Autism is a spectrum disorder. Unfortunately, your extremely misguided commentary only promotes a "my problems are worse than yours" mentality.

High functioning Asperger Syndrome differs greatly from those on the other end of that spectrum. I found your editorial full of emotion and blaringly void of accurate information.

I found your narrative as offensive as you found Jerry Seinfeld words.

Two, of my 5 children, and an ex-husband fall on very different places across the autistic spectrum. Also, have researched Asperger Syndrome since the late 80s, many years prior to even being a diagnosis in the DSM and continue to keep myself educated in this area.

High functioning individuals face many struggles themselves, that is an entire series of articles in itself. You should be mindful, in the future, to be careful not to judge what you do not know or completely understand.

Yes, if Jerry becomes more informed, he may modify his statement to something slightly more specific, like,

"at a young age I became the class clown, finding it the only way I could deal with the awkwardness and incongruancies in daily living and social situations. I never could understand why people do one thing but say another. Why why why? And if people have a good sense of humor, they would actually laugh when I pointed them out. Kids are like that, they take things very literally until a certain age, but I never did seem to outgrow that. Sometimes I wonder what I would have been like if I hadn't been vaccinated. Maybe less baffled, probably way less rich for having not pointed out how ridiculous and ironic our behaviors are sometimes. But if I was more normal and in line with regular people, I would just go along ignoring that for the sake of social niceties. The families in the autism/aspergers world seem to have a good handle on how these things evolve. Apparently something called an MTHFR snp can affect a person's personality? I don't know, we are just looking into this. I may get tested, and we'll get the kids tested, too. Little Jerry is wayyy more particular than I even am! I've heard once you get tested you can really take steps to control how your physical and mental health and emotional health evolves. It's pretty cool, really. And now that I'm on the subject, what's up with these CDC people? . . . "

Yes, it would really suck if someone explained to Jerry that he may be on the right track, but just needs the facts to fill in the gaps. Can't have him making jokes about the CDC and the FDA or the AAP or the IACC - areas of our government just ripe for the comic pickin'.

..."As for Jerry, it takes a lot of courage to self-identify with a highly stigmatized condition. I laugh when people say that it is insensitive of him to do that, especially without a medical opinion to back him up, because that failure to correctly anticipate the reactions of others is very consistent with what I see from other high-functioning people on the Autism Spectrum.

So I say folks should take Jerry at his words, and encourage him to apply some of his financial resources to research that will help all of us and our kids."

I just read this. I wholeheartedly agree…

***********

Yeah, poor Jerry.

How dare us parents of vaccine injured children, not scrambling to rally behind a quirky rich guy who chose to diagnose himself with autism.

Because having the general public think THAT's what autism looks like… is in no way an insult to all those defenceless children who were damaged by vaccines with their consent.

Well, I wasn't going to chime in for real fear of offending othere here, but I'll add my .02:

As most of you know that read over here on a fairly regular basis, I have posted several comments re: what happened to our now 21 year old son, Ryan, when he suffered horrendous vaccine reactions, said reactions starting at birth (with Hep B vaccine), and on through to six months of age. He suffered with complete somnolence and high pitched screaming for over three hours after his 4 month shots, and minus the whole cell pertussis component to his next shot, at 6 months, he still suffered with somnolence.

When I asked our then pediatrician what the hell had just happened to our son after his 4 month reactions, he stated Ryan would most likely have learning disorder issues, starting at Kindergarten.

He did. He had to repeat Kindergarten, at which point, during his second year, when we could both see he was not making progress, I yanked out of our public school and homeschooled him. Ryan was put back into public school by second grade, but it was noted that he was struggling with reading and language/speech issues.

I pulled him out of public school yet again and proceeded to teach Ryan how to read, using Hooked On Phonics. During this time, from Kindergarten through to second grade, I noticed that Ryan seemed to have difficulties reading certain social cues. For example, he wouldn't understand when someone was being literal with him, versus facetiously making a comment. He didn't understand metaphors, etc., so forth.

I'm probably not wording this succinctly enough, but suffice to say Ryan's difficulties along this route were sufficient enough to truly cause him academic issues in both public and home schooling. Eventually, when we put Ryan back into our public school system (after having him in private Montessori school, which proved unsuccessful as well), we were finally able to receive the much needed assessments for Ryan that we'd not had prior).

