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Sunday, June 8, 2008

Neurodiversity in the News


Photo credit:
by LoreleiRanveig on Flickr

Before I started blogging, I'd never heard of the neurodiversity movement, although I'd certainly heard plenty about autism in the mainstream media. It always hurt to hear autism referred to as "devastating" or "brain damage," since my son has always seemed different, not damaged to me. I don't mean to minimize his challenges (or ours); some of that difference definitely makes it very hard for him to function in the world. But some of that difference also means he can do and see things I can't.

I can't separate his autism from him. It's all part of who he is and always has been. I love him as he is: beautiful and whole -- and autistic. So, it was a delight to start reading blogs and discover the neurodiversity movement, which I truly believe is making the world a more accepting place for my son.

There is a good article in New York Magazine about neurodiversity, which provides an excellent overview and features several wonderful bloggers. (It also makes up for that bad article about sex and marriage the magazine published earlier.)

In addition, Angela at Memoirs of a Chaotic Mommy (who is so on top of the news, dang!) also posted an announcement that there will be a segment tomorrow on ABC's Good Morning America featuring Ari Ne'eman of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Kristina Chew of Autism Vox, and Dr. Thomas Insel of the National Institute of Mental Health. Sorry for the late notice, as I know most of you will read this too late to catch it, but at least I have it all set up to record. And I'm sure it will show up on YouTube eventually if you miss it!

Update: The segment on neurodiversity didn't air today (Monday, June 9) on Good Morning America after all. Maybe tomorrow? Darn.

Posted by at 4:16 PM
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6 comments:

  1. I came here from Beyond the Map and I'm so glad I did. I have a daughter who is severely handicapped and I love her, as she is.

    I'll be back to read more.
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  2. Kinda cool seeing that the community I've followed on the web from something that at first seemed kinda like an "anti-parent" autistic group (kinda understandable when focus where all on the parents in the autism community) has evolved into something that also interests parents.

    The article had some parts that didn't really represent all of the neurodiversity community - you can see an examples of reactions here and here.
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  3. I love neuroscience--though in a layman's sort of way. And the things I've learned about the brain make me think we are all challenged in one way or another, that normal is just a word, and hurray for the strangeness of most everyone. (I had to say most everyone because there are those who are dangerous, and that's a different story. Anyway...)

    You're cool. ALways.
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  4. i have a nephew whose son is autistic. he can be verbal with you when he wants but mostly he is in his own little world. he's a happy child for the most part but becomes frustrated very easily and when he wants something or wants you to do something, he will not stop until he gets it or you do it, otherwise he begins screaming and crying. he just turned 9 and his parents still have to dress him because he forgets to do these things and he still has accidents on himself because he becomes so focused in other things that he forgets this too. at school, since he was in 1st grade, he's had an aide all for himself to watch him because he tends to walk out and starts to go home when he no longer is engaged. after 3 times of doing this and the school finding him in the school parking lot waiting for his mom to pick him up, they agreed he needed someone to watch him as the teacher could not do it all by herself. my nephew and his wife each year have to go before a board and fight for the aide for another year and have to bring tons of letters from doctors, etc. saying why needs this help. he still does. not too long she said the school bell rang and he saw some wildflowers...he went to put a bouquet together because they were "so pretty." when asked whether he heard the school bell ring, he said yes. when asked whether he knew that meant it was time for him to go inside the school, he said yes. when asked why he didn't, his reply was, "but the flowers were so pretty." he understands but doesn't connect that he has to do it. in his mind, he doesn't have to do anything other than what he wants to do; it's not him being oppositional, it's the autism. his mother said that she and my nephew feared that he may never have a normal life -- a job, a place of his own, a girlfriend. as the mother of this autistic child, she said she was heartbroken for him. all i know is that she wishes a cure could be found. she loves her son and, like she said, if she were given the choice of having him "normal" or this way again, she'd choose him just the way he is now again. she loves him for who he is, he poses a tremendous challenge, but she would not change that for the world because she said that to ask for a different child would mean to have not accepted him or loved him at all.
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  5. Did you get to see it? I thought it was really good!
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  6. This is so interesting, fascinating really, and quite powerful.
    I come here and I always feel opened in some way: to ideas, perspectives, words, my own heart, even, (yes, a big gulp here) god. :)
    you just rock.
    ReplyDelete

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