Disability debate

[annie]

Just seen this on the NAS site

 

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=253&a=7481

 

Annie

XX

[karin]

hi annie just read it briefly it should be a good debate bet none of our suggestions any of us make will ever come to fruitition do you? keep smilin luv karin xx

[annie]

Hi Karin,

 

I doubt it either.

 

Just seems that these debates are a waste of everybody's time.

 

Still, we can only hope.

 

Annie

XX

[Colin_and_Shelagh]

I would like any debate to recognise that the terms 'disabled people' and 'special educational needs' cover a multitude of different conditions. (Just as the phrase 'ethnic minority' is lazy shorthand for people from all kinds of different backgrounds.)

 

Whilst it is undeniably a good thing that AS is now recognised in law as a disability, it is something of a double-edged sword as it means that organisations such as the DRC can talk about 'disabled people' as though they are an homogeneous mass with identical needs.

 

We must argue for the particular needs of people with AS, otherwise pro-inclusion fanatics like the frightening Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education will do it for us.

 

We do not want our children to be discriminated against, but we want their differences to be recognised and engaged with accordingly.

 

That's my view, anyhow.

 

Colin

[andrwg]

Instead of Asperger syndrome, it could e.g. be named Asperger personality, as I really don't consider Asperger syndrome a syndrome or a disorder, just another way of behaving, maybe not always a hundred per cent adjusted to nevrotypical mainstream society but in fact a splendid alternative if given the premises to be unfolded, that one gets the possibility to absorb in one's interests and then cultivate them! Had I been a politician, I would have strived for enlarging as much as possible the notion of normality, that it be normal with a great deal of variations in behaviour, and not normal to regard normal behaviour as only one 'mainstream' like type of behaviour. In fact, it is perhaps about what society one wish to live in, a society with a place for all people, where we consider it be normal to behave rather differently, or a society with place for only NTs, 'mainstream' brains.

Then Asperger could be regarded contrarily, as something outstanding, capable of obtaining the very finest result whatever subject, see my article 'Asperger syndrome, an outstanding personality', on the forum here.

 

However, I realize I possibly may hurt someone experiencing that having Asperger or a child with Asperger is not always easy, but I only wanted to support, to express hope, to look at Asperger as something fine. I personally think I am as normal as anyone, only a bit different. In fact, I am proud of having Asperger.

Edited August 17, 2005 by andrwg

[oracle]

The DRC asked for comments from parent who have children with autism for their survey re inclusion and education.

 

Can't say that I noticed that they had actually used any of them or read any of them for that matter.

 

Carole

[LizK]

Instead of Asperger syndrome, it could e.g. be named Asperger personality, as I really don't consider Asperger syndrome a syndrome or a disorder, just another way of behaving, maybe not always a hundred per cent adjusted to nevrotypical mainstream society but in fact a splendid alternative if given the premises to be unfolded

one 'mainstream' like type of behaviour....... 

 

However, I realize I possibly may hurt someone experiencing that having Asperger or a child with Asperger is not always easy, but I only wanted to support, to express hope, to look at Asperger as something fine. I personally think I am as normal as anyone, only a bit different. In fact, I am proud of having Asperger.

My 3 year old has likely AS and whilst he does have definite needs, his greatest being his speech delay, I do try to think of some of his other qualities as just being variants of 'normal' whatever that may be! Some of his quirks make us laugh, make him what he is and I wouldn't change him. I remember the paediatrician when we first saw him saying that is was people like this who are the innovators and because they look at things differently make the world go round. I know it's not as simple as that because DS does have things he struggles with, that there will be battles and even just because society is not always so accepting of anyone who doesn't fit in the box but reading your post made me smile. It's sometimes easy to get too focused on the negatives and the 'problems' so it was good to read your message and I hope my son can grow up with as good s positive image of the person he is

 

Liz x

[Lucas]

I have a controversial suggestion:

 

Can we no longer discriminate against disabled people when it comes to abortion? Everyone else is safe as soon as they get past 24 weeks, but we can be aborted right up to(and in some cases, after) birth.

[TuX]

Instead of Asperger syndrome, it could e.g. be named Asperger personality, as I really don't consider Asperger syndrome a syndrome or a disorder, just another way of behaving, maybe not always a hundred per cent adjusted to nevrotypical mainstream society but in fact a splendid alternative if given the premises to be unfolded, that one gets the possibility to absorb in one's interests and then cultivate them! Had I been a politician, I would have strived for enlarging as much as possible the notion of normality, that it be normal with a great deal of variations in behaviour, and not normal to regard normal behaviour as only one 'mainstream' like type of behaviour. In fact, it is perhaps about what society one wish to live in, a society with a place for all people, where we consider it be normal to behave rather differently, or a society with place for only NTs, 'mainstream' brains.

Then Asperger could be regarded contrarily, as something outstanding, capable of obtaining the very finest result whatever subject, see my article 'Asperger syndrome, an outstanding personality', on the forum here.

 

However, I realize I possibly may hurt someone experiencing that having Asperger or a child with Asperger is not always easy, but I only wanted to support, to express hope, to look at Asperger as something fine. I personally think I am as normal as anyone, only a bit different. In fact, I am proud of having Asperger.

The problem that would arrise with recognising certain syndromes or disorders as just personality differences,is our difficulties and needs would not be taken as seriously.

 

If you think syndrome or disorder is a bad term,Americans have it far worse than us,over there-autism and ADHD are often described as a mental illness,and disease.

 

 

Lucas,abortion cannot happen once a child is born,abortion is the termination of a fetus/pre birth-the term for post birth killing is euthanasia.

Recently,there was a lot of publicity about the 24 weeks rule (for everyone) and calls for it to be lowered to at least 20 weeks I think,no idea what the final decision was though.

[andrwg]

I see your point as to the discussion about the terminology, syndrome or pesonality difference.

Furthermore, I would have wished a society that take seriously the difficulties and needs of aspergers, that society be informed about that and be doing necessary things in order to create a society for all.

Edited August 20, 2005 by andrwg

[mandyque]

I have a controversial suggestion:

 

Can we no longer discriminate against disabled people when it comes to abortion? Everyone else is safe as soon as they get past 24 weeks, but we can be aborted right up to(and in some cases, after) birth.

I understand your way of thinking but I can't agree 100%. In most cases I think everyone has the right to life if they are to be born with a disability, but sometimes the child may be so profoundly disabled they wouldn't have any quality of life. In those cases maybe sometimes it's better not to make them suffer.

 

In the case of autism and it's related conditions there is no choice there anyway, we can't predict which babies will be born with an ASD so it's not an issue for parents really, we won't know until they are maybe a year or two old.