Ryan was finally diagnosed by the Head of the Neuropsychiatric Department at Oakland's Children's Hospital as having higher order speech/language issues, a true inability to understand concepts behind math principles, and profound dysgraphia.

Through intensive (and I do mean INTENSIVE) tutoring and speech/language therapies, Ryan was able to overcome most of his issues (but not all). His dysgraphia remains and will remain, for the entirety of his life.

To the average person, upon meeting our son, you would never realize that he still somewhat struggles with his higher order speech/language issues.

But he does. I can see this with him when I will deliberately say something to him which would require him to understand what I mean on a literal basis, versus something I may say to him in a facetious manner.

Sometimes he'll pick up on the nuances between the two, and sometimes...not so much.

Someone meeting Ryan for the first time may find him ever so slightly quirky, or what have you, but I know better, because I'M HIS MOM and I know how this boy struggles at times with some of these issues.

Granted, Ryan is attending college and is doing very well, but SOCIALLY, I still worry about him somewhat. He's not where I would have hoped to see him at this stage, i.e., with a girlfriend perhaps, and more secure, generally speaking, in his social life.

He has plenty of friends, but most of them are starting to drift away, for one reason or another, due to various reasons (work related, family related, engagements, etc.). Ryan is extremely quiet and rather shy, but will only open up with those individuals that he's known for a very long time and who he feels very comfortable with.

So, would you label our son as being impaired? YES. Absolutely, but impaired as in the way some of your children are who are on the higher end of the spectrum?

NO.

I LOATHE the word autism. Autism is a LABEL given by the allopaths for nothing more than toxic damage to the brain/gut. Barbara Loe Fisher gave a great interview with Dr. Lawrence Palevsky just recently wherein they discussed this very issue.

ALL we are seeing with these kids (and adults) is various levels of damage. Brain inflammation, which is certainly what our son suffered after his vaccinations, is what he experienced. I QUIT vaccinating him after the age of 6 months because it was abundantly clear to us that Ryan was not handling these toxic brews they call vaccines, at all.

If I had not quit vaccinating our son, there is no doubt in my mind I would be posting over here, either as the Mom to a now dead baby, OR as the Mom of a fully diagnosed, incapacitated young man.

As far as Jerry Seinfeld is concerned, I honestly don't feel he meant any harm when stating he felt he MAY be on the SPECTRUM (he did NOT state he feels he is autistic).

I may get slapped silly six ways to Sunday for saying the following, but I PERSONALLY FEEL it took Jerry a lot of courage to say something like this. He's a very well known personality. He's acknowledging he has issues with certain social cues. He may or may not be on the spectrum - I don't know, for pete's sake, whether he is or not.

But whatever the case may be, whether it's Jerry S., my kid Ryan, or anyone else's over here, WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED SOMETHING HORRENDOUS WITH OUR KIDS SHORTLY AFTER VACCINATION. And obviously, since our kids' immune systems are all different, to what degree our kids suffered, varies.

I don't know Jerry S. Do any of you? I can't say whether or not he suffers with a true social impairment. HE says HE DOES, so who am I to judge him? I can't judge that. And whether or not he's made boatloads of money in spite of his issues, doesn't matter.

IF Jerry really does feel he has some sort of issue with reading cues off people, but he's been able to go beyond that and still do very well for himself, more power to him. At least he was still able to earn a living and was not so severely impacted that he had to rely on government/parents to see him through.

I wish I could say the same for all these kids. Even though our son is doing well in school, I honestly don't know what the future holds for him. And my heart does bleed for those that are much worse off than our son.

Sometimes, there just aren't enough words to describe the horror of all this. But I don't think dividing camp at this point over the likes of Jerry Seinfeld, is the answer.

To answer those here who have posted on themselves and/or their children not looking like they have autism, but having a diagnosis and having impairments (and you all described the impairments) your stories are not like Jerry's

Seinfeld said that he IS NOT DYSFUNCTIONAL. To repeat, he has a non-impairing impairment.

The stories you tell include stories of impairment. If not being able to do something because of the condition.

Seinfeld is highly successful at the behaviors that mark the disorder, displays no impairment, describes no impairment, says in fact that he is not impaired, and yet diagnosis himself with a condition for which impairment is necessary for diagnosis.

