and my family. Most parents of children with special needs have similar experiences.
Then despite all these emotions and concern for their child’s health and safety, they need to be part of their child’s education through advocacy and involvement putting them at high risk for depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. Many of our children have physical constraints, medical needs and/or must be fed and diapered into adulthood. A sizable number need the active involvement, advocacy and guidance from parents or caregivers their entire lives.
What do we need?
Families of children with disabilities need comprehensive educational, behavioral health, and family support services. We now know that with early and intensive intervention, children with disabilities have greater developmental and educational gains for the child and improved family functioning–a long-term benefit for society as a whole.
As a nation, we need more research into the causes and most effective treatments. Approximately 1 in 150 children and therefore1 in 75 families are impacted by autism alone. In our public school systems, approximately 10% of our children have special needs that require special education. No wonder that both campaigns are competing for our votes.
Racism and poverty compound the challenges. Research further informs us that services are hard to come by, and less educated, more stressed parents are often less skilled in advocating for their child.
So which candidate is more likely to be a friend and advocate based upon proposals and not rhetoric?
At JohnMcCain.com, readers will notice 2 short paragraphs about autism and another page, “Americans with Disabilities for McCain” which does not include actual policy positions. To his credit, John McCain was a co-sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). He has also supported some of the same legislation as Obama; however, he has not supported full funding of these bills and has sometimes actively opposed it. Recently McCain opposed the expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP) which is vital for families with expensive healthcare bills for children with special needs. McCain’s running mate Sarah Palin does not have a track record of focus on special needs though she has implied that having a baby with Down syndrome may change that.
At BarackObbama.com, readers can review an 8 page “Plan to Empower Americans with Disabilities.” Obama plans to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to insure that children with special needs are not left behind. He also has a significantly strong record of support and has sponsored varied legislation concerning the special needs population. His running mate, Joe Biden also has a long record of supporting the educational rights of children with disabilities. Both Obama and Biden have substantial track records that are easy to find on the internet.
To “advocate” means to speak or write in favor of a person or cause. We moms and dads need more than words in order to truly care for our children. To speak for the cause of therapy moms and dads requires vigorous support of the need for full funding of Special Needs programs including those involving education, health care, and civil rights. So far only Barrack Obama has spelled out such a policy.
******************
Robert A. Naseef is the author of “Special Children, Challenged Parents” and the co-editor of “Voices from the Spectrum.” Permission is freely granted to reprint with byline.
As a mother living with this issue every day, I am happy Autism is being addressed by this campaign. And it’s about time too. This is an epidemic and we need to know what is causing it. 1 in 150 children, and of those 1 in 70 boys. That is unbelievable and more than unacceptable, it is an atrocity and we need to know why this is happening. If it takes getting someone in the White House with a direct relationship to this issue to get something done about it then they get my vote.
Whatever flowery stuff David Axelrod (who is a top PR firm owner) puts on O’s website shouldn’t be accepted as evidence of a sincere commitment to address autism. Plus you have to consider how reliable a candidate is — can you trust him (or her) to follow through on promises made on the campaign trail?
I think either Pres McCain or Pres Obama will address Autism and other disability issues. It will be up to us to keep a fire lit under their backside so it doesn’t get lost in all the other priorities.
As for me, I trust a guy who backed the Iraq surge when it was deeply unpopular. A guy who would do that, knowing it would tube his campaign, ain’t blowing smoke. (I’m an OIF and OEF vet, so that meant a lot to me).
But I understand why others like Obama so much. I like him. He’s a great communicator. But I just happen to think he’s going to be Jimmy Carter II.
He will be a weak president, and Congress will set the agenda, namely Pelosi and Ried. Their far-left programs will likely deplete funding from ASD research and Tx programs, and funnel it toward some type of government health care.
Governmental control never bodes well for efficiency or responsiveness. See how well Chris Dodd and Barney Frank have done with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?! Imagine that x100 with health care.
Again, I’m not vilifying anyone who intends to vote for Obama. I just think you need to take into account the real-world factors that will make it extremely unlikely that he would be able to carry out his promises.
McCain will be up against a hostile Congress, but I think he has more of a backbone to stand up against whichever side he disagrees with. He will fight, he will go to the american people to explain, and he will compromise where appropriate, not caring who gets the credit.
-Bob
Remember back to the Clinton years, when we heard the words “soccer moms” referring to a demographic group that seemed to favor the democratic ideals. Then it was NASCAR fans that was bandied about. And now it seems that “hockey moms” didn’t take off as much as well so lets bring out the “Autism families”.
1 in every 150 children x 2 parents and possibly grandparents, wow if we can garner those votes they’ll be no stopping us.
I don’t need a politician to pat me on the back and tell me that he feels for me and understands what I’m going through. What I need is for the government to admit that there is indeed an increase in the incidence of autism. Then while they support researchers looking into the cause for this, it would be really great if they could figure out what therapies will best help the children who are living with autism now, and make sure that health insurance covers these treatments. Then it would be nice if they knew how best to educate our kids, and provide that education to every child on the spectrum so that they all have a chance to reach their full potential in society.
