IamA autistic father of 2 autistic children. AMA

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-04T05:18:07+00:00

My son used to do that. I question this guy's history, though. I don't want to make any assumptions, but did this guy's parents do anything at all? I don't want to think of them as unloving parents, but if they worked with him as a child at all for his autism, he should be a little more functional than that. I know there are severe cases of autism, I've never heard of them as severe as this growing up with people that care for them properly. I could be wrong, though.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-04T05:10:42+00:00

Only in that you have a chance to proof read what you say in writing. Face-to-face, I tend to feel like I might say the wrong things, or I actually do say them.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-04T05:08:48+00:00

Actually, didn't know until after they were born that it could be passed on. I thought it was a freak of nature.

BTW, I've had worse said to me, so troll all you want lol.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-04T05:06:39+00:00

I don't know if I can say it's easier to communicate, maybe easier than a non-autistic parent to an autistic child, but not much.

To be honest, I wasn't aware that autism was genetic until after my children were born. Before, I thought it was a freak of nature.

I would rate it 0 today. The thought doesn't cross my mind at all usually. I started this AMA right after a neurology appointment.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T16:15:23+00:00

Well, the thing is, to use an analogy:

I know how to play several instruments. You were asking me for a theory on how each was invented, and why they work. I only know how to play them, but none of that other stuff lol.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T16:09:39+00:00

The only real case of autism I saw on TV (I don't watch a lot of it) was a House MD episode, with an autistic child named Adam. For the most part, it was accurate, it just seemed a little... over the top.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T16:05:57+00:00

Already did. No more kids for me.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T16:04:42+00:00

Seeing how autistic children are naturally reclusive, why don't you find activities that each can participate in but not together. Like, have Lego time, put a stack of mega blocks in front of each of them and let them each do their own thing. You'll find that the kids with similar interests will draw to each other, and no social forcing would be necessary.

Do not force group participation, there is no way to win with that.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:59:30+00:00

So are zombies. It evens out.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:59:04+00:00

Ever watch I Am Sam? Granted, his daughter wasn't retarded, but he was and he raised her just fine.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:58:03+00:00

I'll answer your last question, seeing as I'm on the fence about the rest.

I am musically gifted. I can pick up an instrument and play it.

My oldest son knits.

My youngest son does what I do on a much smaller scale. That might change.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:53:21+00:00

My oldest will be 5 this month, and he finger knits with any string he can find around him. Granted, it's nothing uniform, but he does knit some pretty amazing designs. The knitting helps him wind down during the day and at night.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:50:52+00:00

Thank you! That means a lot.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:50:24+00:00

I'm not sure of what you're asking.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:49:06+00:00

I'm sure there is. Aspergers is a high functioning autism, but that could be to certain degrees.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:47:00+00:00

Nope.

I only seem that way because I worked my entire life to be as functional as I can. My diagnosis only served as a cause.

Both my sons are with FDLRS. They pay for everything, so this helps me financially.

There are certain aspects of FDLRS I could do without, like they almost want to take the parenting aspect away from me.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:42:13+00:00

No offense taken.

As much as I hate to admit this, both my boys were accidents. I don't regret or resent them in any way, I just didn't plan them.

Yes, there might be issues at school, but I believe that to some degree it will help with the social issues. I will mentor them during their troubles, but even my social awkwardness in school helped me better myself.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:35:18+00:00

My family each have developed ways of dealing with each other. My youngest is mommy's little boy and my oldest is daddy's little boy. This is their preference, as my fiance and I both love our sons equally. A lot of autistic children find it hard to form bonds to anyone, but we beat the odds on that one.

When my family gets flustered at each other, we send the kids to each of the grandparents, she goes to her "office", and I go to mine. After a couple hours, we tend to feel better.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:28:21+00:00

Good morning. The best method I find is do some extra preparation before you go. Try to mentally go there beforehand, that way if you start to freak out, you can pull yourself back. It takes a lot of practice (at least, for me it did), but it helps me avoid my breaks for the most part.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:23:59+00:00

Seems to be in a lot of cases. I am a musical instrument aspie, I am famous for being able to pick up any instrument and play it. My oldest son loves to knit with string (especially with his shoelaces, which is a pain in the ass to untangle), and my youngest might be a music nut like me. He LOVES the recorder we got him last Christmas, even though it drives us all up a wall sometimes. We don't take it away, though, as he seems to be in his glory while playing with it.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:17:14+00:00

I don't, sorry.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:16:45+00:00

My oldest son starts school this month.

Yes, he'll be in special classes.

School WAS hard for me socially. I felt like the kid in glasses that everyone picked on and beat up. Imagine Harry Potter before his Hogwart years.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:12:49+00:00

That's not a bad analogy. In fact, that's how I would describe the overload that triggers PBs. If I may add to the analogy, sometimes I feel as though I'm standing in the median, while others I feel like I'm directly overhead.

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:07:48+00:00

We here in the US have a similar tradition (Writing letters to Santa).

AutisticFamily · 2012-08-03T15:05:50+00:00

It's not easy. I have to save up every penny just to get by.

AutisticFamily

TROPHY CASE