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Autism Vox

Autistic, not artistic!

by Kristina Chew, PhD on August 29th, 2006

How often has someone mistaken your saying “my child is autistic” as “my child is artistic”?

Maureen Morrell and Ann Palmer remember being congratulated on having “artistic” children when they told friends their two sons were autistic, twenty years ago. Their story is in today’s StarNewsOnline.com (NC).

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Kassiane
Aug 29, 2006 at 3:12 pm

I get that a lot when ‘coming out’. “Really? DRAW!!” or “so do you draw or paint or what?”

Usually it’s “DRAW!!!” with a pencil and paper thrown at me. So I use stylized letters to write aUtistic, with the U superemphasized.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Aug 29, 2006 at 3:32 pm

And perhaps “not aRtistic” below it…….
Sharon Shirley
Aug 30, 2006 at 3:52 pm

The first & only time I received this response was from a technologist (term used losely) performing my first mammogram. Due to her unprofessionalism prior to my exam, I decided it was not worth my effort to attempt to educate her.
She obviously already knew it all. Thank you for your blog about life with Charlie. You have a way with words. I appreciate Autismland & MOM-NOS just knowing that I am not alone on the journey. I look forward to reading your book someday.
Kristina Chew, PhD
Aug 30, 2006 at 5:35 pm

Sharon, It means a lot to know that there are parents like you reading about Charlie (and his blog-mate, Bud). I agree—sometimes it is not worth the effort to go into a complete “explanation about autism”—–talk about unprofessionalism!

Best regards from all of us here.
Melody
Apr 17, 2008 at 4:21 am

Heh. I’ve gotten that before. Sometimes I have to REALLY try to enunciate, something I’m not always very successful with anyway. AUT, AUT, I’m AUTistic. A-U-T…

:)