The “hidden epidemic” and the “magic pill”
Mention the word “epidemic” in autism circles and the discussion will be, more often than not, about what factors—the MMR vaccine, environmental factors such as air pollution, genetics—are behind the “skyrocketing” increase in children diagnosed with autism in the past decade.
Autism: The Hidden Epidemic, an article by Jennifer Liss in WireTap, instead describes how some parents in California have focused on how to help their kids learn and grow through education. As Eric Burkholder, an autism educator who has worked for 11 years in California public and nonpublic schools, says in regard to autistic children’s right to a “free and appropriate education,”
“Free appropriate education is not necessarily a Cadillac but a Ford. Parents don’t want free and appropriate. They want free and best.”
Autism: The Hidden Epidemic profiles two California autism schools, The Bay School in Santa Cruz and the Wings Learning Center in San Mateo.
“If you can’t surf the internet, if you don’t have some connections — those families are really behind the eight ball. ……….”
“I think an autistic child can outgrow most of the physical evidence of autism and pursue something they will be good at and have a good quality of life. I don’t know if autism can be fully cured, but I think it can be controlled.”
So says Mike O’Farrell, whose daughter Mia attends The Bay School. The Bay School was started nine years ago by parents; its educational program is based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA; this is the teaching methodology that is the basis of my son Charlie’s education).
Nancy Andrieu is the mother of two autistic sons, one whom, Matthew, attends public school; her other son, Andrew, attends a private school, the Wings Learning Center. The Wings Learning Center was founded by autism parents in 2001 and uses “language-based,” “multi-sensory” and “interactive” teaching methods in an “individualized, small-group setting.”
Autism: The Hidden Epidemic notes that “the relationship between parents and their school districts can be complicated and sometimes hostile.” As the parent of a nine-year-old autistic boy with a significant language disability who has attended three different schools (both public and private) and had five different teachers this year, I have first-hand experience about how “complicated” this relationship can become, and about how potentially “hostile”—and about how important it is that, parents and school districts seek to work together and coordinate efforts, and to never lose sight of the child’s individual interests and needs. Like the parents in Autism: The Hidden Epidemic, my husband and I can will always strive to get Charlie the best education.
I do not think that Charlie needs to be cured of autism. I do think that, for Charlie to achieve his full potential and to lead a good life, he needs the best education and the best teachers possible, and that these are Charlie’s “magic pill.”
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POSTED IN: Disability Rights, Education, Legislation, Money, Parenting, Treatment
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