Autism

[PayItForward]

My brother has suddenly announced that he is Autistic, hence his failure to complete school and keep a job for longer than four months is not his fault.

Sigh, this is the latest in a long line of excuses of why his life doesn't work out right. :(

I studied Autism/Asperger Syndrome/Other behavioural issues. etc as part of my Degree and read dozens of books on these subjects but this doesn't allow me an opinion according to my brother.

He think he has a specific High operating form of Autism, which I have been trying to research on the web. But I don't feel he has any significant symptoms. In fact I can make some of the more general symptoms fit me and I am not Autistic.

He has been to the doctor who after questioning him, said he didn't have any such problem and there is no need to refer him.
My brother said the doctor didn't know what he is talking about. :eek:


I'm just at the end of my teather.....I don't want to be angry at him, if he needs help but I think he is just out to pin his problems on a label.

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

*feels stupid asking*

Can you give me just a lil background on Autisim? I don't know what it is...

[PayItForward]

Originally posted by ILoveMyAbbyGirl
*feels stupid asking*

Can you give me just a lil background on Autisim? I don't know what it is...
It can vary a lot.

At one extreme you have a 'Rainman' idea of Autism an idiot savant to a high functioning clever person who struggles to indentify with people.

Possible Symptoms
Withdrawn from the real world
Has set rituals for every aspect of life
Will often not accept physical touch, or touch is over sensitive
Is strongly attached to objects rather than people.
Obession with a specific subject
May have problems developing speech during childhood
Fail to understand sarcasm, or think literally. i.e Jump into shower and misses verbal cues.
Often struggles to recognise faces & other peoples emotions.
Dislikes crowds and changes and unfamilar situations

Autistic peole are just people who are not wired the same way as so called 'normal' people. They are often creative people who have an interesting outlook on life.

One high functioning Autistic man said ' It is like being an alien dropped in a middle of a dinner party' He meant he needs to learn all the social interation that he can't see.

[PayItForward]

Interesting link written by an Austic person
http://www.geocities.com/growingjoel/whatisitlike.html

[Amber]

my friends little brother is autistic

[Soledad]

It's really insulting that he would hijack a disease so many would die to get a cure for so that he can justify his own crap behavior.

Perhaps he just needs a good therapist.

[puppygrrl4eva7]

I have two cousins who are brother and sister and they are both Autistic, actually the boy is mentally retarded and autistic. They can both be very hard to deal with. They kick and punch each other all the time. The boy, Evan, has rocks and he names them all. Lately he's been carrying around billiard balls, his favorite is the 7 ball. It's really sad.I don't know why anyone would joke or lie about that.

[mugsy]

I have never heard of autism being diagnosed in an adult. Perhaps ADD or ADHD, but probably not autism, but, still the alphabet soup labels can still become excuses.

[wolfsoul]

We researched autism in psychology.

It's quite rare for someone with autism to be able to comprehend that he/she has it and be able to communicate and function at a regular rate, like a normal healthy person. Autism is a brain disorder and the neurons in the brain are affected, so they don't transmit messages properly. That can affect the other parts of the brain that help you think ahead, regulate coordination, reason, control emotions, etc.

Autism can be diagnosed in an adult if it isn't the most common and obvious form. Autism also doesn't always happen in the womb. Your brain grows and develops your whole life and gives you a large amount of time for the neurons not to grow properly or to grow in the wrong place. However it isn't common for that to happen and it usually does happen before birth.

I see you've watched Rain Man. I was going to reccomend it to anyone here who wants to know more about autism. :)

[green_chameleon_girl]

My friend Conall has Autism. I sit beside him in class and let him talk to me whenever he needs it. I fell bad for him. He is such a nice guy

[Tonya]

They're trying to diagnose my son right now with Asperger Syndrome. He's seen a ton of doctors over the past few years. Half believe he has ADHD the other half Asperger Syndrome. I feel that he has ADHD. He just shows antisocial behavior when he's around doctors because they freak him out.

Anyways, I do not tell Jaden that he has ADHD. -What you said, payitforward is the exact reason why. I do not want him to ever use it as an excuse.

When he's asked me why he sees all these doctors, I just tell him that they're trying to figure out why it is so hard for him to sleep. (He takes hours to fall asleep at night.)

[PayItForward]

Originally posted by Soledad
It's really insulting that he would hijack a disease so many would die to get a cure for so that he can justify his own crap behavior.

I know, that's what upsets me.

He wants a label, so he can mess around and if we tell him to grow up and make an effort, he has a permenant excuse NOT to :mad:

[PayItForward]

Originally posted by Tonya
They're trying to diagnose my son right now with Asperger Syndrome. He's seen a ton of doctors over the past few years. Half believe he has ADHD the other half Asperger Syndrome. I feel that he has ADHD. He just shows antisocial behavior when he's around doctors because they freak him out.

Anyways, I do not tell Jaden that he has ADHD. -What you said, payitforward is the exact reason why. I do not want him to ever use it as an excuse.

When he's asked me why he sees all these doctors, I just tell him that they're trying to figure out why it is so hard for him to sleep. (He takes hours to fall asleep at night.)
Tonya, your son will never use this as an excuse, as you have brought him up right. To be a strong and capable person.

Best wishes to your son, though I am not sure what to hope for.

Asperger Syndrome has it's bad points but it has some interesting advantages too. Asperger often goes hand in hand with talented creative people. But I don't know anything about ADHD.

