I have been weighing in on the recent school shooting primarily because of the emphasis that is being placed on his diagnosis of Asbergers Autism. I am sure the majority of you are aware that my daughter was diagnosed with this disorder at the age of 12. She is the same age as the perpetrator of the murders. I fear that the autistic community may become the target of misunderstanding, and fear based reactions that are not supported by factual representations of this community as a whole. Sara Kissick may also weigh in on this topic, but I want all the young people grappling with autism and the effect this disorder has on their lives, to have faith that tragedies of this magnitude are not your destiny. High functioning, highly intelligent autistic children develop at a much slower rate that their same aged peers socially, and they often misunderstand social cues. Their above average intelligence makes this a struggle internally for them. The point of this statement is to not only recognize this fact, but ensure parents that working diligently with these children and verifying they have in tact self esteem is crucial. My daughter knows her social limitations, but pushes beyond her comfort zone anyway to increase social growth. She may be a late bloomer as far as relationships are concerned, but her awareness and self confidence make this a non issue...it is something she will focus on when SHE is ready. I apologize for the book length status, but this is a topic in MY back yard and I felt the need to cast my opinion out and see who bites.
Posted on: Mon, 26 May 2014 03:06:42 +0000
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