Pissed Off

[katinka31]

I am not a "rock the boat" type of person, but this passage in a movie review of August Rush bothered me on such a deeply personal level, I had to do something:

"He's a blank slate, complete with glazed-over eyes and a slack-jawed smile. I don't think August is intended to be autistic, but that's how Highmore plays him. Highmore cries frequently

Comments

[katinka31]

I don't know anything about Autism Speaks, sadly.

I do take part in an Autism Spectrum Disorder forum in an online knitting community, though, and it's been really enlightening to talk there with adults who have autism and Asperger's Syndrome. Some of them really dislike the talk of advocacy groups about "curing" autism, as that implies that there is something "wrong" with them that needs to be "fixed". They might be "different", but that doesn't have to equate "wrong". There seems to be an agreement among these people, at least, that while some coping mechanisms can be learned, it's a "once autistic, always autistic" situation. I kind of feel that way about my son -- while he's improved TREMENDOUSLY and will be attending mainstream kindergarten in the fall, I think his brain wiring is here to stay. I just hope he'll find kind people in life who will value the many amazing qualities that he has.

[katinka31]

It's kind of a tricky situation, you know? Because on one hand, there's my son, who is verbal, high-functioning, and loads of fun to be around. And then on the other hand, there's the autistic child of my husband's cousin, who is barely verbal, destructive, and very difficult to care for. By all means, I would hope that science would discover something to help him, or at least help us understand why he is how he is. It's very much a "spectrum" with people along all points.

[ex_seviet]

:: headdesk ::

I should get off the internets right now, I swear, I have already read too much stupid today.

Good lord.

[katinka31]

You know, it's true that autistics do sometimes have extraordinary musical abilities (the % of autistics who have perfect pitch is VASTLY larger than the % of "neurotypicals" who do), but "glazed-over eyes"? "Slack-jawed"? Give me a freakin' break.

[piperx]

Wow. That was obnoxious. I hope your letter is not the only one he'll be receiving.

My son (just turned two) is getting speech therapy now and we've all considered the possibility that he has a very mild case of autism. I'm not concerned with labeling him one way or another, but I recognize that he marches to the beat of a different drummer and that doesn't mean he's an idiot.

[katinka31]

In this day and age, there's really no excuse for a fairly high-profile film reviewer to bandy about the term "autistic" in that way. Sheesh.

And good on you for getting your son the help he needs. My son started early intervention at 2 1/2, and it's made a world of difference. :)

FWIW, my brother-in-law needed speech therapy as a child, and now he's a Stanford-educated designer of medical devices who holds multiple patents and runs several entrepreneurial efforts on the side.

[piperx]

My son started early intervention at 2 1/2, and it's made a world of difference.

That's so great to hear! It's only been about a month but I've seen some very small changes. He sure fights it though.

FWIW, my brother-in-law needed speech therapy as a child, and now he's a Stanford-educated designer of medical devices who holds multiple patents and runs several entrepreneurial efforts on the side.

:D They also say that Einstein didn't talk until he was four.

[divinemum]

Good for you, Katinka. *BIGHUGS*

[katinka31]

Thanks, hon. :)

[shellebelle93]

*glares*

My son is niether slack jawed or glazed-eyed. He is a happy, healthy boy.

Asshat. Someone needs to be slapped over the head with a clue-by-four.

[katinka31]

Yeah, the guy's almost bizarrely uninformed. :(