You have all described behavioral impairment. Jerry has described and displayed the opposite of behavioral impairment.

So if he, or you, want to tag him with an ASD diagnosis, then the burden of proof is on him or you. Again... he displays no impairment and reports no impairment.

He can win the NY marathon and claim that because his legs feel weak, he is a cripple. While again... winning the NY Marathon and having no doctor ever declare him disabled.

Jerry Seinfeld is not disabled, according to his own words.

To Grace Green- Thankyou for your comments. I very much agree with you.

My question to you and to other parents is this...I am not famous but do you feel that I am minimizing or lessening the diagnosis by telling people that I too have autism when it is not apparent that I do?

************

I personally don't believe a single word that you typed in your post. Complete fiction, if you ask me.

By my answer to your question, is that autism is not a disease, it's a diagnosed condition. And if it's not apparent that you have have autism…. then you don't have autism.

There is another side to this Jerry Seinfeld story that everybody seems to be ignoring.Mr.Seinfeld is basically diagnosing himself as being on the spectrum.There are many very high functioning people who say they are autistic,but have not actually gottten an official diagnosis.Those who support Mr. Seinfeld are also supporting the idea it is OK to diagnose yourself with autism.Autism Speaks has no excuse in supporting Mr. Seinfeld's statements,and I have finally come to agree with those who see Autism Speaks as a joke and a disgrace.

I had an autism diagnosis as a child,but needed to be reevaluated in my 40s.This evaluation took about fourteen hours over a two day period,and was done by the director of developmental psychology at a large teaching hospital.The result was pretty much the same as it was when I was a child,I was found to have very good speech and language,but was otherwise considered very low functioning.Papers were prepared for my mother to sign to put me in a group home,and my mother refused.

It is very possible that Mr. Seinfeld has little or no knowledge of what autism actually is,beyond social impairments.

I see the words cure and recovered used a lot in regards to autism.I really prefer the term manage,while there are those like me,who are completely recovered from autism,it requires a strict regimen of diet and medication to stay that way.I am one of the more lucky ones,in that I have found a cause and treatment,even if it did come a little late in my life.And yes,I did the head banging,wandering,and all the rest,right up until I started treatment.

I have the now recognized trifecta of cerebral folate deficiency,Severe MTHFR Deficiency,and mitochondrial disease.This seems to be gradually making its way to being its own separate disorder,apart from autism.Perhaps a subtype of mito.In my case,there is a real family history,but no one could connect all the dots until now.For me the autism is pretty much completely gone as long as I stay on the leucovorin,and keep to a GFCF diet,but I still have all the medical problems from the mito.

Jennifer! That's a good question. However, your assertion that you have Aspergers' also presumes that that diagnosis can never change. My take on autism is that there is the possibility of cure, and as long as you say you have Aspergers' you are assuming there is no cure. When you don't have the signs and symptoms of an illness, you are cured in my book. Otherwise you must believe that autism is a hopeless condition. That kind of thinking is foreign to meand my understanding of science.

Dear Ginger,
Although I cannot speak for Mr. Seinfeld and do not claim to be anything like him since I have never met the man, I can speak as a 42 year women with Asperger's who has learned to be extremely social and can even tell a joke or two. I often hear, “I can't believe you have Asperger’s”. My special skill and obsession is sociability and has been since the age of 10. Yes, I have had many struggles in my life however, these struggles have helped me become who I am and I currently feel very successful where I am at today.
I am also raising a beautiful 9 year old boy with classic autism and like you and many parents of children with an ASD diagnosis have and continue to spend thousands of hours researching, advocating, countless hours of therapy, endless cooking for special diets, sleepless nights of worry and despair all in the ongoing hope of recovery or at the very least some sort of functional independence. I get what it is to raise a child with autism. I live it every minute of every day.
My question to you and to other parents is this...I am not famous but do you feel that I am minimizing or lessening the diagnosis by telling people that I too have autism when it is not apparent that I do? Do I keep my mouth shut or do I loudly and proudly continue to tell parents of children who have a diagnosis of Asperger's and others I encounter that I am one shade of the many colors on the spectrum and that anything is possible?
With much respect, Jen

Jerry Seinfeld is to autistic people waiting in line for disability benefits what Costanza is to old ladies/kids in a fire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnfbhdELQLA

Oh PLEEEEASE tell me this is just one big elaborate joke Jerry is trying to pull,in an effort to get those who DO believe him a big. a-HA moment when he finally comes out with the real truthful info as to what autism really is.....

