F the Puzzle

By Michelle Linn

While the puzzle piece has served us well over the years as an international symbol of autism, I think it is now time for us to move on to another symbol, any symbol, besides the freaking puzzle.  I reached this conclusion simultaneously with my fellow warrior mom over margaritas one night a few months ago.  We had just finished a fundraising committee meeting for our second annual autism awareness month walk.  We were trying to come up with a theme and logo for this year’s event, and had just reviewed and discussed a whole slew of ideas, most of which revolved around the puzzle.  The clinical staff at our center (who, by the way, are wonderful, gifted, teachers) did their best to suggest themes but invariably focused on the puzzle piece, the “mystery” of autism, and how we needed to “put the pieces together.” 

My friend and I had both been a little quiet on this topic during the meeting, as these ideas really didn’t sit well with either of us.  As we sat there appreciating the quiet and the tequila, we both admitted we were sick of the whole puzzle idea, what it stood for, and how it made us feel.  F the puzzle. We had a theme!

Really, now, is autism still such a mystery?  Our kids have jacked up guts and immune systems, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation and heavy metal poisoning.  Pretty straightforward if you ask me.  Let’s get on with it already.  The pieces are all sitting right there for mainstream medicine to put together, yet we still regularly hear how complex, elusive, and mysterious autism is.  In the face of clear science, government and academia stand behind the puzzle as they fund research to evaluate eye gaze, parental social impairment, and facial dysmorphia.  F the puzzle.

We can’t even count it for god’s sake.  It is so complex and confounding that simple math cannot be applied to it.  California has been consistently tracking the number of kids and adults diagnosed with autism for twenty years.  They can show over 80% of the individuals with autism in their state are under the age of 19, yet the fact autism is increasing exponentially manages to regularly escape the media, mainstream medicine, and the fields of psychology and psychiatry.  To add further insult to injury, the Minnesota Department of Health was completely baffled and befuddled by the autism cluster in a community of Somali immigrants.  The situation was far too perplexing to make heads or tails of it. The puzzle strikes again.  F the puzzle.  

It’s been over twenty years since Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas published his groundbreaking research showing intensive behavioral intervention recovered 47% of his subjects.  This research has been replicated numerous times and the methodology, applied behavior analysis, has been shown to consistently provide rehabilitative benefit to those who receive it.  Yet the simplicity of this treatment and the professional skills to deliver it have meandered through nearly a quarter of a century, evading incorporation into our special education laws and medical insurance policies.  

Only recently, primarily due to the perseverance and drive of a warrior mom, has the concept of “medical necessity” of intensive ABA been applied to obtain insurance coverage for treatment.  The entire professional fields of education and psychology were so stymied by the puzzle of autism that the concept of medical necessity escaped them for two decades.  It took the wife of a Marine to advance the concept, and she accomplished more than all of them combined.  Thank god for Karen Driscoll and F the puzzle.

So to me, the puzzle stands for weakness, indecision, and victimization.  We need a new symbol, one that stands for truth, perseverance, and hope.  Of course we didn’t put “F the Puzzle” on our T-shirts for the walk.  We came up with “Action Heals Autism” (HERE) a little take on an Oprah “AHA” moment (even before we new Jenny was collaborating with her)!  It made for a great shirt and we had a successful event, but the larger question of an international symbol still remains.  Perhaps we can have a mini-think tank during Autism One in the hallways, or all bring puzzle pieces to burn during the candle light vigil.  All I can say is if I never see another puzzle piece again, it will be too soon.  F the Puzzle.

Michelle Linn is the mother of two boys with severe autism, ages 14 and 15.  She is the President of Alpine Autism Center, a non-profit in Southern Colorado providing intensive behavioral intervention, advocacy, and information.  She is a military spouse and is employed as an Air Force Civil Engineer.

 

Comments

[Lori Jorgensen]

Amen Sister!!! I actually was thinking of MAKING a shirt with vaccines as the puzzle pieces and the word 'AUTISM' as the last piece....I also thought of including the environmental issues and toxins, as well!!!! I'm actually working on it right now!!!

