As a parent of an Asphergers daughter, I've learned there are varying degrees of each spectrum disorder. Since each person diagnosed under the spectrum disorder is unique in there own way, treatments vary. I personally have observed some with kids with spectrum disorders behave aggressive and violent. Then I've observed others who are quiet and passive.

Just because one has been diagnosed with a spectrum disorder does not mean they are more inclined to commit a crime. Let's not throw spectrum disorder patients under the bus because of the incident in Connecticut.

As a police officer i personally know many homicides are committed by people who have no association or diagnose with a spectrum disorder.

Change the vaccine schedule - it is causing the mental and physical breakdown for the nation's well being. The anger needs to be directed at the government's failed health policies not the individuals with autism. That being said, vaccines are at the root cause for damaging so many lives.

and the following from The Christian Left Facebook page... "We’re not so sure the 20 year old autistic shooter in Connecticut is a “monster.” Some of us know first hand, Autism is a poorly understood condition. In 2013 it will finally be added to the DSM. Access to services for families with an autistic child is abysmal. Often parents are blamed and vilified for their child’s autism. Schools and teachers don’t know how to handle autistic kids so they generally blame the parents. The families often suffer in silence. It can be a nightmare."

While I appreciate the supportive sentiment, I have not heard anywhere that the shooter was on spectrum, NOR was I aware that autism "In 2013... will finally be added to the DSM."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/16/i-am-adam-lanzas-mother-mental-illness-conversation_n_2311009.html?

Would like to point out to Vicki Hill that her son needs to have better investigations. She describes a similar "psychotic" presentation as my son has but we now know that this is due to a deficit in certain detox enzymes and he is in fact intoxicated. This happens in response to infection and can be controlled by antibiotics. Indeed we knew this before we knew why. In the hands of brain washed psychiatrists these investigations do not get done, although they have a clear duty of care to eliminate organic causes. No expertise, no ethics, nothing but drugs.

Wayne: Well put. Thank you!

Jen: I heard on the news today that all kinds of bogus background information is being posted on the internet, and that these are being investigated as crimes.

Asperger syndrome has not only become chic, but is now too often used as an excuse. Five years ago or so in Massachusetts a child was stabbed to death at school (the school my sister’s children attended). The parents claimed the murderer had Asperger syndrome. He was a special needs student, but should have been been placed in a Department of Youth Services (DYS) institution rather than a community public school.

Massachusetts has become notorious for placing dangerous teens in much lauded “community” settings, with similar tragic results. An investigation of psychiatric experts is long overdue.

Ann;
Oh so Dr. Seigel changed his tune!
That makes sense --- for years, listening to him I have felt that he really does not know what autism really is -- it is just a word related on a psychogologist list.

So now at last he is gett'n an education on mental illness.

Along with the American people

Along with me.

Apparently there are different kinds of psychosis too.
Not sure really -- long term and short term then divided up further in hullcinations, delusional and some other name.

And different kinds of catatonics

Waxing - what ever postion you put someone arms or legs in they stay that way (My nine month old baby the night of the third DPT shot)

and the more common type were they run around and around in circles or some other repetitive movement.

Oh what an education I am receiveing.

Eileen, I initially thought i saw it in Huffpo but can't find it there- you can see an article in Daily Mail, ""Revealed, gunman's survivalist mother was obsessed with guns and stockpiled supplies..."- in an interview with the aunt of the young man, she reveals that the mother was a 'doomsday prepper" and had taken Adam to shooting ranges. Crazy!

I’m grateful to the Washington Post for saying this:

Autism experts say no evidence of link between Asperger’s and violence like in Connecticut - The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/autism-experts-say-no-evidence-of-link-between-aspergers-and-violence-like-in-connecticut/2012/12/15/63077d34-4722-11e2-8c8f-fbebf7ccab4e_story.html

“While an official has said that the 20-year-old gunman in the Connecticut school shooting had Asperger’s syndrome, experts say there is no connection between the disorder and violence.”

It was encouraging to see the Washington Post clearly state that there is no connection between a diagnosis of autism and violent behavior, especially something as horrific as the Connecticut school. Thanks to the WP for setting the record straight.

Anne Dachel, Media

Guns in anyone's household are an outrage. However, Jen, where did you read that the mother had introduced her son to firearms?

I wonder if anyone will try to find out how many times she tried to get help for her son, and was turned away by mental health professionals. I have had in the past to camp-out in the emergency department and refuse to leave until someone would pay attention to my son's need for care beyond being kept at home. Even so, my son has been hospitalized and gotten the care he needs most often by courtesy of the police.

"Recovery is real," is the mantra of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. They just aren't interested in the problems of people with high-functioning autism, or the serious psychotic disorders from which people don't recover.

Kapoore- you are so right- these /90's kids need help! When they at first thought it was the older brother I said to myself it would make more sense to me if it were the younger brother (which turned out to be true). Those /90's kids were the first to be assaulted with hep b at birth. I'm sorry but I do not have much sympathy for that mother- she exercised bad judgment to the hilt- to have had guns is one thing but semi- automatics! And to have introduced that young man who had some kind of mental health issues to firing was insane!

I understand where you are coming from Anne, but I have to disagree. There is nothing wrong with the specific quote from Dr. Siegel: "If he had something called Asperger's, he may have had ongoing meltdowns which are associated with violent behavior. That's possible." He did NOT say - at least not in that quote - that Asperger was a motivation for mass murder! And he also said, "One thing's for sure, he's out of touch with reality at the time this occurs."

Several studies have shown that a significant percentage of adults with ASD have comorbid mental health diagnoses. And a very small percentage of adults with ASD also experience psychosis. I'd have to go look up the exact study, but my recollection is that the odds of psychosis among those with ASD is about twice the odds in the general population. Now, that was still a low number, perhaps 6% - but not impossible.

And yes, Peg, there are some people with Asperger who have meltdowns for other reasons than their inability to communicate. Some have comorbid anxiety disorders. Others have difficulty handling transitions or change and experience meltdowns when events don't go the way they anticipated. It can take many years of therapy to overcome these meltdowns.

I say this because I've lived it. My 25 year old son is in that very small percentage who have both ASD and a history of occasional psychosis. Fortunately, by this age the psychosis appears to be a problem at the past, but when he was age 20, it was definitely there from time to time. And he experienced many, many meltdowns for reasons unrelated to communication issues. I know he isn't alone. I know a number of other children and adults with ASD + comorbid mental health diagnoses like him. No, they are not in the majority, but they do exist.

Of course it is wrong to link Asperger or autism with motivation for mass murder. But it is equally wrong to deny that some people with ASD have comorbid mental health issues, meltdowns, or psychotic episodes.

I hope the autopsie includes a good look at his gut. They need to check for parasite, bacteria, fungus, etc. Bet he's out of balance. No disrespect intended... People need to stop looking at labels for answers and start looking at bodily functions that cause depression, hallucination, etc. And what meds was this young man on?

Fox needs to go after the pharma peeps... All the murderous rapage stories have one thing in common.... Meds. Years and years of meds prescribed and no search for causes of the children's mental issues... Just bandaide meds. I'm not saying that all meds are bad. But meds for bandaides - without full medical workups to search for cause of symptoms is sinful. Now, I don't know if the young man who committed these murders was on meds like that... I'm just saying, I hope this is investigated.

The autism community needs to shut this guy making comments about autism down NOW. There seems to be an ongoing effort to paint people with autism as being violent. I believe this is because we have a flood of these kids about to age out, and they don't want to pay to care for our children who they have injured so horribly. Simpler to lock them in institutions and throw away the key - and let's not forget cheaper too. Bas$#@ds!