It has to be, there is no other explanation, he was not just the actor memorizing lines in his shows, he was the writer too, and the show was all about the "normal things" people didn't see....and THOSE Kinds of things kids like ours, on all aspects of the spectrum never really see, so how could HE SEE them funny enough to write and then perform them, and be THAT good at it?

This has to be some elaborate prank to get the now Jerry believers to be tricked, and then Jerry will be able to have a real platform for helping spread the real truthful info about autism....

There are other diagnoses that include social anxiety or we can just say you have social anxiety.

Excellent piece !
I agree with everything you said Ginger, except the part about Jerry's wife being beautiful...I find her kind of average looking. Maybe she's the one who is autistic since she left her first husband right after the honeymoon to date Jerry...a bit of a communication problem, she forgot to tell her husband he didn't have enough money, oops, "nice honeymoon but I just found out Jerry Seinfeld wants to date me." http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/fashion/04seinfeld.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

It is time for us to demand a different "label" for what is known as severe or regressive autism. It is a disservice to our childrem to call them autistic. Autism is identified as "a social/communication/behavioral impairment and dysfunction..." as noted by Ginger. Where are all the physical disabilities in this definition? How can I demand more care for my child, who is 13, non-verbal, unable to dress himself or use the bathroom by himself, to get a drink or feed himself, to cross the strees by himself, or comprehend why the TV is not working caused by electricity shortage, who sufferes from seizure disorder, insomnia, GI isues, etc. if other people with "autism" including Bill Gates, Jerry Seinfeld, or even Temple Grandin, with "high-functioning autism" can function so well? Can we demand a "brain damage" diagnosis for children like my son? Will this country be willing to open their eyes on this vaccine-induced, debilitating, life-long illness if it were under a different diagnosis? Will this country be willing to recognize that children with vaccine-induced encehalopathy are a co-lateral for the well-being of this nation??? Shouldn't this nation take responsibility in helping to take care of these victims instead of making fun of them? 1998 was the year when CDC and FDA knew about mercury in vaccines damaging our babies. It is 2014 and we are still at the same place trying to prove that children with regressive, severe autism were, in fact, damages by vaccines. Shame on this government and the CDC, FDA, IMO, HHS and all the doctors who has always known about this but did nothing to stop this insanity and help our children recover (which is possible,BTW, if the government is willing to help).

If anything, this shows the outcome and effect of lighting it up blue.

A lot of people with aspergers don't fit the label of autism but that doesn't mean they aren't in the spectrum. People with asperger's can be very successful but are just a little different or a better word could be unique in their ability to socialize and know the proper social norms. That doesn't mean they won't succeed and succeed to a greater degree than expected. It is time we stop judging what people say and take what they say as just another comment they made. Lets not get all upset because we can't see them flapping their hands or going off on the deep end with behaviors. That is my take on this and I have an adult, my son, with pure autism and I also know a lot of asperger's too. They are VERY different from my son.

Hi Ginger

I don't agree that Bill Gates is just an IT guy. He is a calculating and successful manipulator. So, successful that the world was made to take all his products, which were not necessarily the best: the "genius" was in his savage business methods. Having done this with computer softwear he is now doing it with vaccines. Much of the horse-trading may be crude but it is very effective. It requires special social abilities which I do not much admire, and certainly don't trust. To call vaccine safety proponents "babykillers" was a calculated risk: it polarises things but it is effective propaganda. However well we respond we are still outside the MSM. It is troubling that people who are outraged by the way he has dominated the softwear generally take the view that he is being genuinely philanthropic when it comes to vaccines.

Maybe I atrributed too much malice to Seinfeld in comments below. Perhaps it is simply clumsy, but it has unfortunate precedents.

John

Lets all petition Jerry Seinfeld to not only apologize for this egregious error on his part but for him to make reparations by bringing attention to the reality of Autism by starting a new web show and calling it something like "Real ASD Kids in Cars with Jerry.”