[Mary]

The puzzle symbolizes for me not the healing part of the journey, but the journey to diagnosis. Although my child was language delayed AND in early intervention for it through regional center until the age of 3, it took until he was 8 years old to diagnose autism. Through the years I picked up a puzzle piece here and a puzzle piece there (sleepless nights, mood swings, movie talk, over focus on trains, horrendous doctor visits, etc.) never knowing what the heck I was looking at and believing that if I could just learn another parenting strategy to pull us into relationship with this kid we'd be in a happy place. It wasn't until I took all the pieces I'd collected to not one, not two, but 8 different professionals that FINALLY one with a true understanding of autism was able to put them together and give my family a name for what had nearly destroyed us. To me I feel the puzzle is the perfect symbol for awareness as other families are still picking up seemingly non-related pieces not knowing they all fit into the full picture called autism.
Diagnosis bring understanding and a starting point to recovery.

[tracy jeter]

i really didn't understand the full meaning of the puzzle piece. until i started treating my ten year old severly autistic son with biomedical treatment. beginning with taking dairy out. and then one puzzle piece fit into the next. the puzzle piece is the most fabulous representation of autistm. because it takes one puzzle piece at a time to get the big picture. my son was non verbal 6 weeks ago. now he's talking in sentences and has not had one bit of aggression. there is nothing more accurate than the puzzle piece to represent the possibilites of recovery

[Julie Stewart]

Well, I am so late, it is probably moot! However, while I don't particularly like the one puzzle piece (although I understand the origins), I have created a logo which includes several puzzle pieces with one being fit in. Healing a child with autism is like putting together a puzzle. Sometimes the pieces are clear and easy to fit, other times, by faith, you have to try to fit it and see what happens.

My son WAS a mystery, and we had to try lots of layers. Each piece helped some, but there was a huge jump with that one piece we had to fit by faith.

The several piece logo screams RECOVERY for my son. I am so thankful for the community and my family who talked over each piece, encouraged, and stood with me while working that puzzle....and for that, I love the puzzle pieces and what they represent. I hate, like many of you, the fact the puzzle is even there, but am so glad we worked it and have my boy back.

[jen]

A thought: my son has none of the physical ailments that so often accompany autism. He is genetically a true autistic. And for me, the puzzle piece is a perfect symbol because HE IS A MYSTERY TO ME! We are CONSTANTLY trying to figure out what makes him tick. And we may never get objective research done because someone has to pay for it and whoever pays for it can skew the results. Everyone either wants to sell something or protect themselves. So autism remains a mystery and will be for some time until we can find a trustworthy soul to figure it out. My son can not be "cured" with diet or supplements because he was born this way. I'd really like to see more research in sensory disorders, hyperlexia, and more training for teachers and therapists in these areas. This is what will help him and so many other kids the most. Not to discount what many of you are going through, but there is a whole other group of us who are never heard from and really never counted!

[Delores Goneau]

Honestly, I think an infinity symbol would be the best symbol for all of our continuing fight with Autism.

[maddadswife]

I don't mind the puzzle pieces so much, it IS sort of like figuring out which pieces apply to your kid. I get terribly annoyed with "autism awareness". Those who don't know, will never really know unless they know someone living it, and then only if they care. "Awareness" won't recover my kid, or any kid, or protect the next generation of kids.

"Vaccines cause autism" has to be a part of the landscape so it sinks in and THAT's what we need to make everyone aware of.

How about the puzzle pieces put together into a recognizable shape, a final picture- since we DO know what is the root cause of each piece that most kids struggle with: yeast, gut issues, allergies, viral issues, heavy metal toxicity, and on and on.

And what IS the final picture made up the pieces?

A multi-colored puzzle piece syringe. With the tag line "Autism: puzzle solved."

[chantal Sicile-Kira]

I like the idea of getting rid of the puzzle. Never liked it. Action Heals Autism is pretty good!

[Amadeus]

I never liked the Puzzle Piece at all but I think we are focusing a bit too much on something that will be tough to change now that it symbolizes Autism. I agree that the puzzle piece is outdated but lets come up with one that gives true meaning to the word Autism and not one while we are intoxicated listening to 80's music.... AHA - Take on me.

[SMD]

A better symbol for Autism would be a picture of a little boy with his hands over his ears!--that says it all.........

[michael framson]

Given that some still see a value in the puzzle symbol, and following on JB's thought, what about several (3-4 pieces) of the puzzle interlocking with vaccines(syringe) and environmental toxins as one piece, a genetic (like a DNA helix)as another. And given that we still don't know all yet, a question mark (?) for another piece. What's absent in this idea is the symbol of action that parents are bringing in healing their children.

[Angie]

Simple, a needle with KNOWN Nuerotoxins imprinted with some BLING BLING Dollar signs on it....

gets to the point...

