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Autism Vox

August 27th, 2008

A Note On Hillary Clinton’s Speech

Just after the introductory section of her speech at the Democratic Convention (transcript), as her first example of her “35 years in the trenches, advocating for children, campaigning for universal health care, helping parents balance work and family, and fighting for women’s rights here at home and around the world,” Hillary Clinton said:
I will always […]

By Kristina Chew, PhD -- 15 comments

August 23rd, 2008

A Church For Families with Special Kids

After a priest filed a restraining order against the parents of 13-year-old Adam Race back in May, there was a lot of (often very heated) discussion about the exclusion and inclusion of autistic individuals in public spaces. The August 22nd Morning News reports on The Point at Bella Vista, a church meant for families with […]

By Kristina Chew, PhD -- 2 comments

August 16th, 2008

Disruptive Child = Autistic Child (according to some people)

This Associated Press story about autistic children and disruptive behavior has been making the rounds of news outlets and websites—-Jen Miller of Tacoma, whose daughter is autistic, writes this in the News Tribune:
….it’s funny how easy it is for some to complain when they haven’t walked a day in an autistic parent’s shoes.
Miller refers to […]

By Kristina Chew, PhD -- 5 comments

August 13th, 2008

Always Looking for a Little Understanding

In the ocean this morning with Charlie, I noted a boy about his age looking more than a few times in our direction. Charlie’s a super swimmer, and clearly comfortable in the water, and still has to have someone out there with him. This morning it was me. The waves were perfect—big but soft and […]

By Kristina Chew, PhD -- 11 comments

August 9th, 2008

On the “Autism Card” and a Deficit of Compassion

Compassion Deficit Disorder is the title of an August 7th article by writer Judith Warner in the New York Times. Starting with Michael Savage’s over-the-top claims that autism is incorrectly diagnosed in 99% of cases and that it’s just a way to seek “undue sympathy, victim status, and services” for autistic children, Warner writes in […]

By Kristina Chew, PhD -- 42 comments

July 21st, 2008

Savage Language, Cont’d

Now we’ve got the New York Times weighing in on radio host Michael Savage’s savage language about “bratty” autistic kids. As About.com notes, Savage is “successfully sucking time, money and energy” from the autism community (and sucking in ratings, I would think). All I can say again is, ’nuff said!
And, we have found the actual […]

By Kristina Chew, PhD -- 30 comments

July 18th, 2008

Savage Language, To What End I Do Not Know

It seems no wonder that right wing talker Michael Savage’s last name is, well, “Savage” after reading what he said about autism on his radio show. I’ll list the words he uses to refer to autism:
moron, putz, idiot, fool, dummy, a girl, losers, beaten men
More of Savage’s savagery is quoted on Left Brain/Right Brain.
If […]

By Kristina Chew, PhD -- 41 comments

July 17th, 2008

4-year-old shown the door at Georgia restaurant

A Georgia mother and her daughters were kicked out of a Jackson restaurant because one daughter, 4-year-old Alyssa, who is autistic, was crying. Another customer—-Jackson Police Chief Dennis Rushton, it turned out—-said that her crying was “‘beginning to make [his] head hurt.’”
Excluded, again.
Tags: asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, buckhead, developmental disability, Family, father, georgia, mothering […]

By Kristina Chew, PhD -- 28 comments

May 21st, 2008

Including Samuel: Tonight

Enough about exclusion—–tonight at 5.30 pm and at 8.00pm at the JCC in Manhattan, a film called Including Samuel will be shown. The film “examines the social and educational inclusion of youth with disabilities”; filmmaker (and Samuel’s father) Dan Habib, a nationally renowned photojournalist, will be present for a Q & A session. (Go here […]

By Kristina Chew, PhD -- 2 comments

May 21st, 2008

Excluded?: On Keeping the Faith

Exclusion of autistic individuals from public places has been under heavy discussion in the wake of a Minnesota priest filing a restraining order against the parents of an autistic 13-year-old, Adam Race. In a short essay at the start of the guide Autism and Faith: A Journey Into Community entitled “Open the Door,” Linda Walder […]

By Kristina Chew, PhD -- 30 comments