"Fixing" Autism. 5 mins. Please watch.

[RhiChiChi]

One of the most powerful vidoes I've ever seen

[christy]

I too would take the pain and frustration away from my child in a heartbeat if I could. I don't want to change her quirkiness... I just know how high her anxiety levels are and how frustrated she gets in everyday situations which result in meltdowns and self harm and attacking physically... mainly myself and my husband. If I could ease that pain in anyway I would. When we found out she had some kidney abnormalities and ureter issues, we let her have surgery to help fix those problems... If someone could come up with someway to do away with depression in me, I would say "go for it"... In the same way I want her autism fixed. I don't mind that she flaps, or rocks, or flicks her fingers, or thinks differently, or socialises differently. Those are all fine with me. Its the anxiety levels and the frustration I want to help her with.

I think as parents we want to help in anyway possible. I know FB that you are coming from the perspective as one who doesn't think that you need "fixing" My BIL has Aspergers and he was telling us that she doesn't need "fixing". BUT at the moment, while I am typing this she is angry and frustrated and hitting DH because she can't figure out which rubber is hers and which is DD2's (they are exactly the same) and we can't tell her and she has just spit all over DD2, is smacking DH with a pencil and screaming... imagine if she didn't get so frustrated over a rubber. Imagine that.

[meow]

I don't want to change her quirkiness... I just know how high her anxiety levels are and how frustrated she gets in everyday situations

Completely agree. As I said to a friend on FB when we were discussing this "Quirky is how we're hoping E gets. I don't think you can or need to cure a personality type. But we need to fix his anxiety, frustration, head banging, fussy eating, gut health, severe communication delay etc etc etc." I'm completely cool with quirky. Quirky would be fricking awesome. But my child, and our family, shouldn't have to accept this level of suffering. It's not a way to live.

I hope M is feeling better soon Christy. Dodging the blows can get exhausting

[lou.melgarejo]

Hello everybody. My name is Lou Melgarejo. I run a blog entitled "Lou's Land" and am the creator of the "Autism Speaks" video.

I did a Google search for my video and was trying to guage the reaction to the video when I stumbled upon the BellyBelly forum.

Thanks to Meow for sharing my video, and thanks to everybody else for the great conversation. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this thread.

I would like to point out that I was indeed quite aware that some people take offense to suggesting that somebody fix autism or autistic people. I put quotes around the two times you see the word on purpose. The quotes allow me to use literary license and not use the literal definition of the word. Bianca doesn't need to be fixed, but she does need a lot of help and support. She also needs the system that is in place here in the US to be changed. At the present time I am in an emotion draining battle with insurance trying to get Bianca's ABA covered and her speech therapy covered. It really just makes you want to scream. The US likes to boast that we have the best healthcare system in the world, but that is only true if you are healthy and never have to really USE the system. That is what I am trying to fix. The system, the environment, the stigma, the shame... and I will keep fighting until I know things are better for future generations to come.

Thank you again for sharing so many personal stories and feelings. It really means a lot to me and my family.

Lou

Lou's Land

http://twitter.com/loumelgarejo

Lou Melgarejo | Facebook