Angie
Mom to Ethan, Alex, and Megan

[Jeanne]

For me the puzzle never did represent causation. I always looked at it as representing putting my child back to pieces after he was torn apart by his vaccine injury.

I have great respect for those who came before us, those who created the puzzle piece.

I'm not opposed to a new "symbol;" but, I think we need to tread lightly on how we disengage. We cannot forget the importance of the tracks laid down by the Warrior Mothers, Fathers, and Children who came before us.

The Pioneers

We shall not travel by the road we make;
Ere day by day the sound of many feet
Is heard upon the stones that now we break,
We shall come to where the cross roads meet.

For us the heat by day, the cold by night,
The inch-slow progress, and the heavy load,
And death at last to close the long grim fight
With man and beast and stone; for them the road!

For them the shade of trees that now we plant,
For safe, smooth journey and the final goal,
Yea, birthright in the Land of Covenant--
For us day-labor, travail of the soul.

And yet the road is ours as never theirs!
Is not one joy on us alone bestowed?
For us the master: Joy, O Pioneers:
We shall not travel, but we make the Road.

---Anon

[Not that puzzled]

thanks for this--I'm glad someone said it other than me. I have to admit to being sick of the puzzle piece. I also don't like the usual bathroom-tile-blue/Pepto-Bismol-pink color scheme, but that's beside the point.

Unfortunately, like the stupidly nondescriptive "ADHD" psych label for subclinical environmental damage, I'm afraid the puzzle symbol is here to stay because too many organizations are now branded by the use of the image. All we can do is make it mean what it should if bothering to reference it at all.

I like JB's idea of showing the puzzle half (or more) done, then with commentary written in the "blanks"-- like "independent research funding", "vaccinated/never vaccinated study", etc.-- those remaining things the problem needs to be solved which are just within reach save for funding or access to sealed data. Of course once it's confirmed to be vaccines, there will be a lot of work to do to study exact mechanisms, much like after Thalidomide was found to cause Thalidomide babies, the real work began in researching mode of damage.

I personally liked the symbol of a child breaking out of a crysalis-- I think it was Generation Rescue's award winning public service ad that used this. I think the organization should have hammered that symbol until it was pounded into people's heads.

Forgive me for disagreeing with one thing in this post-- the idea that the puzzle piece represents "victimization". I think the problem is that it doesn't. "Victim" is merely a term relative to the existance of a victimizing force. The term says nothing about the victims themselves. The puzzle piece has been transformed into a symbol of refusing to recognize that "victimizing force", to look at *anything* but, and therefore refusing to recognize victimization. Using the puzzle piece after so much as been uncovered on cause is a pretense that autism just sorta "happens", oops-- maybe because of "immaculate" (i.e., "no fault") mutations, maybe because of an outmoded, off-patent toxin that no one has to claim responsibility for.

[Ray Hausler]

The symbol for regreeive autism avoidance is an easy one to identify. Just watch a re-run of the 5 or 6 movies titled "Planet of the Apes." You should find several images of pediaricians, pharmacologists and
media apes covering their eyes, ears, and moths to suggest they will see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil. Be sure to dress the apes in labotatory or medical smocks to be sure the public sees them as proferssionals in denial (PID) of the vaccine-regressive autism connection.

[WE SHALL OVERCOME]

I couldn't agree more and I've thought about that for years. After increased knowledge of biological problems tied to "autistic symptoms" and the Hannah Poling settlement, the puzzle theme only serves the purpose of those who have a special interest in keeping autism a mistery, the Offits, AAPs, mass media and the like. Those are the ones that benefit from continuously showing the puzzle piece, to reinforce the notion that autism is so misterous that it just can't be solved, so don't bother looking for answers especially if they point to vaccines.

So yes, "F the puzzle" once and for all, it's only helping them.

[Sue M.]

""F the puzzle" = "F knowledge and learning"

Peter = Way off.

[NORA BROCK]

Where can we buy this logo. It is great!

[ditch it]

http://i40.tinypic.com/15cg09z.jpg

Ugh. I hate the puzzle logo with a passion I did not know I had. And the color scheme makes me cringe every time I see it. I never said anything for fear of offending the rest. Little did I know LOL.

My son is vaccine injured plain and simple, and his injuries from his vaccines deserve, and are entitled to, their own recognition. Like the much slandered Ms. CA said today, stand up for your rights and opinions. And if the "others" have a problem, they can just suck it up. Assuming they don't know what the phrase "agree to disagree" means.

