Obama and Autism

At the presidential debates last week, Senator McCain claimed that his running mate, Sarah Palin, knows "more about autism then anyone I know." Janet Grillo in her most poignant HP piece My Autistic Son is Not a Political Pawn, invited the senator to get out there more. Janet, wrote eloquently what so many of us parents of children with autism feel. In my travels promoting autism awareness and the film, Autism:The Musical, I have met hundreds of people whom I believe know more about autism than Sarah Pallin... including my son, Neal.

Neal is my resident expert on autism. Now 14 years old, Neal was adopted from a Russian Orphanage at 23 months, and diagnosed with severe autism at age 3 . Neal is non verbal (or as we prefer to refer to him "a man of few words") so when he speaks his truth through typing - WE LISTEN.

When he was about 9 years old, he was still being placed by the school district in preschool classes. One day after being asked for the umpteenth time to put the blue round peg in the blue round hole, Neal threw the peg boards at the teacher. The school called him aggressive and severely mentally impaired, sentencing him to a restricted special education classroom. I knew otherwise. I believed he threw the pegs out of boredom, frustrated for not having his intellect recognized. I felt that he was capable of much more.

Fortunately we found Darlene Hansen, a communications and speech expert who specializes in working with children like Neal. The first day she met him, she drew a four-square grid on a piece of paper with the words: Washington D.C., Vote, Bush, Clinton.

When asked "Who is the President of the United States?" Neal pointed to Bush. "Who was President before?" He pointed to Clinton. "Where do they live?" He pointed to Washington D.C., " How did they get there?" "Vote."

Immediately, we pulled Neal out of the preschool intensive special ed class and placed him with an aide in a regular third grade classroom. Neal was then mainstreamed in most of his classes doing age-appropriate work and is acknowledged to be highly intelligent.

Neal now types his thoughts and feelings on an Alpha Smart typing machine with support. Last January at one of his sessions with Darlene she asked, ""So, Neal, what have you been thinking about lately?"

"The Elections," he typed on his Alpha Smart keyboard.

"What about the elections?" asked Darlene.

"I'm for Obama, he typed."

"Obama? Why?"

"Obama is for Autism, " he finished.

That evening my husband and I Googled Obama and Autism. And there it was, pages and pages from people with autism. Supporting Obama. We found that Obama speaks for all people who cannot speak. Who do not have a voice, literally and figuratively. How did Neal know this? I hadn't said anything to him, I didn't know myself. Somehow, some way, my son with severe autism had picked up this truth. This was several months ago when I was undecided between Hillary and Barack. Needless to say, Neal influenced my vote.

Cut to a few weeks ago. Neal refused to go to bed. This is not unlike many other teens so I did what any Mom of a stubborn 14 year old would do, I started to bribe him, chide him into going to bed. My husband, Jeff, however had a bit more insight. "Neal", he said, "It looks like you have a lot on your mind: "Would you like to type with us?"

"Yes" Neal nodded.

I immediately grabbed the Alpha Smart and placed it in front of him. "What's on your mind?" Jeff inquired.

"The President." he typed.

" What about it?" we asked.

"Obama," he responded.

"What about Obama?"

"Enough," Neal typed.

"Enough what?" I asked.

"Enough Republican ideology." Neal typed. He continued, "Pallin lies." Thank you Neal. He went to bed immediately and slept soundly through the night.

We did not. Worrying about our country's future, our son's future, the future of all kids with autism, reflecting on the past. Wanting more Obama.

We now watch the campaign and commentary together as a family every night. Neal takes it all in intensely. Last night, Neal was again troubled. We asked, about what?

"Prejudice," he typed.

"How does it make you feel?"

"Sad and mad... Obama is hope."

Thanks Neal. Thanks for clearly stating what so many of us are feeling, sad and mad. And what so many of us need. Hope.

Wishing you all many miracles and reminding you to listen to the child who does not speak.

Elaine Hall Founder/Director The Miracle Project www.themiracleproject.com

Comments

[MyAudacity]

Sometimes we slap labels on children and people, then try to make them conform to our low expectations. Neal has a beautiful mind, and has 2 loving parents who encourage him to use it. Thanks for your blog. My sister and I was discussing a young lady we've known since she was a baby, she has downs syndrome, and we were discussing how intelligent she is. Maybe, just maybe we are ready to raise our expectations of all people....­.., maybe just maybe we can begin to have the faith and hope of a child, and suppress our natural cynicysm

[HarryMIV]

"Obama is hope" and "listen to the child who does not speak" are contradictory. While Mr. Obama has run an amazing campaign and speaks very well, his stand on abortion will see to it that many more children do not have the chance to speak (or live) at all!
Both R & D candidates have their share of untruths spoken and "baggage", but to promote Obama as the messiah is ignoring the facts that his economic plans will be bad for mid-sized businesses and his past and current associations indicate poor discernment (at best.) I mourn for our nation when the current slate of candidates is the best that we can choose from; but I mourn more that people aren't seeing the facts behind ALL the candidates and are making judgements on sound bites.

