Tuesday, November 9, 2010

What's Bugging You? NICKY HAS AUTISM....HE IS NOT AUTISM.

NICKY HAS AUTISM....HE IS NOT AUTISM.
People have illnesses, but they are not their illnesses. People with cancer are not described as cancerous! People with Parkinson's disease are not Parkinsonions! Maybe I'm oversensitive; I mean it's better than when people called it the "A" word because they could not bring themselves to say “autism.” But for me, when people talk about people with autism and say "He's Autistic", "I work with Autistics", or "He's an Autistic, isn't he?”, I want to scream ”STOP IT!!”  My son has autism; he is not autism.  What he is is a young man…   a twelve year old boy, who's funny and clever. He is a brother, he is a great son, he goes to school, he loves puzzles, he loves swimming and he 
HAS AUTISM....HE IS NOT AUTISM.


Autism is not who he is, and it does not define him.


Does this bother anyone else? Or is it just me?

7 comments:

  1. It is so true of all of us... We are not the disease, the victim, or the pain... we are who we are. We have a history, but we are not the history. It is hard sometimes to go past this. But we must if we are to overcome it!

    Thank you, Donna, for this vital reminder!

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  2. Yes is bothers and irritates me. So you are definitely not the only one. I correct people when they talk about Lily that way.

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  3. You're not alone, Donna, and we have to correct this at every opportunity, again and again and again, smiling, with patience and good posture. The days can be long, indeed.

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  4. I have twins with autism, and I've always been annoyed by those who refer to the population as "Auts." Surprisingly, this has included some educators and administrators, as well. How is this any less awful than " 'Tards?"

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  5. Christopher Reeve echoed this sentiment. I paraphrase--he lamented that his disability not define him. Which should be a collective goal, a message to our culture. Nicky is not defined by his Autism but by his love of his family and friends, the many interests we know he has, by the traditions he celebrates

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  6. I say they have autism too, instead of being autistic. It really bothers me to hear someone say they are autistic. Then again, I think of it with my epilepsy. I say that I have epilepsy, though I'm sure I've said I'm epileptic too. For whatever reason, that doesn't bother me.... Not sure if it's because I'm talking about myself instead of my children or that I'm talking about epilepsy instead of autism. Does that make sense?

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  7. It is a difficult thing when someone you know says it. On the one hand they are concerned. Good. On the other, you want to shake them! I always tell them straight away what my child has. He has a capacity to learn and love, create and teach unlike anyone I have ever met. I rarely ever use the words the doctors and educators give us. Sam is Sam. The things that people are uncomfortable with are easier when boxed and sorted. Your outrage at this only proves how good a parent you are! Feel confident in making people understand your point. Children, no matter their ability, learn through example so keep teaching tolerance because ultimately, that is what the kids need (and the parents too).

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