[Garbo]

I remember my first DAN conference, a few months after my son was diagnosed. I saw that little booth selling things with puzzle pieces on the way in, but by the time I came out I didn't get what they were for. After attending the presentations, I didn't think it was such a puzzle at all, I thought it was pretty obvious. I love your idea. AHA! Action Heals Autism. I like the "Power Fist" idea someone had below. Good graphic and conveys attitude and resolve. Or maybe use the power fist, but make it all of colored puzzle pieces. Like, the puzzle's been put together, and now it's shaped like a big power fist and it's coming after the people who need to wake the F up. Just spitballing.

[Kathy Blanco]

Whenever they coin diseases with the word mysterious, I get instantly suspiscious that those that put that word in front of disease, actually know what is causing it, and it is used to deflect the etiology, which on no uncertain terms, profit off the sickness in forms such as pharma protection, profits, guidelines and insurance companies, industry that make "safe so called " consumer products, and are also connected to plots for and behalf of population control (which are connected to the government themselves). So in essence, we are fighting the machinery of how our world is run. The only thing that let's out this air or demystifies it, is to not partake of their products and procedures, period. Unfortunately, we still think we can make things safe or safer, and think someone with a heart will listen....but this will only continue this myserious disorder because politically correct statements like we are not anti vaccine, sail us in the middle ground, but never solves the issue. The only thing that this macinery knows is that people who still trust in or believe bad science, will continue to try to work with these people, only to find, they are still wolves in sheeps clothing.

As to the symbol, I don't like it...but it is sort of the truth, that the puzzles to autism or the pieces, or the things that damage our kids are varied, numerous, and often strikingly similar. That's sounds like a puzzle to me?

[JB Handley]

We are a community of autism parents:

- With a very strong hypothesis around cause

- With recovered children and an evolving methodology for helping kids

It seems to me that the notion that autism is a mystery, or puzzle, is very outdated. For those groups who use the autism puzzle pieces to raise money or awareness, I don't think anything written here is meant to disrespect that, perhaps you can just show the puzzle 50% put together!!

JB Handley

[Andrea]

Michelle,

As a mom to a teenage boy with autism I can completely understand your issues with the "puzzle piece".

I guess when my son was little I didn't care about it, I think I probably liked it for raising awareness. Now, a decade plus later...I'm sick of it. I'm sick of the awareness, I'm sick of the hordes of families that are joining us daily in living with autism.

It's painfully clear the powers that be are keeping us held down and held back with the concept that the puzzle piece represents. You only need to read articles on AOA like the one Kim wrote about studying autism like it's 1994, or Katie Wright's IMFAR autism time machine research to realize mainstreams phony attempts to figure out what causes autism are pretty pathetic ventures and they are coming at a snails pace.

In my house autism is not a mystery. Autism has made it's way through the toddler years, through the grade school years, and now into the teen years, and adulthood is closing in quick.

I'm sick of "it's a mystery".

Dr.Healy said this on LKL:

"I think one has to listen to the families of these children. I have always believed, you listen the patients and the patients will teach. I think there are many legitimate concerns that families have. And I honestly believe that the focus that we have on autism today and the embarrassing recognition that we know so little about it, in terms of what causes it, in terms of how to treat it, in terms of whether it's dynamic, whether it's structural, I think that says that we have neglected this disease for all too long in the face of this growing epidemic."

The puzzle piece as the universal symbol of autism is an embarassment on the medical field. F- the puzzle piece.

Dr. Healy is right.

[Mike]

I agree. Scrap the puzzle. Sure, each kid is a mystery and we have all the pieces. The problem is that no one with the power or the money is working effectively to put the pieces together. And it ain't exactly a difficult puzzle. ABA works but schools fail to provide it with the intensity or expertise required and most insurance companies do not cover it. Biomedical works but most doctors are too lazy to learn something new not funded by Big Pharma and most insurance will not pay for the supplements. Parents and doctors talk about common digestive problems and systems overloaded with metals and all we get from the puzzle solvers are hearings that attempt to discredit the very doctors working towards treating the symptoms. Evidence is overwhelming concerning regarding the increase in autism rates and the correlation to the increases in the vaccine schedule but all we get are decisions rendered by a tax lawyer from a system funded by the vaccine makers that no such link exists. We hear story after story of parents who watched their kids fall apart in front of their eyes after vaccination and yet we get no studies that compare a vaccinated population to an unvaccinated population or study the effects of spreading out a vaccine schedule that is far more aggressive that other countries who have a much lower incidence rate. Many of those working to "put the pieces together" are spending more time funding eye gaze studies or doing research that concludes that my non-existent attraction to skinny women or my mental disorder was the cause of my childs autism. They write articles and go in front of the public and state without conscious that the increase is not real, that vaccines are completely safe, and that autism symptoms go away as kids get older. Nice work dumbasses. In my opinion, the puzzle only works as a symbol when you have people who have some inclination of how to put the pieces together. Right now we have the CDC, IOM, AAP, Big Pharma, insurance companies, and congressmen hoping that their collective girth will somehow force the square peg into the round hole. This ain't no way to solve a puzzle.

