Last night, Kevin and I watched the interview with Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey on Larry King Live. Here is my personal opinion on the autism "cure" and Jenny McCarthy's efforts in the "war on autism."
I do not believe that we can "cure" our children (nor would I actually want to), but that we can "recover" our children and help them be able to function as close to NT as possible.
I personally am not looking for a "cure" for Katelyn. I believe that our ASD children can teach us so much about acceptance and love and seeing the world in a whole new way, and I am grateful that Katelyn has come into my life. I love all of her little quirks and obsessions and things that make her HER, but of course I also wish for ways to help her with sensory issues, social skills, and aggression. So I would definitely welcome something that would help her "recover" from the things that will be roadblocks in her life, but would I want her "cured" -- never. To me, autism is a large part of who she is and I love her just the way she is.
I also agree with Temple Grandin that if we "cure" autism, the world would actually suffer because there would no longer be social misfits with brilliant minds inventing all of the wonderful things like the internet, etc. Everyone would be too busy socializing
But I respect those parents who are desperately looking for a cure for their child. All of us have different experiences with our ASD kids and only we as their parents know what it is like to raise them.
As far as Jenny, I read her book, Louder Than Words, when I was waiting to get Katelyn diagnosed. I really enjoyed her book and it gave me hope in a time of worry and confusion. I do think that it is great that she and Jim Carrey are on a mission to educate people about autism, and that they are fighting the battle, but I do believe that she is a little overboard and one-sided. I do wish that she would be more careful and more open-minded about the fact that not every child can be "cured" or "recovered" in the ways that her son has been. She needs to be looking out for the needs of EVERY child with autism.
Here is PART 1 of the Larry King interview with Jenny and Jim:
If you would like to watch the rest of the interview, click the links below:
PART 2
PART 3
PART 4
PART 5
If you would prefer to read the transcript from the show,CLICK HERE.
Glossary: NT = neurotypical or "normal", ASD = autism spectrum disorder
I do not believe that we can "cure" our children (nor would I actually want to), but that we can "recover" our children and help them be able to function as close to NT as possible.
I personally am not looking for a "cure" for Katelyn. I believe that our ASD children can teach us so much about acceptance and love and seeing the world in a whole new way, and I am grateful that Katelyn has come into my life. I love all of her little quirks and obsessions and things that make her HER, but of course I also wish for ways to help her with sensory issues, social skills, and aggression. So I would definitely welcome something that would help her "recover" from the things that will be roadblocks in her life, but would I want her "cured" -- never. To me, autism is a large part of who she is and I love her just the way she is.
I also agree with Temple Grandin that if we "cure" autism, the world would actually suffer because there would no longer be social misfits with brilliant minds inventing all of the wonderful things like the internet, etc. Everyone would be too busy socializing
But I respect those parents who are desperately looking for a cure for their child. All of us have different experiences with our ASD kids and only we as their parents know what it is like to raise them.
As far as Jenny, I read her book, Louder Than Words, when I was waiting to get Katelyn diagnosed. I really enjoyed her book and it gave me hope in a time of worry and confusion. I do think that it is great that she and Jim Carrey are on a mission to educate people about autism, and that they are fighting the battle, but I do believe that she is a little overboard and one-sided. I do wish that she would be more careful and more open-minded about the fact that not every child can be "cured" or "recovered" in the ways that her son has been. She needs to be looking out for the needs of EVERY child with autism.
Here is PART 1 of the Larry King interview with Jenny and Jim:
If you would like to watch the rest of the interview, click the links below:
PART 2
PART 3
PART 4
PART 5
If you would prefer to read the transcript from the show,CLICK HERE.
Glossary: NT = neurotypical or "normal", ASD = autism spectrum disorder
4 comments:
Hi - Thanks for following my blog! Nice to see another parent of a daughter with Autism. I haven't met many.
I too dont feel my girl can be 'cured'. Her Autism is what makes her her!
Hope your having a nice Easter! xx
Oh man does this lady make me nuts!!!!!!!!!!!! Her son is still autisitc I am sure of that- he ay be doing much better but he is not cured- if thre was such a thing- wouldn't it be known to the world and not just to some bleach blonde bimbo!!! Ha ha- anyway off my soap box. Thanks for putting this on here- I hope she enjoys helping parents around the world feel hope that their child too will be cured only to be dissappointed.
I wish she was more even as well. I know she has seen incredible things with her son. That's wonderful and I would never begrudge her his strides and success. But from all I have seen of him, he still has Autism. He's just dealing better, handling it better, and feeling better. These are all things I want for my son as well. To feel better will be to have a better life.
I will say, my doctor made me look at this all differently. He looks at my son through medical eyes and has told me on one occasion, "this is the type of child that grows up to be a great engineer, a computer guru, or some other very technical genius". Why in the world would I rip genius from his hands and give him mediocrity? It makes no sense. I see my son that way now. I see his talents that would not be there were it not for his Autism. Yes, I want his issues to subside. Goodness, he doesn't feel good. Who wouldn't want that for their child? But his quirks, his talents, and his intelligence are not something I want gone. They are what make him, well, him.
I have a few issues with Jenny (though I have read all of her books, even her new one) which started when I read her first book and how she went on and on about not giving her son the poisons of meds, not even an Ibuprofen and then she talked about how she popped Ativan because she couldn't handle the realities of what was happening with her son. Talk about a huge, huge hypocrisy and disconnect.
*clapping* thank you for posting this. I agree with you- there is no "cure " - only help in adapting to life - which you are doing for K!!!! She is an angel sent to you for teaching, for what, we won't know yet, but you already know that she has stolen your hearts :) and will continue to AMAZE you in so many ways in the future!
hugs!
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