-----------------------

The reason , my brother is so sad, is that as the youngest child by 5 years in our family, he was spoilt and practically raised as an only child and this is the result 'a brat of an adult'.

[lizbud]

PayItForward,

I really learned a lot about Autism while researching facts on
Humane treatment of animals & factory farming. Sounds like
quite a stretch does it? I discovered this author, Temple Grandin,
who is herself autistic, who also designs humane animal systems
for handling, restraining & reducing stress in animals bound for
slaughter. She is an expert in animal behavior. Her website is
http://www.grandin.com/

She wrote a paper for the Center For Study of Autism that is
very interesting. It also talks about several subtypes of Autism.
Asperger's Syndrome is included as one of these subtypes.

Here is a link to her paper;

http://www.autism.org/temple/visual.html

btw, what type of help does your brother ask for, monetary or
just for sympathy(a shoulder to cry on) ?

[Tonya]

ADHD and Asperger's syndrome can have very similar qualities. Lack of social skills, lack of focus, hyperactivity, etc... Alot of people with Asperger's syndrome are actually misdiagnosed as having ADHD or dismissed as just being an odd person.

[Cataholic]

PIF- how old is your brother?

[PayItForward]

Originally posted by Tonya
ADHD and Asperger's syndrome can have very similar qualities. Lack of social skills, lack of focus, hyperactivity, etc... Alot of people with Asperger's syndrome are actually misdiagnosed as having ADHD or dismissed as just being an odd person.
Ah, I see how they are confused.

I hope Jaden learns to sleep at night, it must be very upsetting for him.

Ps. How old is he ?

[PayItForward]

Originally posted by Cataholic
PIF- how old is your brother?
23 going on 5 years old ;)

He spend the last three years at university, he dropped out at the beginning of the third year. But he didn't tell us, he just took my parents money every month for the year. He lied to them, as he was having a good time, he didn't want to go home.

He needed (wanted) to move down south, with his boyfriend, my parents spent £1000 ($1673) to move him and then he spilt with his partner, demanded more money to move out to another place.

He has lived there for three months, asking for rent money every month.

He spends his money in the pubs and clubs with his NEW boyfriend, who is over 40 years old.

So I said grow up, stop asking our parents for money, get a life. He is like I am so ill and Autistic, I need help... He needs a kick.

Oh and he has decided he wants to go back to university again. Wait for it. NOT to repeat his non existant third year. oh no, he wants to start again. If my parents pay, I will be very upset.

It is good that me & my sister don't ask for anything, or else my parents would be bankrupt.

END OF RANT

[PayItForward]

Originally posted by lizbud

btw, what type of help does your brother ask for, monetary or
just for sympathy(a shoulder to cry on) ?
Money, more money and a logical reason why he can(Won't) make any effort with the family.

Thanks for the links, I'm sure Temple wrote a book called Autism Emergance (or simular title) but it doesn't mention it (Might of mis-remembered) :)

[Tonya]

Jaden is 6 years old. I have him on a new medication called Strattera, so he is finally going to sleep right away and waking up with ease in the morning. I'd fought with doctors and schools about medication for awhile, but now I wish I'd done it a long time ago. He's doing so well on it.

[PayItForward]

Originally posted by Tonya
Jaden is 6 years old. I have him on a new medication called Strattera, so he is finally going to sleep right away and waking up with ease in the morning. I'd fought with doctors and schools about medication for awhile, but now I wish I'd done it a long time ago. He's doing so well on it. I am a bit confused, did you want the medication or not ?

Well, the main thing is that he can sleep though the night. Kids need so much sleep at that age (Says my mum).

How is he doing at school ?

[wolfsoul]

Originally posted by Tonya
Jaden is 6 years old. I have him on a new medication called Strattera, so he is finally going to sleep right away and waking up with ease in the morning. I'd fought with doctors and schools about medication for awhile, but now I wish I'd done it a long time ago. He's doing so well on it.
Is this medication expensive? Are there any side effects? I have terrible insomnia and don't fall asleep until morning. I'd love to sleep for once lol.

[puppygrrl4eva7]

I don't have insomnia but I've always just been a night owl, I don't know why but I like to clean at night like after everyone's gone to bed. Even when I was little I didn't want to go to bed I just wanted to stay up, my mom thought I had a sleeping issue or something, I just like staying up a little later than every one else, I usually go to bed around 11:30- midnight and I wake up every morning at 6:00 which gives me 2 hours to get ready for school. I'm never tired in class or anything I'm just used to staying up late, and my body has gotten used to it.

[Tonya]

I am a bit confused, did you want the medication or not ?


At first, I was totally against medicating kids. I did not believe in ADHD. But, after getting educated on it, going through a few schools and daycares, I finally chose to medicate Jaden. I am now for medication once the parents and doctors are sure the kid has ADHD.

[Tonya]

Is this medication expensive? Are there any side effects? I have terrible insomnia and don't fall asleep until morning. I'd love to sleep for once lol.

Straterra is actually not for insomnia. It is for hyperactivity. One of the side effects is actually supposed to be insomnia. But for some reason, it helps Jaden to sleep better.

[emily_the_spoiled]

The reason that it helps Jaden sleep, is that a child's body will use and breakdown drugs in different ways than an adult body. So for some drugs that are used to treat insomnia in adults will actually have the opposite effect in children.

This is one of the reasons that it is important to have drugs tested in children (with supervision), instead of letting them on the market where any MD can prescribe them for anyone.

But I am really glad that it is helping Jaden, there is definitely a time and place for medication.