Month: July 2013
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Cure Epilepsy
I just opened my box at the post office and inside; there was a flyer from the Epilepsy Foundation. In large bold red letters, it said CURE epilepsy. I have seen those words on that flyer many times before, but this time it made me angry. My son, Brandon just turned forty years old and together we have worked extremely hard to help him achieve his dream of independence.
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Competing Against Ourselves
In a perfect world, teaching compassion in school would be a high cultural priority and people with disabilities would be valued for what they can contribute to the group. They would not be shunned or set aside. But, I think in our culture, at least in school, teaching competition is more highly valued. And leaving out the kid who is different is, well, it’s just what people do to “get ahead” or win.
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It Broke Me
Autism broke me yesterday. It took my already fragile mind and smashed it to pieces. It took my emotional state and shook it until in crumbled to nothing in front of me. Autism broke me and left me scarred.
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The Price of Autism
Autism awareness, I think, comes at a price: Fear.
Don’t get me wrong, there is a very real need for awareness. New parents that know what signs to look for can get a diagnosis for their child early enough to begin therapies in the very earliest stages of life which, as we all know, is the best shot that the child will have at growing up to be fully independent.
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Why Did I Start Questioning Autism?
About four months ago, Michael McWatters came and asked me how much I knew about autism
By: George Wu, MD, is a Medical Director at ActiveHealth Management, where he is devoted to patient advocacy, disease awareness and education.
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Celebrating Awakening
When I sat with my screen open to a blank page contemplating what I would write for Autism Positivity 2013, I had a hard time selecting one specific aspect of my sweet 4-year old autistic son that does not fill me with boundless joy. He is positivity and love and goodness personified.Yet, when thinking on this journey that both my boy and I walk hand-in-hand each day, one word came to mind - awakening. Continue reading
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Carly and Dale
It has been a long time since I wrote about Dale. He's now 14 years old and will be in Grade 8 this coming June. School was great because for the first time in years, he didn't get a line of 7 in his final grades and he finished 6th in the classroom. Behavior was tolerable, from what his teacher said. There was an episode where he ran to the library and hit a senior with a pen, but it was handled well.
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Soldiers in Japan Improve the Lives of Special Needs Athletes
KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa, Japan- More than 100 Soldiers from the 10th Regional Support Group and the 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery volunteered for the annual Kadena Special Olympics 24 Hour Jog -A-Thon on Nov. 7-8th at Kadena’s Marek Park.
Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen and family members participated in the run that serves as one of Kadena Special Olympics committee’s biggest events. Chip Steitz, senior advisor, Kadena Special Olympics, said that Army units donated more than $2,000.
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More Ableism from Our Friends on the Left
[The graphic shows an eye chart with the text "The only thing worse than being blind is having sight and no vision."]