[ObjectiveAutismDad]

Peter,

What? You've completely mis-characterized the point of this piece. It isn't about ignoring what hasn't been learned yet. It's about the fact that the mainstream medical community ignores what has been learned already.

[peter syms]

The whole concept of "f the puzzle" is a direct contradiction to everything that scientific discovery and academia stands for.

Seriously, there are ways to debate and argue your case, but simply saying "f this, I don't think it makes sense" is by far the worst way. All you do is prove your unwillingness to review any new medical data or allow the possibility that you're defined worldview can be changed.

"F the puzzle" = "F knowledge and learning"

[bensmyson]

How did the puzzle piece first develop into a national or perhaps international symbol?

I actually don't mind it if the puzzle pieces were representative of the conglomerate of vaccine manufacturers and government health agencies all joined together to f our kids.

http://i40.tinypic.com/15cg09z.jpg

Hard to swallow.

[Pamela]

On one hand I can agree with Michelle's perspective and can certainly appreciate the perspective...on the other I feel like the puzzle is a much better symbol for our community than for the recovery denialists.

When something is a mystery you have nothing to work with (i.e. the pieces). A puzzle is not a mystery. With a puzzle you have all the answers right in front of you and with thought and diligence the puzzle can be solved.

With our kids we know the etiology of autism...it's a matter of identifying and putting together the right pieces for your child to achieve a solution. No two children respond the same to treatment. Biomedical treatment must be so personally tailored to each child. For this reason I have always related very much to the puzzle piece.

My daughter is functionally recovered yet we still struggle with gut issues. After three years of very successful treatment I am still looking for that final piece of the puzzle to break her unhealthy gut cycle.

I have a close friend who designed her own mailing label with her personal take on the puzzle piece. The tag line was "Autism and other developmental disorders...treatable and reversible"

My take...we should seize the puzzle piece logo as the symbol for a solution.

[kristin bushey]

Action Heals Autism----I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!
I always hated the puzzle piece as well. I never understood what the mystery was supposed to be. I want a bumper magnet with THIS on it! Please post if you decide to market this! PERFECT!!!!

[Curtis J]

The mystery of Autism has longed been solved.

The mystery is how the CDC & FDA elite can continue to "Shrug and Play Stupid" with the lives of our children.

[Becky H-A]

I veiw the puzzle as the pieces it takes to recover a child--not as the mystery of the causes/factors that cause the disease that underlies his autism. There is no set formula to recovery a kiddo. I wish there was, or we'd be much farther along after 2.5 years of biomed--the last 1.5 intense-then we are. It is frustrating to be addressing know issues patiently and consistently with little result, wondering if it is the methods that aren't working or if there are other unknown issues. So we keep going the path of ruling in or out other potential issues. My kids recovery is very much a puzzle, and it is really hard to see if I've made much progress on it.

[Lisa]

I can't say I ever loved the puzzle pieces... and there's no doubt we're AWARE already! On the other other hand... F the Puzzle Piece?

IMHO, there's no reason to jump down the throats of those who are doing their best to raise funds for research, programs and therapies. These folks are doing what they feel is positive, and often it is.

Why push them away by suggesting they're fools, rather than supporting their enthusiasm?

Lisa
www.autism.about.com

[Sarah]

how about an image of stampeding bull elephant..symbolizing "the elephant in the room" (autism, vaccines) that the CDC, AAP and others ignore and don't want to talk about?

http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dstampeding%2Belephant%2Bpicture%26fr%3Db1ie7%26ei%3Dutf-8%26x%3Dwrt%26y%3DSearch&w=500&h=325&imgurl=static.flickr.com%2F1386%2F568122814_470e3935ee.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fmichael_donna%2F568122814%2F&size=114k&name=Charge&p=stampeding+elephant+picture&oid=115e74b99fd77dd0&fusr=Michael+and+...&hurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fmichael_donna%2F&no=3&tt=18&sigr=11lk6279i&sigi=11fkgkqo0&sigb=13bcafcsv&sigh=11bd644dm

[Cathy Jameson]

Aha!!! I was closing my van door last night after getting groceries out. My eyes glanced at the lone magnet on the back gate. It's the damn puzzle piece logo. I truly hate it, always have.