Thanks Ginger for hitting the nail on the comedian's head.

I'm willing to consider the possibility that Jerry is on an environmentally induced (maybe even pharma induced) neurological injury spectrum. Maybe he has developed the ability to see humor in interpersonal interaction because some elements are not intuitive for him--I don't know. Maybe he's just making things up, but don't want to think that's the case... The main question I have is why this came up in interview, and I couldn't watch it to try to get a feel for that because G Sachs had an ad preceding it and reminded me I was on an NBC powers-that-shouldn't-be-propaganda-site and I was driven away by an overarching repulsion...

I wish we lived in a world where entertainers weren't used as distraction and propaganda by the powers that shouldn't be... but maybe there is something instructive in Seinfeld's history (that would most likely shut down quickly any attention paid to this "revelation").

I didn't see the interview where he said he's autistic. My computer wouldn't play it. But, I think this is an example of an artist's mind exploring and verbalizing an idea without realizing the consequences.
'I'm different. What makes me different? Maybe I'm autistic? Yes, that must be it. I'm autistic. I..." And he said it out loud in an interview. And because of his celebrity it carried far and wide. I doubt that he meant to make the splash that resulted. I doubt that he understands what autism is. I think he would never have gone there in a public interview if he had any inkling.

I maybe wouldn't go so far as to call it an innocent remark, but I don't think he understood the implications and how people suffer. Which doesn't make him autistic. It just makes him ignorant and a little too free verbalizing his ideas. It isn't unusual for a stand-up comedian to say something offensive that they later regret. This is a man who makes a living making people laugh and throughout his career, he has not yet, to my knowledge, made his living by intentionally exploiting or hurting others. I really doubt that he would knowingly use autism to promote any endeavor. He doesn't need to stoop so low and I don't believe he would.

Good though, that you called him on it, Ginger, and explained to him that autism isn't funny.

I enjoyed the piece and I think it expressed the collective anger and disbelief of AUTISM parents everywhere (capitals intended!). As the mother of a 6yo boy with SEVERE AUTISM and multiple medical issues, including an autoimmune encephalopathy, severe GI issues etc...., I resonate with the sentiments and emotions expressed in the piece. That said, I think we need to have empathy for those outside of our community who don't truly know what AUTISM is. They can't possibly know the losses that AUTISM can bring to a life, a family. They haven't had a chance a witness the medical issues that AUTISM often brings with it: GI pain, GI dysfunction, seizures, mitochondrial issues, fatigue, headaches, migraines, eczema......the list goes on and on. They don't understand the profound functional deficits that our children struggle to ameliorate. Even my medical colleagues (I am a physician), don't understand what AUTISM can really look like. The public is exposed to the higher functioning side of AUTISM in the media and in "autism awareness" campaigns. Not that higher functioning children and adults don't have challenges but there is a temptation for people to use their own social awkwardness, anxiety and personal challenges as a way to try and understand the version of autism that the media has shown them. Let us not forget that ignorance is NOT a sin. We are in a unique position to educate those around us, even as we are struggling to keep our heads above water. I am a neighbor to the Seinfelds. I don't know them personally and I respect their privacy. But Jerry strikes one as a regular guy, struggling to get along, just like all of us. With strengths and weaknesses. I think we should offer him and others an empathic response, the same kind of response we want for our children. Let use our empathy, humility and what little humor we might have left to educate others about the true costs of AUTISM, especially for those on the middle and lower ends of the spectrum. Again, I resonated with the piece on a personal level. But b/c I have also seen Jerry in the flesh on numerous occasions, I am fairly certain that his comments were not intended to hurt or harm. Rather the opposite: to try and link his own personal experiences to those of others. Off the mark? Yes. Ok. But not out of malice. When our own government and regulatory agencies cannot even begin to acknowledge what AUTISM really is, then let's remember to have compassion to those who have not been blessed to be a part of our community.

Joan,

I understand your point about money... but Bill Gates... or anyone else who might be legit ASD didn't make their cash BASED on their social and communication skills. Jerry Seinfeld makes humors observations about human interactions, effectively communicates them to an educated audience, and displays world class ability to make friends with the most charismatic people in society. For example... here is Jerry commenting on other people's behavior, which displays a keen ability to evaluate social cues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYDA7__znfY

Bill Gates is an IT guy. His charm didn't make him his money. He routinely displays some really poor choices in public statements (calling us baby killers). There are reports and video of him rocking back and forth while sitting. He displays symptoms of autism.

