Reading list

There's a Boy in Here, by Judy & Sean Barron.

Reading list

Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wish You Knew, by Ellen Notbohm.

Reading list

Emergence: Labeled Autistic, by Temple Grandin.

Bullies big and small

Yesterday, my son and wife went to McDonalds. At some McDonalds restaurants play equipment can be found. My son loves to play there, and to play with the other kids he meets.

But yesterday was a bad day for him. No - he was not physically hurt while playing. Instead, he was taunted by a little girl. The details are not clear, but he was deeply upset by what she said to him.

My son has reached the age where he realizes he is different from other kids. His autism interferes with both his communication and social skills, and that is what contributed to yesterday's incident. I now realize that I would gladly suffer the loss of one of my limbs - or even my life - if he could be spared the teasing that will only grow worse as he gets older. But that is a trade no parent can ever hope to make.

Teasing and taunting are not limited to children such as my little boy's tormentor, who was simply being a thoughtless brat and will probably outgrow it someday. Our culture not only allows attacks on Christians that it would never tolerate for (pick one or more of the following) Muslims, women, blacks, Hispanics, and homosexuals, it rewards them. Fame and fortune await those who can make the cruelest and ugliest taunts aimed at Christians.

Jesus warned us that the world would hate us because it hated Him. Too many American Christians fail to realize that the relative tolerance they have enjoyed for most of America's history is actually a miracle, and that most Christians worldwide today live under the threat of some sort of oppression. This has been true throughout most of history. I believe that the present ugly smears and demonizing of Christians that characterize so much of American popular culture will someday give rise to actual repression. Are you prepared?

Autism caused largely by environmental factors?

I seriously doubt it. But that is the conclusion reached by a study that was partially funded by Autism Speaks, an advocacy group for autistic children and their parents. (h/t: Instapundit)

Key quote in the article:

"I think they're really on shaky ground to say that," Dr. Paul Law, director of the Interactive Autism Network at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, told the Times.

"Their data is so similar to everybody else's, and yet they come up with another conclusion," added Robert Plomin, a behavioral geneticist at King's College London. "I don't know how this happened."

Even though we have an autistic son, I don't belong to groups like Autism Speaks. I am weary of the hidden agendas of these types of these groups. Let them do politicking on their own time. Include me out.

Autism linked to possible genetic defects

Dr. Manny Alvarez has more.

Sweet Ps - a prayer for my son

Almighty and gracious Heavenly Father, I come before You with thanksgiving.

I thank You for the wonderful blessing of my son J. Please bless him and watch over him every day of his life.

Lord, there is so little that I understand about my son's autism. Create in me a patient and kind heart. Help me to be not only my son's earthly father, but also his teacher.

Lord, I also ask that you create a clean and pure hear in me. Let my son see Jesus in me. Let him learn about the love of Jesus by watching me. Let him accept Jesus as his Savior. This in something that I cannot do by earthly means. Only by the power of the Holy Spirit may he come to You. Let me be an instrument of the Holy Spirit.

Lord, I thank you for my son's wonderful teachers at his school. They are so patient and kind, and have helped him so much. Please bless his teachers and their families.

Amen.

Study linking autism with vaccinations labeled an 'elaborate fraud'

CNN reports that the British medical journal BMJ has concluded that Dr. Andrew Wakefield, the author of a 1998 study linking autism and childhood vaccinations, manipulated or misrepresented the medical histories of the twelve patients whose cases formed the basis of his now-discredited conclusions. The journal also says there is no doubt that Wakefield was the one responsible.

Our son has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, yet we never considered not giving him his routine childhood vaccinations. Other parents, unfortunately, did withhold those vaccinations.

I do not know why Dr. Wakefield did what he did. Perhaps he truly believed that childhood vaccinations were harmful and was willing to fudge the data to support that belief. But, as the CNN article noted, the number of measles cases has increased since the study was released. And the damage may not be over.