My all-time fave I had on my old van was the NAA sticker "It's no Mystery. It's Mercury." I appreciated the mercury-colored puzzle piece on that awareness sticker. My son can FINALLY put toy puzzles together. It's taken hours of therapy and lots of cheerleading to get to this point. He's almost six and a half.

We put the medical pieces of his mystery together years ago. It shouldn't take the doctors and therapists and the entire medical community this long to figure out kids out. Sadly, there's enough of them.

Cathy

[Kelly]

I get it. Yes, we've found most of what is going on in our kids and a variety of good ways to address those issues. I've been blessed to watch a multitude of biomedical protocols heal many children - mine included. But there are still families who have done every protocol and not returned their child to good health. Your AHA campaign is brilliant and I support it, but I'll stick with my effing puzzle piece until every issue (every piece) facing every child on the spectrum is found and healed. Thank you Michelle. I enjoyed your perspective.

[phoenix kids]

I think that autism will remain a puzzle forever for those who refuse to treat it. Or those who think it does not need to be treated because they think you were born this way and shall therefore remain this way.

It is indeed time to bring forth a new symbol that represents those of us who believe that our kids were damaged by vaccines. That way we won't have to deal with being confused with the "others" out there. I look forward to the new symbol being implemented as soon as you guys decide what it is going to be.

[candace passino]

i never took to the puzzle either...i say a canary folded up and falling down/ in the coal mine..is what are kids are like or \A\u\t\i\s\m\ but written like prison bars with autism under the bars..like our kids are in....until we help ..you know like dont sentence them to a life of imprisoment of autism...free our kids...but yey f..the puzzle.

[Maurine Meleck]

Thanks Michelle for putting this thought,that so many of us have discussed before, on paper. You presented it perfectly. I like the AHA shirts.Are you selling them, BTW? i have too many past shirts with the puzzle on them.
Let me add(for tanner's dad) that you cannot bring religion into autism. We all believe different things when it comes to religion.
maurine

[Robin Nemeth]

Yay, hurray! 'AHA!', I love it! Much, MUCH better than that stupid puzzle piece!

But please, don't swear :( It sounds like hell.

[paula p proffit merckelouse]

No puzzle here........ I like the strength and certainty your symbol shows.. Id like to see a syring added to it.

[Not I]

Not everyone with a child with autism is a Christian.

[kathleen]

My best friend told me something a couple of weeks ago that made me wish this was the symbol....A flying kite. She compared caring for her son like flying a kite, pulling in, letting out, pulling back again, watching for telephone lines, but always holding on and trying to navigate this world, but never being able to stop or let go of the line. Fun and tiresome.
Just a thought:)

[Tanners Dad]

The symbol I would use is a brown cross with a bright red question mark superimposed on the top of it. The parallels to the story of Jesus and Autism are easy to share. The differences even more so. I know this would Shake up the world. I would love to do the F the puzzle but I doubt we could explain that in a kid friendly way. Again because we know some of Children are coming back the parallels to Jesus can be drawn. Whereas Christians know why Jesus died on the cross for them. Many wonder as Parents of people dealing with Autism wonder why? We must Rock the Status Quo. The world is apathetic towards Autism.

[Julia C.]

This is exactly what has bothered me for so long about that puzzle piece! I feel the same way. To me, it represents people standing around shrugging their shoulders and turning their backs on our children. Autism Awareness? Please! Who is NOT aware? Autism is the new freaking black!

[Nicole]

I knew my son had autism a year and a half ago during Jenny's media blitz for her book Mother Warrior (thank you Jenny, for telling me what numerous doctors and speech therapists never did). Since I have been a part of the autism community "post Jenny", I feel like I came in knowing recovery was possible from day one (thank God).I never felt comfortable with the puzzle piece logo. I've never ordered a bumpber sticker, a t-shirt, or even a key chain with the puzzle piece on it. I never felt it represented me and my experience with autism. The t-shirt with the fist that says "Action Heals Autism", hell yeah! That's a shirt I would wear. No more autism is such a mystery....we know, let's show the public that recovery is real. I know because I live with a child that doesn't even remotely resemble the one from a year and a half ago. No mystery here.