Jerry not only displays no symptoms, he made all his money by talking.

I am sorry but the tone of this article and some of these comments are doing a disservice to our overall message...I have a son on the spectrum who doesn't flap his arms but he does other things that take the place of that need...we don't know the whole story here...we are just looking at it from afar and shouldn't be so judging...and his money is not a reason for or against...there have also over the years been things suggesting some highly successful people (Bill Gates ?...) might be on the high functioning end of the spectrum...his success is not a sign he is not...we don't know, just as he doesn't know yours.

as a community, I truly think we ought to give Jerry an "ice bucket challenge" to live with 2 families who have kids with autism- 1 family with a non-verbal child who suffers from seizures, and another who has dietary restrictions and therapy appointments so abundant that the moms runs her ass off all day long. In addition, ask Jerry to donate to the family's favorite charity. I already see the AS wheels churning. Wanna bet he's the MC at their next fundraise for blue lights? Can we get a jump on them?

Surprisingly decent article about this on Salon:
http://www.salon.com/2014/11/10/jerry_seinfelds_not_helping_celebrities_with_autism_distract_from_reality_and_research/.

Follow the money, his "revelation" coincides with the marketing of his TV show's season 5 premier on 11/6/2014... Jerry Seinfeld is an exploiter of disabled people.

Jerry Seinfeld is a very, very, BAD MAN.

On the flip side, I have admired Jerry Lewis for decades and his dedication and work for MD. He would never betray MD people with such smarmy superficiality about the MD criteria and disabilities that they endure.

Thank you Ginger, and John Stone. I went straight to the Autism Speaks website, so angry that I could not even type straight. I can imagine Jerry Seinfeld being appointed to the IACC as a neuro-diversity self advocate. He probably wouldn’t have time in his busy money-making schedule to show up for more than half a meeting.

The DSM is also to be blamed: (1) Loss of language in adulthood is more than a communication disorder. It is APHASIA, and everyone knows that means damage in the language areas of the cerebral cortex. Development of the language areas is impaired in autism. (2) Social disorder is part of a diminished level of consciousness. Locus in the brain of the conscious state should be a priority research topic for neuroscientists. (3) Repetitive movements are part of a choreo-athetoid movement disorder, and result from injury of the basal ganglia.

Thank you John Stone for the link to Autism Speaks. I just posted the following over there:

Injury to the brain causes autism. Injury that (1) disrupts language development, (2) leads to choreo-athetoid movement disorder, and (3) results in a diminished level of consciousness. These are serious neurological signs. What kind of awareness does Jerry Seinfeld promote??? He is just one more of s sickening succession imposters. I wish he would get together with my 52-year-old autistic son, and maybe help ensure his lifelong care with the $$$ required.

Presumably Dr Gardere would have no hesitation in diagnosing Seinfeld with autism:

http://videos.huffingtonpost.com/entertainment/psychologist-weighs-in-on-jerry-seinfeld-saying-he-has-autism-518504497
Psychologist Weighs in On Jerry Seinfeld Saying He Has Autism

INSIDE EDITION spoke to psychologist Dr. Jeffrey Gardere about the surprising revelation made by Jerry Seinfeld that he has autism.

".....I don't think it's harmful for him to say this at all because we really do suspect that there are a lot of folks out there who may fit onto that autism spectrum somewhere. Some of these people are brilliant, some of these people have done very, very well in life. Bill Gates has talked about that he is somewhere on that autism spectrum. So I think that this is great news for parents who have children who may have autism, or for the kids themselves who have autism because it shows you that you may think different than other people, your brain may be wired different than others, but it doesn't mean that you can't be successful in life. You really can make it in life."

Words fail me.

Having chronic health issues myself, plus three boys with a spectrum diagnosis, it became too much to manage our youngest son's needs. So we had to place him in a Residential Treatment Facility.

Having people redefine autism to fit their own world minimizes what my boy deals with. What each of my boys deals with. It is hard enough to get services for our kids without having their diagnosis trivialized by people who are trying to meet an agenda.

On the other hand, it raises awareness about Autism.