Age of Autism Comment of the Week: 1/23

1. Henderson is our commenter of the week on the post, Anne Dachel On The Rising Autism Numbers.    
   
   Where are these regressed toddlers in history? Where in our sacred texts of every ancient written religion of the world? Where in our sacred oral traditions of the many religions from anywhere on earth? Where in our western written tradition that we are so familiar with from our English Lit class? Where are these toddlers in Beowolf, Chaucer or Shakespeare? Where are these toddlers in "The Epic of Gilgamesh" (or any other ancient text for that matter)? Ancient Texts Where in our nursery rhymes? Where are they? And, more tellingly, where are their mothers? Given that all of "our" cultures where generally paternalistic and pretty anti-female (yes, that is a sweeping generalization of every culture on earth - go with me). Given this assumption... one can only imagine what all of these texts would have done EXACTLY what that man, Dr. Kanner did. Blame the mother or some other female. For that man from hell it was the "Refrigerator Mother". (HERE) For many traditions on earth, god forbid, it would have been even worse (e.g., the burning of witches). I cannot believe that screaming/weeping mothers holding their child in their arms, wailing into the night... I cannot believe they have always been with us... If they were, they'd be in OUR stories. Where is the RETRIBUTION for this sin - the theft of a personality, the theft of skills, the theft of a child? Where are the "evil" women who are punished for this sin? Where are the "evil" women being flagged, stoned, burned for "stealing" someone else's child's personality through witchcraft/spells/trickery? Where are the "evil" women who "deserved" to have her child's gifts taken from her by a vengeful god for her evil and wanton ways, for her blasphemy, for her adultery, for her sins? Regressive autism: their laughter, their joy in learning, their personalities, their gifts stolen from their wailing and weeping mothers have NOT always been with us! THIS IS MY PROOF! I am one of the weeping and wailing mothers. I screamed into the night. I wept tears unlike tears that never experienced before. I wept for weeks on end. I screamed at the top of my lungs, ravaging my throat - in my automobile - where no one could hear me. I wept from the bottom of my heart, from the bottom of my soul, I wept the blackest tears.

My child is both: "born this way" and "vaccine injured" - I could go on and on about the signs when he was an infant, but it doesn't negate the fact that he was vaccine injured as well. It is horrifying to have your belief system shattered (that the government is looking out for everyone - even the One-in-a-whatever). To understand that you too have joined a sisterhood of mothers screaming that their child was vaccine injured. Screaming that the child that was there is suddenly gone. For us, the toxic cloud we live in (for GENERATIONS), the pesticides, the antibiotics & pollution for MY mother, MY grandmother, my childhood of antibiotics and whatever toxic cloud I went through, my industrial city where I gestated the love of my life - these all loaded the gun, the genetics pulled the trigger that led him into ASD (and not Type One Diabetes, allergies, asthma, you name it). The bomb that blew him to pieces was a vaccination. I believe EVERYONE'S story, from the "born this way", to the "both", to the "solely vaccine injured". But I go back to... Our story did not exist before we entered our post-industrial, toxic modern world. My regressive toddler did not exist. I did not exist.

It sickens me, and strengthens my resolve to help more parents see the light that autism is physical in nature and there are ways to heal and recover from it and live a happy, productive life free of the gut pain that traps them.
Autism is not an event or condition to celebrate. It is a living hell for these kids - and many who have recovered have told us so, even if it's as simply as "Mommy, I don't hurt any more."

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Comments

[Richard]

All I can say is Wow.

[L Land]

Took my breath away. Deserves more than a tee-shirt. Wish there was something left but autism has taken it away.

[Henderson]

Watch out Amy... this part:

"It sickens me, and strengthens my resolve to help more parents see the light that autism is physical in nature and there are ways to heal and recover from it and live a happy, productive life free of the gut pain that traps them.
Autism is not an event or condition to celebrate. It is a living hell for these kids - and many who have recovered have told us so, even if it's as simply as "Mommy, I don't hurt any more.""

- Are not my words. These are Cindy Griffin's from the Comment of the Week, last week 1/16. I guess, whichever of our wonderful editors prepares these inadvertently didn't paste over the entire comment (they can't be busy, over worked or anything :) ). No biggie (AoA people). But, Amy, if you are going to quote it, please remove that bit.

And, I'm very sorry that I must remain incognito (the only other person out here who may truly understand this is jen - you may know what I mean jen). I don't have a blog, website or anything. So, this is it. My reasons for being incognito are my own, but my reasons are very real. This could affect us financially and more importantly, legally.

And thanks all - have fun using this "proof" at your local dog park/coffee shop/cocktail party/kids' school grounds.

We did not exist.

[Gatogorra]

I missed this the first time around and am grateful it's being reposted. I have always wondered this, but could never have put it so eloquently. It's so true, there would be LORE about autism in every historical text. There isn't. Funny that. Must not have existed before.

[Twyla]

A tremendous comment, Henderson.

[Amy]

This is awesome. Even better the second time. Henderson, I'd like to use your full comment in my college English course when we look at autism rates in the context of critical reading/thinking. If there's a citation other than your username and this link that you'd like me to use, please let me know.

[bensmyson]

One of those perfectly stated comments I copy and paste to others from time to time. I love AoA, I love all those that share their hearts and thoughts here. Thanks Henderson, it's a keeper!

[Susan Cranmer]

I am one of the weeping and wailing mothers. I screamed into the night. I wept tears unlike tears that never experienced before. I wept for weeks on end. I screamed at the top of my lungs, ravaging my throat - in my automobile - where no one could hear me. I wept from the bottom of my heart, from the bottom of my soul, I wept the blackest tears.
OMG this says it for me. My son is 32 and I am still there. Thank you.

[jen]

wow Henderson, such a good point and so amazingly stated!