Autism-World

By Deborah Pugh

Lauren Brown’s letter of May 7 criticizing my willingness to talk of the challenges of puberty and autism, and to allow my son to be identified, spoke more to her sense of shame around sexuality and disability then to my son’s reality.

To our family it is not a source of shame that he is an adolescent with all the physical manifestations that brings. Nor is it a source of shame that he has autism.

Perhaps if Brown were to re-read Pete McMartin’s excellent reporting more carefully, she may become more aware of my son’s limited awareness of or concern about the opinions of his peers. If he had a higher level of awareness, then he would not have been identified.

As someone who has worked as a journalist for 20 years and as an advocate for families of children with ASD for 12, now for ACT — Autism Community Training — I took this opportunity to speak openly about the reality for so many of our families because there are many children on the spectrum who would be embarrassed about this reality and many families who find it too difficult to discuss.

I have had many direct responses to McMartin’s excellent piece, largely from other families, all of which have been grateful that I was prepared to speak honestly and with humour.

Criticizing the decision of families to discuss their challenges in the press, as they see fit, whether it is Brown’s patronizing critique of the piece that I contributed to, or the superior finger-waving that letter writer Debra Antifaev resorts to in criticizing parent Cyndi Gerlach, is counterproductive if their real aim is to support the diversity of family experiences and the desperate need for better services.

Doubtless I have many limitations as a parent, but I am not sure that Brown is in any position to give lectures on advocating for children with autism.

Perhaps next time she feels so strongly about our children she could write a letter to the editor calling on government to adequately fund rapid diagnosis, equal access to excellent treatment regardless of age, and proper supports to all families struggling to raise families of children with disabilities — regardless of diagnosis.

In closing I would like to thank The Sun for having the courage to delve into these delicate issues in depth and to do it without sentimentality. McMartin is to be congratulated for an excellent series which is sensitive to the extremely complex reality of our families.

Deborah Pugh lives in Vancouver.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=ac70be28-9d24-4436-81c3-f71f6ea0ca12

This entry was posted on Friday, May 18th, 2007 at 1:01 pm and is filed under Autism research.