Anyone else seen this? Outraged!

[AmyNelson]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2090-2177218,00.html

 

I cannot believe that this was published.

She claims that 9 out of 10 children with autism are just naughty, being abused or neglected, and that parents are labelling their kids in order to get "?80 a week disability living allowance".

 

 

Katie Grant: Some "autistic" children aren't ill, they're just badly behaved

 

Extract "Children know that if they suffer from some kind of behaviour 'ism', good things result: reduced expectation, indulgence instead of punishment, safety from even the gentlest rebuke. At the first sign of a teacher's impatience, the child can rush home and cry 'abuse'. Autism, a serious condition when real, is being exploited by others for all it's worth.

 

And it's worth quite a lot. A diagnosis of some kind of behaviour 'ism' might result in ?80 a week disability living allowance. If a parent has to become a carer, it is worth even more."

 

 

Extract "However, although some may be autistic, I doubt that most are really ill. Some may just be clever and bookish while others are simply suffering from a peculiarly modern kind of neglect and adapting their behaviour to cope.

 

There are no perfect parents. But it must surely be the worst kind of damage to label your child with an 'ism' when there is nothing wrong except that you?ve not done a great job at child rearing. With effort, you can often remedy your own failings, but once you place your child in the hands of the ?ism? authorities, who knows where they may end up? For the sake of all our children, let's treat these 'shock, horror' autism statistics with extreme care."

 

 

 

I have written to the editor to complain.

Edited May 14, 2006 by AmyNelson

[bid]

OMG...it was just a matter of time, wasn't it

 

As for ?80 a week??!! Purleese

 

If it wasn't so worrying, it would be worthy of complete indifference, but we all know the kind of people who will seize on this sort of irresponsible reporting with glee

 

Bid

[AmyNelson]

Its really sickening isn't it.

Do they think parents are just self diagnosing their kids then queuing up and getting an automatic hand out from the government?

 

More like years of pleading, begging, and jumping through hoops to get any kind of help - and thats WITH an official diagnosis from a professional!

[CarerQuie]

Truly pathetic.xx

[Lynden]

OMG! I dont usually get too het up by things but that got my blood boiling!! I dont even know how she can begin to make those claims - think I'll have to complain about that too - her sweeping generalisations are just wrong on so many levels.

 

And fashionable?! There's a lot people would do for the sake of fashion but claiming to have an autistic child would not be on that list.

 

Would be funny if it weren't so bloomin hard for half the families to even get close to a diagnosis of autism.

 

Lynne

[Brook]

I'm speechless

 

I noticed that she thinks autism is mainly about getting away with bad behaviour,

just goes to show the extent of her very little knowledge.

And how does she think that these children could put on such acts after going through

assessments and observations by qualified people.

 

Also, another blame bad parenting article.

 

Unfortunately we are not allowed to use abusive language on here,

but I certainly feel like using some to this woman *^&%$%??

 

She also refers to autism as being ill.

 

And to go through all that just to claim ?80p/w, I dont think so dear!!!!!

 

Brook

Edited May 14, 2006 by Brook

[Bullet]

My oldest child has been diagnosed with an ASD (He's very young still, three in July so time will tell whether it's fullblown autism, or Aspergers or maybe something like SPLD) and I shouldn't boast but he is nine times out of ten very well behaved. His tantrums are mostly down to a change in his routine like if I said we were going out then changed my mind and took him back in. We go to the shops and as long as he is in his buggy he is as good as gold. He doesn't ask for anything, he doesn't say he's bored. He has never wrecked the house, he is not violent.

He still has intense problems with understanding and communicating. He still spends ages doing the same action on one toy whenever his day has been a lot different from the norm. He still uses my hand as a tool to help him if he needs things but sees no need to question anything, show me anything, check my reaction on anything. He still has delayed echolalia and an intense interest in counting to ten again and again and again and again . He still shows no imaginative play.

This article is designed to be controversial and get people talking. It does nothing to help those people whose children suffer from severe sensory issues for a start.

[baddad]

silly woman!!

 

Horribly, though, I was commenting a few weeks ago about the TINY GRAIN of truth that is being exploited here... that 'home diagnosis' can undermine the support of those who are most in need of it. I was referring more to the way that ADHD is bandied about without proper dx, but I have actually heard (and jumped on!) idiot parents from time to time who declare their children to be a 'bit' autistic, for some completely rubbish reason like selective deafness or sheer ###### mindedness...

