Does anyone have a child with PDD_NOS or Autism?

Question

I am interested in talking to ppl with diabilites I wan to learn as much as possible about these special ppl.

Answer 1

I'm autistic, and I'm willing to communicate with you through e-mail, though I'll be very slow in answering (I have three responses to other people on Yahoo Answers that I have to finish, and have been having difficulty with language recently.) You can find my e-mail by clicking on my name and going to my profile.

However, there are a few reasons why you probably won't get many autistics answering your question. It doesn't make sense to ask if anyone has a "child with PDD-NOS or autism" if you're interested in talking to actual autistics. Your desire to learn as much as possible about "these special ppl" is a large part of it too. Non-autistics often expect those of us who are openly autistic to be self-narrating zoo exhibits, speaking openly about every aspect of our lives no matter how private it is, like a walking autism textbook. We're not obligated to give up our privacy to educate other people.

We're not "those people." We're individuals who share a common label. Being autistic defines us more than any other trait, but we are separate people just as non-autistics are. I can explain to you about autism and traits autistic people have in common, just as you might be able to do the same in describing neurotypicals, but I can't teach you about every single autistic who exists and I won't try. Also, the "special" label pisses most of us off. It makes me think of patronizing people talking in sickly sweet voices, claiming to make decisions for us in our best interests, and talking about all autistics or otherwise developmentally disabled people as if they are 5-year-olds in older bodies. "Special" separates us - as people without flaws, incapable of feeling anger or any negative emotion, or disagreeing with anybody. It is used by people who view us as inherently closer to God. I'm autistic. I'm also an advocate who is very angry at the way autistics are viewed and treated in society and agnostic/Unitarian Universalist. (It's possible to be both.) I'm not flawless, and by that I don't mean that I'm flawed in that I'm autistic. I view autism as a neutral, yet essential part of my existence, and would consider being cured as an erasure of who I am.

Despite my rant on the way you phrased your question, I don't dislike you and I'm really not angry at you. I just wanted to let you know what parts of your question I had problems with and give you reasons, so you wouldn't make the same mistake again. I don't know you well enough to dislike you, and I'm still happy to communicate with you through e-mail as long as you are aware that I'm not obligated to share my private life and that I will describe the problems with medical and popular views of autism, and that my views don't often correspond with those of the majority who write about autism from the outside. I'm also one of the many autistics who has trouble reading netspeak, so I'll have trouble responding if you don't use standard English capitalization, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Answer 2

I have a severely autistic son who is 7 years old. It did not become apparent to us until he was around two years old. Some things he likes is playing in sand, wheels are absolutely fascinating to him and all autistics I know love Thomas the Tank Engine in the early years. Matthew has mastered a computer now and can spell long words much better than his older brothers but he has no idea what they mean. He can see a logo on the way home and reproduce it perfectly from memory on his computer. He is not big on physical contact and only on his terms for the minimal amount he tolerates. He is a serious absconder and we have 8ft fences and locked gates and a security camera as he has no road sense whatsoever. He is very resourceful and would be the last one standing if we locked all our kids in the house and disappeared - due to the fact he cannot verbally communicate at all he just gets what he wants himself most of the time. He is cheeky beyond belief and hates wearing shoes. His smiles can melt any heart and he doesn't actually look special needs at all which makes for interesting shopping trips. He stays up late and gets up early and can wear me down some days but I love him and he is worth it. Hope that gives you insight into a real autistic boy. Feel free to email any other questions you have...

Answer 3

A must-read is Temple Grandin's "Thinking in Pictures" - if you have not already done so. The absolutely best first-person account of what it feels like to be full-spectrum autistic. I believe a book called "Son-Rise" deals with raising an autistic child. "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" is a novel but based on observations of an autistic child and it rings very true. I know these don't take the place of live conversations but they will provide a LOT of insight.

Answer 4

I don't have a child with PDD/NOS, but I worked in special education for about 20 years, so I know a bit about autism. My daughter works with kids with autism full time. I agree with the previous poster who suggested you read about Temple Grandin and read some of her writing.

I have included some links that may be helpful to you, including one to the Geneva Center for Autism in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

I tried to respond to your e-mail but it bounced back, saying that your e-mail account hasn't yet been verified.

Answer 5

We have an 11 year old, low functioning autistic, cerebral palsy, severely developmentally delayed. He goes to school every day. Loves life and is a HANDFUL lol

Answer 6

Hey, there! I got your message about exchanging info, but when I tried to respond it didn't go through, said your email wasn't confirmed. Contact me at [e-mail]. My messages keep going into ppl's bulk or spam boxes, not sure why, so you'll need to check there if you don't get responses from me!

Answer 7

I don't, but I know they need lots of love and attention. It's not their fault that they were born that way. I love all children!