Also we as a country need to understand that precious autistic children grow up to be autistic adults, and where will we be 20 years from now when 1 in ever 150 20 yr old’s are autistic and their country turned a blind eye to this epidemic.
On the subject of Sara Palin being a champion of autism & special needs children. She may be a parent to a special needs child but, she has made the choice to not be there to meet those special needs. I’m not putting her down for having a career, heck I’m as much a feminist as the next gal. But, let face it we’re not talking 9 to 5 here we’re talking Vice President of the United States of America here! Some how I don’t think she’ll be doing floor time, or OT & speech never mind the mundane day to day stuff that we have all had to cope with. So no I can honestly say that she wont be my personal spokes person for mother who are in the trenches day in and day out pulling for their kids to reach every developmental milestone.
I am the mother of 3 son’s all on the autism spectrum ages 21,16 & 14 so, I’ve had my wish list going for a long time now and I’m not that easily impressed.
And by the way if you here of a crazy redhead punching Dennis Leary in the nose, it was me.
;)
Does either candidate know or understand the large spectrum of cognitive disabilities? Do they both thnk that Austism and Downs Syndrome are one and the same? Do they think that there is only one cause of Austism? Do they think it is realted to Down Syndrome and/or mental retardation? I think they both are throwing out promises without complete knowledge of that about which they speak.
I myself don’t really care to compare people to past Presidents, or who backed who for Iraq. I think the two Presidential candidates, and over the past 100 years, will say one thing and do another and I think this time period that will more so happen since there are many other pressing issues with in the USA than autism. It isn’t going to matter if the Gov puts into law therapy coverage if we cant afford the gas to get our kids there and if our kids wont get on a city bus (where I live, there is no city bus) and then there’s the co-payments. The new President elect has to get a few things in order before they can begin to make promises about autism. The deficit being what it is tells us that.
I don’t think either candidate will address the autism issue for a long time if they do at all. Remember what brought up the topic of autism at all: why would your Vice President be better than the other? McCain in my view took a pop shot at parents of children of special needs, mainly autism, in hopes of us relating to his running mate. I’m sorry, I cant relate to Palin. Not when I read she hid her pregnancy and the fact that her child would be born with DS, even to her direct family. She prepared no one at all. This does not sound like some one who’s be in my corner and if it can be hidden away, she’d go for it. I doubt she’ll do floor time, or a lot of time at all with her child. Her career I would imagine wouldn’t allow for it and I doubt she takes her child on trips with her. Maybe she does. I’d be betting her child wont endure the public school system either.
I live in Alaska and my daughter gets speech therapy every two to four months.
School boards can basically do whatever they want with special ED money. Palin could be doing a lot more.
Most of the schools in Alaska besides Wasilla and a few other big citties fail federal special ed laws.
I would like to say to the few people on here talking about Sarah Palin and cutting of funding for special needs. I am a single father of a special needs Autistic son who is now 17. I have been raising him by myself for over 12 years. He is an A/B honor roll student and excels in special olympics. I beg you to please read on Sara Palins real record with special needs. She has not cut spending to Special needs in Alaska but has actually increased it. Please go to: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/sliming_palin.html and read. Thank you
Jessie
My apologies to families and friends of schizophrenics. There were a number of other terms I might have used to indicate the seemingly random, out-of-left-field mention of autism, which I had never heard brought up in any prior televised campaign event.
McCain used Palin’s family background during the debate to bolster her credentials. What he said was “a role model to women, a reformer, understood special needs like autism” and understands special needs families better than “anyone in the country.”
Palin didn’t cut funding, that is true but that’s not really the issue. She didn’t add much to the funding and her focus was a pipeline. She vetoed the state capital budget that effected special needs funding as well, one of them being Special Olympics.
Above anything else, the issue I take issue with is how she was presented at a debate, what was said and the last 4 words mainly and that she understands special needs. A lot of people understand special needs, my neighbors do as well but their hardly in a position do add to funding or add watch dogs to school system’s or add services to the state.
I’ll be interested in seeing if Palin enrolls her son in early intervention and special education in her local public school.
We don’t necessarily need new programs. We need proper and full FUNDING of the programs that are already out there (IDEA has been underfunded since it was passed in 1975!!)
I am not a parent of a child with disabilities (as far as I know yet) so my “As a..” credentials are pretty weak here. My take on this thing, based on nothing more than putting my finger up to the winds of politics and demographics, is that McCain (and probably Obama too to a lesser extent) has noticed that parents of children with Autism are very active, aware, maybe even angry at times and ready to listen to someone who might help their situation. It is a community with a great deal of skepticism, and frustration (warranted mind you) thus ready for the picking for opportunistic politics, especially the politics that McCain is trading in these days: politics of fear. Not to mention it is a community mostly found in some prime electoral real estate.
Too bad the McCain camp is trying to get rid of “earmarks” for funding of scientific research it finds useless, like studies of fruit flies. A study that, oops, has helped in Autism research!