I know that's not what this daft bat is referring to; but it IS the kind of thing that plants the seeds for the kind of prejudicial baloney she IS spouting

One other thing that really got my goat about this article was the bit about 'child care at 6 months old'... While I do, in fact, agree to a certain point that parenting is better done by parents (or why have kids - ooer, that cause a backlash! )... the implication is a very VERY old one: replace 'refigerator mother' with 'refrigerator carer' and we've turned the clock all the way back to the '70's

 

Let us know what response you get to your letter, Amy, and thanks for the heads up...

 

L&P

BD

[oracle]

I just mailed them with my thoughts about this piece of trash Coming so hot on the heels of the deaths of Alison Wiles and her son this is totally unforgivable in my opinion.

 

Oracle

Edited May 14, 2006 by oracle

[AmyNelson]

Good point.

It's a very low move allowing such an article at all.

The weekend papers are the most read so they must know many people would read it, when really it is just an opinion piece, not real news or even informed comment.

I noticed that she couldn't cite one single example of a parent or child that she knew on the spectrum, and couldn't cite a single story of a parent being found to have made a false disability claim for autism.

[oracle]

I have asked how many parents who have children with autism does this woman know? And why if she is such an expert have I never heard of her?

 

Oracle

[mel]

Does it not occur to this idiot that there is now a lot more understanding of ASD in the medical community so there is a better possibility of ASD being diagnosed. If people listened to ignorant idiots like that we would go back 15-20 years when it comes to diagnosing our kids.

 

My son has a problem. it is suggested that he is somewhere on the scale (waiting for dx right now) i wish to god he was just a naughty child, but he isnt. i wish it was my bad parenting because then i could perhaps learn to be a better parent but it isnt that either. and as for the ?80. i dont want money, i want a healthy happy little boy who isnt stigmatised for being 'different'

 

Perhaps this idiot should try walking in our childrens shoes.

[Elouise]

*hmmmmm* I think I may critically analyse her 'report' and send THAT to her editor.

 

Frankly I expect higher level of journalism from those employed by the times.

 

She can also have Nathan and Sam for a day on work experiance! (FOR HER! not them)

[lindy-lou]

It is an awful slur on parents who really do have the difficult job of looking after their autistic/spectrum child,watching them grow up in a difficult world where their condition is questioned time and time again,im becoming a bit immune to it to be honest,ive decided that all these people who write cr*p like this just dont know their arses from their elbows,probably have never even been within 10 foot of a child with Autism,BUT on the otherhand there is a bit of truth in it,their are a few parents who want to label their child,be it for money or just attention,It does'nt matter what the illness or disibilty though,their will always be people like that,just like their are people who fake illnesses and disibilities to claim DLA,the workshy,who claim incapacity benefits,that is our society today,its very sad.

 

 

I can only say i wish i WAS one of those people who made it up,then it would mean i had something wrong with me and not my beloved child.

[mrs phasmid]

have anyone looked at the link at the bottom titled '1st to be cured of autism' since when has a dx of shizoid personality disorder been a variant of autism?

[noogsy]

hi sweetheart... i think people with kids with problems have to choose there fights carefully.this is not one of the fights we should take up.THIS WOMAN IS IGNORANT OF THE FACTS OF AUTISC KIDS AND THERE FAMILIES WHO STRUGGLE ON A DAILY BASIS WITH BEHAVIOUARAL PROBLEMS,SCHOOLS,FAMILIES,THE GENERAL PUBLIC.......leave her to get on with it and ignore her....SHE IS TRULY INSULTING US....its like people who belive autism is caused by bad diet and can be cured with fish oils....PLEEEEEEESE F**K OFF.....LOL..sorry but i cant help it.........noogsy

[cmuir]

Hi

 

Clearly that stupid woman hasn't a clue what we parents have to go through to get a diagnosis. Sure autistic kids will behave badly because kids do, but then they have lots of added problems eg sensory issues, social problems, the list goes on. Often it takes years to get a diagnosis ? I should know like lots of other parents of ASD kids! That includes months/years of having the finger pointed at you and being checked out to see what kind of parent you are ...

