One Family, Six Children with Autism, WOW

I have personally met families with more than one child with autism. I have met some with 2 autistic children and some with 3 but SIX! My son Conor is profoundly autistic and, because of his autism, our family life is affected dramatically. Every aspect of daily life including scheduling work activities and vacation have been affected. Conor requires constant 24/7 adult supervision. I can only imagine what life must be like for the Kirton’s of Utah who have been blessed with six children all of whom have an autism disorder. The Kirton’s story is featured on deseretnews.com and tells of the many challenges faced by the Kirtons in raising and caring for their six children with autism. John Kirton has had to find new employment after losing a job after missing too much work to tend to home matters. Robin Kirton made an off hand remark out of frustration about buringing down her messy home which landed the Kirtons in family court. The legal process is now winding down but the court proceedings also prompted court ordered assessments for all six children as a result of which it was discovered that two of the six had Asperger’s. The deseretnews.com article also talks about “stoppage” which is the name some geneticists give to the phenomenon which occurs when parents stop having children after having a child with autism.

John Kirton with 5 year old daughter Sarah

If the Kirtons are googling their names on the internet, or otherwise happen across this blog, I commend you for facing your challenges with determination and humor and I wish your family ” the very best ” as we say here in Atlantic Canada.

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660226195,00.html

Hello and Welcome to Autism Reality

Conor, My Buddy

I am starting this WordPress blog site to encourage reality based discussions of autism, autism research, causes, treatments, education, residential care and public policy. I encourage you to contact me or comment to offer your views and opinions. Profanity and harassment of anyone public or otherwise will not be permitted but open, candid, and honest dialogue will be encouraged. I expressly state my bias. My son, Conor, is autistic, profoundly autistic, and although I love HIM deeply, I do not love his autism which is a serious neurological disorder because of which Conor requires adult supervision on a 24/7 basis. Conor, and other autistic children, deserve evidence based treatment, education and … some day a cure for their autism.

Autism Presents Daily Challenges for Parents

The following excerpt from the Lake Sun article on the daily challenges faced by parents in living with their child’s autism illustrates that one of the old problems – parents concerns being brushed aside by doctors and pediatricians – is still occurring and still costing the children involved valuable time when they could be receiving active intervention. For intervention the earlier the better. But this valuable time is squandered when lazy or out of date physicians tell parents they are over reacting – or the old classic – he’s a boy he’ll grow out of it.

Living with autism presents daily challenges for parents

By Deanna Wheeler/Lake Sun

Published: Monday, April 30, 2007 12:16 AM CDT

TUSCUMBIA – Amanda Phillips knew something was wrong with her son, Owen, when he was 16 months old. Looking back, she describes the symptoms generally. First it was the tip-toe walking, then he flapped his hands and arms a lot, and finally, it was the loss of the few words he did know.

‘Looking back now, I can’t even pinpoint when he stopped talking. I just remember thinking, ‘He’s not saying any new words. He’s not even really saying the old words,” she said. ‘I brought up autism to his pediatrician because every time I typed in those symptoms in a search engine on the Internet, everything that came up was leading to autism sites.’

The pediatrician brushed off Phillips’ concerns as an over-reactive parent, but Owen’s symptoms did not improve. By age 2, Owen still was not talking and at 27 months, Amanda got the diagnosis – autism.

…

‘You know, it really wasn’t a surprise,’ Amanda said. ‘You still have that hope that the doctor will tell you he’s fine, but I knew. I knew all along.’ … Owen is non-verbal. The few words he once knew, he has never spoken again. About 25-30 percent of children with autism say some words at 12-18 months, but lose them, according to the Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site.

Another 40 percent of children with autism do not talk at all. Others with autism have relatively good verbal skills. Some may be able to speak, but not form words into meaningful sentences; others may repeat the same phrase over and over again.

Another common problem in autism is social skills. ……..

http://www.lakesunleader.com/articles/2007/04/30/news/01.txt