Comments on The Pensive Quill: Autism does not respect class, creed, colour or th...

Saint?MaryHedgehog That was a very thoughtful res...

2012-05-23T19:32:54.191+01:00

Saint?MaryHedgehog

That was a very thoughtful response or at least it made sense to me.

John this was very moving, humbling and real as re...

2012-05-23T07:54:12.621+01:00

John this was very moving, humbling and real as real... Decades ago i did a placement working with autistic kids... If I felt like I had been drained and all energy sucked outta at the end of a shift how did the parent/s/fulltime carers feel... I can walk away - parent/s & carers cannot. It is truly fullon and I salute you, you family for your upfrontness & dedication of love for your son. Fight on...

NB Have you considered making Youtube video and agitating that way?

You know how your boy loves those two movies and playing segments in a loop - am sure you know this but anyways will say it just in case. He is blockading - feeling safe inside a wall of familiar, specific sounds that creat a meaning. So to introduce new movies/sounds is the challenge ongoing... Kinda like comforting himself. There is a book you may have read? by physician Oliver Sacks Musicophilia pub. 2007 (if not read - it's a worthy read - just get it from library) Look up what he wrote for Autism and music.
You know how you believe in God (i do too but hate religion) well i believe the spirit inside an autistic kid reads the love What the flesh and cognition cannot do the spirit can... I am certain he loves you as you him.
PS God is gonna be asked alot of questions in the next life as to the whys of suffering.. See you & your fam in the queue. You are totally entitled to go ahead of me.

John, My heart goes out to Your Son,Yourself and y...

2012-05-22T21:16:55.122+01:00

John, My heart goes out to Your Son,Yourself and your good Lady.
I watched a few programs about autistic children and adults, nothing was shown about head butting sleep etc, you all deserve more help, it cant be easy for parents/careers. I hope you get your wish.

John, I sincerely hope one or more of the media p...

2012-05-22T20:22:30.895+01:00

John,

I sincerely hope one or more of the media presenters accept your challenge.
It would be a revelation for many who are unaware of the struggle Autism brings to a family.
The headline says it all and politicians should not play politics when it comes to very genuine issues of health and disorders.
People should be very concerned with the erosion of healthcare.

My niece is autistic so I can relate to your poignant article on a personal level but can only imagine the distress the fear of uncertainty brings you.
I have had many conversations with my sister and she expresses the same very genuine concerns and anguish

Best wishes John to you and your family and if any of the media presenters accept, your challenge that would provide the imagery that words cannot express.

John The humanity of what you have written has ta...

2012-05-22T19:17:39.673+01:00

John

The humanity of what you have written has taken my breath away. Thank you for writing this article, Sincere Thanks.

You and your family will be in my thoughts

John A very moving piece, with these cuts the dis...

2012-05-22T19:02:16.064+01:00

John

A very moving piece, with these cuts the disabled are increasingly being pushed back behind closed doors, but those who care for there love ones as you and your wife do have always been societies forgotten people.

Unless something like this comes into our own lives most of us cannot imagine how valiantly you daily live your lives.

My sisters son has a three year old boy who is disabled, he is an absolute joy yet it breaks my heart when I worry about the difficulties he will face in life.

It makes me as mad as hell when I hear the media and reactionary politicians claiming disability benefit, etc are given out at the drop of a hat. As far as I can see, every thing has to be fought for. My admiration for my nephew and his wife grows by the day. This may seem a silly and thoughtless thing to say, but in many ways it has been the making of him.

Thanks for sharing this with us John.

Mick

John On the face of it you have conveyed what is ...

2012-05-22T11:25:44.741+01:00

John

On the face of it you have conveyed what is for you, and your family, quality of life. You have done so matter of factly in a very moving way.

But then, I figure you have probably not told the half of it where many other, lets say inconvenient, things have become so second nature to you and your wife that you both may not realize that most other families do not have that in their lives.

I hope that Nolan or someone takes you up on this.

Agree with previous comments John,my heart goes ou...

2012-05-22T08:10:25.782+01:00

Agree with previous comments John,my heart goes out to both you and your wife,your love for your child is amazing and I hope that sometime you get your just rewards,I have two friends with autistic children ,both single parents one the father cares for his son alone ,his wife couldnt cope and walked away,he had to give up his business to become a full time carer,the other is a single mum, her son would physically make the incredible hulk look puny, he recently ran of while on a vist to Lady Dixon park was found by police that evening wandering up the M1,your and their fear for your childrens future is more than justifiable and measures should be put in place where care will be provided after either you and your wife pass on or cant cope,it would in some small measure give you some peace of mind I,m sure, you are an articulate man John use your skills to highlight these concerns and daily problems hound your mp and mla and councillors,( you probably are already)A very moving post John good luck and I hope you and your wife get the help and peace of mind you both deserve

I read something somewhere where a parent said &qu...

2012-05-22T01:51:36.445+01:00

I read something somewhere where a parent said "you don't know the definition of hell until you have an autistic child" Always gave me the chills thinking about it. This piece confirms that quote. I'm really sorry John. Let's hope for a cure, and soon.

John, this is a very touching piece. Thanks for s...

2012-05-21T23:13:04.307+01:00

John,

this is a very touching piece. Thanks for sharing it with us. It puts our own challenges and difficulties into perspective.