 

The Sunday Times clearly aren't fussy about the muck that they print.

[Zemanski]

Katie Grant - mother of an autistic child, proponent of ABA as the only effective therapy, involved with the ABA school in guildford (possibly)

 

found another article by her, also refering to autistic children as ill, begging cherie Blair to promote the MMR to debunk public fears

 

 

Zemanski

[littlenemo]

BTW her solution for the MMR takeup problem? To have Cherie Blair photographed having her kids immunised! It worked so well with Mad Cow Disease and John Gummer feeding his daughter a beefburger.

 

Obviously not the brightest spark...

 

nemo

[Tylers-mum]

I an't a violent person but heck, just reading that made my blood boil and I wished I knew what she looked like b/c I'd go over there and kick her butt til she's too friggin sore to sit down and type these pathetic, stupid and rediculous articles out!

 

To those who have emailled her, let us know what the response is. If I emailled her, it would be full of things that are unprintable!

[mossgrove]

Posting removed by Author

Edited May 15, 2006 by mossgrove

[Bagpuss]

Words fail me.....

 

Debs x

[annie]

I've sent my e-mail

 

Amongst other bits, I wrote that while there may be people that want a diagnosis of Autism as an excuse for their child's behaviour and their own financial gain. For those of us with a genuine diagnosis the article is an insult to both us and our children and has tarred us with the same brush

 

Annie

[curra]

It's an irresponsible and cruel article. How much damage will it cause? Most autistic children that I have met are well behaved and they come from loving families, but opinions like this one will make LEAs and schools even more reluctant to give support to autistic children. And as for getting a dignosis in order to get DLA I feel insulted. When my son was diagnosed I didn't even know that there was such a thing as DLA.

 

I hope she gets lots of replies from parents and health professionals.

 

Curra

[PinkSapphireAngel]

How many more of these ill informed articles do we have to put up with?

How many more so called journalists are going to try to make a name for themselves at the cost of our children?

 

I have sent the editor a strong email to see whather he can answer that.

[lizzie]

I am astounded.........my best friend(ex now ) recently told me that she didnt want to be my friend anymore because of my son who has AS, she doesnt believe there is anything wrong with him that a good hiding wouldnt cure and Ive made him the way he is by being a bad mum!!!! It really breaks my heart when I see articles like this one, because it fuels the fires of the idiots that think they are more qualified than the experts to dx our kids!! People like my so called mate have not got a clue

Emailing the paper right now!!!!! xxlizzieXX

[TheNeil]

Ok I'll play devil's advocate a bit here

 

I can see where this article is coming from in that some people (i.e. scum) may use an ASD diagnosis (or even worse self-diagnosis) as an excuse for badly behaved kids and forgoing any sort of parental responsibility but it's all done in such with typical tabloid sensationalism that it implies that every child with an ASD dx is merely badly behaved and could be 'cured' with a good clip around the ear 'ole

 

The title itself tars every ASD child with the same brush and, while I'm sure that there are <insert rude word here>s who'd use something like this to defraud the benefit system and absolve themselves of any sort of responsibility, that doesn't mean that all parents of ASD kids do

 

I haven't had any experience of raising/looking after ASD kids but even I know there's a little bit more to Autism that just being 'badly behaved'

 

Gee, thanks for making living in a non-Autism aware world just that little bit harder Mr Times editor

[cmuir]

Hi

 

Wasn't going to, but couldn't help myself ? I felt compelled to send an email to the editor of that disgraceful feature (I should have wasted my time, but couldn't help myself!) ...

 

 

With reference to an article entitled 'Katie Grant: Some 'autistic' children aren't ill, they're just badly behaved', I wish to express my utter disgust that this offensive and unfounded rubbish was published and put online.

 

This article will no doubt infuriate lots of other parents like me who are unfortunate (I say unfortunate, because people like Katie Grant clearly haven't the faintest idea how a child and those around them are affected by this condition which affects every aspect of life) enough to have a child with an autistic spectrum disorder. My child is 4.5 years old and I have had to battle for 3.5 years to get a reason/diagnosis as to why my son behaves the way he does (I'll no bore you with the details!). During the 3.5 years I've had a social worker, community paediatrician, health visitor, GP, no to mention other parents of 'normal' children looking down their noses and making accusations that I'm a mother who cannot cope with a badly behaved child. Parents like me have so much to cope in terms of caring for our children as well as dealing with the prejudice that we face almost on a daily. Inferring that parents seek a diagnosis so that they can claim ?80 a week is downright insulting. Parents of autistic children are left desperate ? it's extremely difficult to hold down a job and care for an autistic child! That's not to say that they state should pay, but that's another story.

