Something We Might All Be Able to Agree On (Maybe)
There is a lot of dissension in autism circles—about vaccines, what type of therapy (ABA? RDI? Floortime?) to pursue, is there “autism” or “autisms“—but there has been one theory of autism causation that most parents (except for the one who came up with it) can all agree to disagree with. I am referring to the theory about TV causing autism put forth back in October of last year by Professor Michael Waldman of the Johnson Graduate School of Management of Cornell University. Just yesterday, April 5th, there was ABC News trumpeting about this “controversial new theory” that links autism to TV. “‘I’m not trying to blame anybody, but one in every 150 children is diagnosed with autism, and I think we should look under ever single, plausible stone,’” Waldman is quoted as saying: “I don’t want to make anyone feel bad, including my wife. But I’ve found some intriguing evidence, and two development pediatricians are seeing the same thing. I don’t think you can turn away from it.’”
Waldman’s theory really is not “new”; plenty of media sources covered it last fall and again in February, following a front-page Wall Street Journal article about his theory. I am guessing that one reason ABC News reported on Waldman’s theory because this is Autism Awareness Month and, in the past two weeks, autism has again and again been featured in the national media, with yesterday’s Oprah show the latest manifestation of autism in TV land.
Oprah, Larry King Live, The View: Autism is the subject on all of these. I am as glad as the next parent of an autistic child to see people talking about autism, and yet, if I may be a bit cynical: I am not sure that seeing autism featured, lists of “warning signs” recounted, clips from the Autism Every Day video shown, is tantamount to massive public understanding or even awareness about what autism and life with it really is. It is Autism Awareness Month so producers need to do something to show they are aware. But for how long? Just as long as a show is on the air and as message boards at the show’s website are maintained? Research on treatment and a “cure,” the daily difficulties of life with an autistic child, reasons for an “epidemic” are discussed, education is glossed over, or referred to only in passing. One parent writes about how she feels validated to hear Oprah say “that some people think vaccines cause autism.”
But our kids are kids before they are a cause and, like all kids, they need to be taught. If they are autistic students with some of the learning challenges my own son has—-sensory processing, difficulty paying attention, fine motor “deficits,” visual tracking problems, struggles with word recall, apraxia, and more—particular teaching methods are needed; even a particular set-up to the classroom’s physical environment can help a great deal. And education is not something that happens just in one month, or even in several months: Learning happens slowly over time and many autistic children do benefit from specialized teaching methods due to their neurological wiring. (Indeed, non-autistic students benefit from teaching methods that address their multiple intelligences.)
Maybe we need to take our eyes off the TV and, even as the search for answers to various controversies about autism continues, we can also agree to agree on this: However a child became autistic, he or she still needs to be taught—–needs not edutainment, but a real education.
Once again: Educate autistic children now.
6 opinions for Something We Might All Be Able to Agree On (Maybe)
Julie
Apr 7, 2007 at 8:25 am
I was shocked and even laughing at times when I saw him on GMA yesterday.
livsparents
Apr 7, 2007 at 8:28 am
It goes back, somewhat, to the question of whether some or most of our children should be mainstreamed. If there are specific educational requirements are needed and will not be adequately met by a local school district, shouldn’t we attempt to develop ‘regional’ centers of autistic education? Mind you, I’m not sure how I feel about the segregation and isolation from society, that has its own set of problems. We do need further research into what type of education works best for autistic minds…
Daisy
Apr 7, 2007 at 10:56 am
Well said!
Kristina Chew, PhD
Apr 7, 2007 at 12:02 pm
livsparents, great point. I don’t know if there is a definitive answer; one reason my son’s school district has been able to put together a number of classrooms like the one he is in is due to the fact that there are a lot of autistic students in our town. But not all towns can do this.
Chris
Apr 8, 2007 at 12:15 am
I still think most schools these days working against kids with dissabilities.
1. CUT Backs—PE and MUSIC–the 2 things that help develope the right brain and if done with intent improve the childs ability to concentrate, adn strengthen there social awareness. These classes are so few and far between in the mainstreem. Atleast in my sons special ed class he gets gym time and music daily. The more they cut this out, the more IEP are given out to kids who have trouble concentrating and paying attention.
2.Why is every single wall filled with stuff in everysingle classroom. Less is more, but i think they have forgitten to keep it simple. When I go into abserve my kids class room, I even have trouble paying attention, becasue there is so much going on everywhere.
3. There was a reason in the past that halls were carpeted and mozart was playing softly in the halls. A. it is quieter and calmer, B music that has over 300 beats per minute stimulates the right side of the brain in a non-intrusive way.
4. We are helping our children to make eye contact and become social in a workd where the a typical child spends there time at a computer, x-box,i-pod,cell phone. I find it interesting when my son goes up to a group of children and says Hi I am aidan, and they look up form some game boy they are all huddled around, and they do not even acknoledge him. And when those kids parents came into the room adn called for them they ignored them too. I am just blown away with that. Everything is working against these kids, and we seem to work so hard to get our autistic kids into our world– an a-typical kids seem to work just as hard to check out of our world.
I Guess I am just blowing off a little steam!!! sorry
Kristina Chew, PhD
Apr 8, 2007 at 12:38 am
Chris, I am so glad you mentioned all these points. Charlie has APE at 11.30am everyday—what a difference it has made! He used to get PE once a week—Friday afternoon (yes, very “useful”). He is a physical kid and needs to run around and move his body, and 11.30 is a perfect time. His school does not offer music; he has been doing so well with piano that I would like to see if he could learn another instrument, like the cello. High on my list. — And your comment about the rooms’ walls being so busy is so true—-I have to go look again at the walls in Charlie’s room, but they are not (as far as I remember) excessively “busy.”
Always good to hear from you—–
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