[PlantGod72]

Barack Obama, nor any Democrats I know WANT abortions unless they are a medical necessity for a woman. We DO recognize, however, that making them illegal will not......w­ill NEVER stop them from occurring----it never has. It simply leads to greater risks to women who choose to end a pregnancy whether in desperation, crisis or despair.

But is it possible..­.....just POSSIBLE that we want the same thing----that all people of good conscience and compassion want women and men to WANT the children they conceive----that we can work together to bring greater awareness of contraception and sex education particularly to girls who are vulnerable---that we can promote greater self-esteem for girls at risk, and a greater sense of responsibility to men and women alike who choose to be sexually active----that we recognize and begin to work in earnest on the economic factors that can often lead to unplanned and unwanted pregnancies.

Having to terminate a pregnancy is a difficult decision, and yet it is ultimately the woman's decision, and the woman's body and life around which that decision must be based. Education, economic opportunity, health and sex education and a profound understanding of the choices we make are the ways to REDUCE unwanted pregnancies, and therefore, abortions. It's not easy to overcome the frailties of the human species, but to continue to cast stones at one another is the surest way to accomplish nothing, and only emerge battered in the process.

[PlantGod72]

Barack Obama, nor any Democrats I know WANT abortions unless they are a medical necessity for a woman. We DO recognize, however, that making them illegal will not......w­ill NEVER stop them from occurring----it never has. It simply leads to greater risks to women who choose to end a pregnancy whether in desperation, crisis or despair.

But is it possible..­.....just POSSIBLE that we want the same thing----that all people of good conscience and compassion want women and men to WANT the children they conceive----that we can work together to bring greater awareness of contraception and sex education particularly to girls who are vulnerable---that we can promote greater self-esteem for girls at risk, and a greater sense of responsibility to men and women alike who choose to be sexually active----that we can recognize and begin to work in earnest on the economic factors that often lead to unplanned and unwanted pregnancies.

Having to terminate a pregnancy is a difficult decision, and yet it is ultimately the woman's decision, and the woman's body and life around which that decision must be based. Education, economic opportunity, health and sex education and a profound understanding of the choices we make are the ways to REDUCE unwanted pregnancies, and therefore, abortions. It's not easy to overcome the frailties of the human species, but to continue to cast stones at one another is the surest way to accomplish nothing, and only emerge battered in the process.

[HarryMIV]

Obama runs an amazing campaign, and appears to care about issues facing people (and he may truly care.) However, the statements above that "Obama is hope" and "reminding you to listen to the child who does not speak" are contradictory in that Obama approves of unlimited abortion rights, which makes it certain that many unborn children will never speak.
If one is bitter about "Republican" candidates or campaigning, Obama is a natural choice. However, Obama comes with a lot of baggage and policies that don't stand up to thorough inspection. Both party candidates have told lies (or "textual errors"?) and both have failings; only one party will guarantee that more children are lost to abortion, silencing them in this life.

[johjac]

And only ONE party wants to deny a woman's right to choose but complains bitterly when tax time rolls around and they have to SUPPORT that very same child! As Barack has proposed..­. the answer lies somewhere in the middle! Perhaps if certain folks provided 100% support to those women in need- more women just might choose to keep their child!

[skippypicasso]

One issue voters who don't understand the issue on which they solely base their vote are the reason there have been so few democracies in the world.

[HarryMIV]

skippypicasso, I am not a one-issue voter, I was keeping my comments in context with this article.
Those who are flocking to Obama's "change" are missing several key concepts: life is precious (ask God, or look at the history of nations that discarded their children), I seriously question what kind of judicial appointments Obama will make and Obama's planned fiscal policies are bad for mid-sized businesses even though they sound good on the surface. I'm not saying there is much difference between the candidates, but on these two issues Obama is not the right choice for America.

johjac, I hear you. Unfortunately, Obama (and Biden, see his interview on Meet The Press) don't want to impose any "personal values" on anyone--thus the biggest supporter of their candidacy will sway any opinion on abortion (see BarackObama.com/issues/Women.) Barack fully supports Roe-v-Wade, which is a flawed judicial fiat decision that should at least be discussed--Obama has closed any discussion on that and supports abortion-on-demand because "it is a choice" that "mus tbe respected.­" One needs to go the next level up in moraltiy to say "no, that isn't right, we must work to CHANGE that"--will Obama support that change (which is for the better?)

[Shrinath]

I really don't know what to type. I do have a lot, but it all pales. There is very much a need to understand Autism and educate the populace about it. As a society we shun anyone who is not like how we are and then try to label them. Sad. And the comment made Sen.McCain about how SP knew a lot about autism was down right ridiculous. For one, it got my aunt mad. She is a teacher, and teaches at a blind and deaf children's school. We sure take a lot of things for granted. It is time we become sensitive to everyone around us. A society that truly appreciates the diversity and accepts everyone with an understanding for everyone's needs is a truly rich society. Good luck on your miracle project. Cheerio!

[GwenD]

Awesome! This brought tears to my eyes. "Obama is the voice for those who cannot speak...." Powerful.

[lakat]

Wow, that was beautiful! I am almost as smart as Neal..but I talk too much!