 

On average children aren't diagnosed with an ASD until they are between 7 and 9. The diagnostic process consists of a lot of assessments by various individuals who have specific areas of expertise (speech and language therapists, child psychologists, consultants, etc). These assessments are continuous and carried out in various settings ie clinic, home, nursery, school, etc and are carried out often over years and not just over an hour! A young child isn't capable of feigning a condition like autism. It would near-impossible to cry wolf!

 

I firmly believe that the 600% increase is quite simply due to the fact that medical professionals (and other individuals) are becoming more and more aware of the condition. A lot of research has already been carried out, but more still needs to be done.

 

It would have been far better to have raised awareness of the condition by opening your readers eyes by doing a feature on how this condition can affect people ? there's a big difference between a child being naughty because they are naughty, as opposed to a child being naughty because they cannot cope in the environment they are in (of course every child can be naughty which include ASD children because that's what children do on occasions!). A child in a wheelchair is given much more sympathy than a child with a mental health disorder. Unfortunately, that's life, but articles like the one published don't help!!!

 

C.

[mum22boys]

Just read the article!

 

'Fashionable' to have Aspergers! What on earth is she going on about. She clearly knows nothing about Autism. I would rather not be looking for a 'fashionable label' and have a son that can communicate like other kids his age rather than feel totally stressed all the time and throw tantrums. Perhaps she would like to come live with M and she will see we are a 'normal' family who just happen to be searching for the reasons our son behaves the way he does and not trying to get a label of ..ism as she puts it to cover up bad behaviour.

 

mum22boys

[Flora]

well, I'm going to write to this woman. Autism is not a behavioural 'ism' (sorry have to say it, silly b**ch) and I have two sons with autism and neither of them are badly behaved. In fact I'd say they are better behaved than your average child of that age. They don't go out causing trouble in the streets, they are not violent, they don't shout and swear or make people uncomfortable. I'm just livid. BUT even if their autism did manifest itself as behavioural difficulties, I'd like to see this smug cow cope any better than the average parent.

 

I'm going to write to her, but quite frankly I'd rather slap her round the head with a rotten kipper!!!

 

Lauren

[Flora]

WOOPS, got so carried away I posted twice

Edited May 15, 2006 by Lauren

[DaisyProudfoot]

 

What a B***dy Nerve! Krikey, perhaps we should give her our kids to look after for 24 hours and see what it's like for the kids and the parents.

 

I'm so annoyed, jeez just who does she think she is. How to knock back the work of the NAS etc in one go. And this is supposed to be an educated newspaper!

 

I'm normally a pacifist but I feel like releasing all our kids on her during the height of their meltdowns!

Edited May 15, 2006 by DaisyProudfoot

[AmyNelson]

I wonder if people at the NAS have seen it. I would like to see them make a comment, maybe the paper could then print it to show some real facts, and make an apology to autistics and parents/family members.

I might email the NAS now and see if they saw it, and can make a statement.

Edited May 15, 2006 by AmyNelson

[littlenemo]

Whoops. Post removed by Author - see below

 

nemo

Edited May 16, 2006 by littlenemo

[mossgrove]

Just read the article!

 

'Fashionable' to have Aspergers! What on earth is she going on about. She clearly knows nothing about Autism.

 

 

mum22boys

 

 

Comment removed by Author

Edited May 15, 2006 by mossgrove

[Jill]

So I'm now a fashionable layabout earning ?80 a week, plus I am a bad parent. P'raps we should have an ism for that? Falarentism anyone?

 

What a stupid

 

Silly me, if I had realised that putting The Boy into nursery and returning to work would make him autistic I never would have done it. How glad I am that a journalist with absolutely no knowledge whatsoever has written a wholly unresearched and inaccurate story to put me right.

 

BTW - can anyone tell me where I could get the ?80 a week please, as I seem to be missing out on that............

 

 

If anyone wants to comment on this article, send comments to:

scotland@sunday-times.co.uk

 

She runs a school for children with Autism! It is more than a little scary that she combines a position of responsibility with blind prejudice!

 

Simon

 

WHAT!? I doubt many more parents will be sending their children there after this article! Beggars belief.

Edited May 15, 2006 by Jill

[oracle]

This was my contribution - remember that I had no idea that this woman 'is' actually connected to autism when I wrote this response.

 

May I ask if Katie Grant will be applying for the job to decided whose children has a bona fide diagnosis of autism and whose children does not? I have never been so outraged or saddened by an article written by some one who must surely be an expert on Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Strangely I have no knowledge of her? As a Mother of two sons with autism and who coordinates a national parents support group (AIM) for parents who have children with ASD I am seldom shocked by what I am told or read. But to read that many of us go and seek a diagnosis because it can be worth up to ?80 per week to us is a very bitter pill to swallow indeed. For the record our children are not ill. Autism is not an illness, nor is it fashionable. It can however take over your life to the point that you no longer have a life or any meaning or worth. For the many parents who battle on a daily basis to ?prove? that their children do indeed have a pervasive condition, which impacts on every second of their lives, I had to speak out.

 

The MMR has done little for us except to earmark us as a set of cranks who cannot control their children so obviously chose to believe that they are vaccine damaged. Maybe this is the reason why so many of us are fighting for an education for our children which will actually meet their needs and not allow the system to damage them any further. I have yet to meet a parent who has contrived to have their child diagnosed for any other reason other than they want to help their child and do the best that they can for them. How many parents does Katie Grant know who has an autistic child? The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night is a wonderful piece of fiction. Living with autism is a dreadful reality and coming so close on the heals of the death of a Mother and a son with autism as a community we deserve better than the trash that I have read today.

 

Oracle

 

PS I am off out now to act as expert advisor in a 'Power Game' being ran by Common Purpose. I am the 'expert' Campaigner - Boy am I raring to go - wish em luck they are going to need it

[AmyNelson]

I have only found one article that she has done relating to autism, and that is about the MMR jab.

This is from an article that she wrote in 2005.

"Katie Grant

The mentally handicapped have always made me nervous. They make me nervous still. This is not a road to Damascus story. Nor is it a story about triumph through personal adversity. I have three perfectly healthy young children. But it is, nevertheless, a story about change."

http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/article...ils.php?id=3475

 

She has no children with autism, I would not think she is the same person running a school or having other connections with autism, she is a full time journalist.

 

The person who runs a school is Mrs Kate Grant from Guilford, different person.

Edited May 15, 2006 by AmyNelson

[mossgrove]

I understand now!

 

Googling Katie Grant and Autism took me to a link to an ABA-based school in Surrey that is run by a woman called Katie Grant.

 

There is another Katie Grant who is a freelance journalist who works for the Sunday Times in Scotland and Apparently) used to write for the Scottish edition of the Daily Mail.

 

Another article written by the second Katie Grant, here

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2090-2001407,00.html

 

is not a million miles away from the article on Autism, only the target this time is parents of overweight children, so I am guessing that it is her, not the lady who runs the school.

 

I will remove the link to the school from my other posting.

 

Simon

 

 

 

I have only found one article that she has done relating to autism, and that is about the MMR jab.

This is from an article that she wrote in 2005.

"Katie Grant

The mentally handicapped have always made me nervous. They make me nervous still. This is not a road to Damascus story. Nor is it a story about triumph through personal adversity. I have three perfectly healthy young children. But it is, nevertheless, a story about change."

http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/article...ils.php?id=3475

 

She has no children with autism, I would not think she is the same person running a school or having other connections with autism, she is a full time journalist.

[DaisyProudfoot]

I've just re-read the first article and now that I've come off the boil I am just saddened by it. Many of us probably didn't even know we could get DLA when our children were diagnosed, it was only following Martin's dx that his peadetrician advised us to apply. He got higher rate for personal care and he needs it, why? Because he's a lot more work than his twin sister and always will be.

 

Would I swap the DLA money for a child who doesn't get bullied in school because he's a "geek", who doesn't have meltdowns that exhaust the whole family and who can be left in a room on his own with a toddler without checking on him all the time. Who would sit down and do his homework, whose life is not dictated by time and planning. Of course I would, and so would we all.