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JakeWilson
Snowy Owl
Joined: Jul 12, 2007
Posts: 137
Location: Texas
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 Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:36 am Post subject: Girl claims to be cured of Autism |
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Okay, I am not going to bash this site (I don't think that is in the rules to bash another cite but can someone further explain that to me?). I went to this website. For one, I rejoice that the girl has learned to speak, but at the same time I don't like the rhetoric of autism being a disease to be cured. However, I was just wondering, what do y'all think is the story here with this girl. We who are Aspies know that autism is not cureable and talking is not a sign of a stop in Autism. But what is the story with this girl? Is she now just high functioning or an Aspie or what? Comments?
http://www.awakeningashley.com/index.htm |
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gitchel
Blue Jay
Joined: Aug 21, 2007
Age: 54
Posts: 84
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 1:18 am Post subject: |
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Well, it's entirely possible that the music had some positive effect on her. Perhaps it helped her over some developmental hurdle. Maybe it helped her deal with some sort of rhythm issue that was holding back her ability to deal with conversation. I don't know. I can't get past all the offers to sell me something.
I see no proof that she was cured of autism, though. Being able to speak isn't proof of a cure. Being smart isn't proof either. And being happier proves nothing either.
On one hand, I'm glad the little girl is happier than she apparently was. Now that her family is happy, I suspect the little girl is happier. On the other hand, I hate to think she will eventually start having difficulties as an aspie, perhaps, and then get the idea the "cure" failed. Or that she's caught Autism again and needs to restart treatment.
And I hate to think of her going through her adult years feeling like a broken person in need of repair.
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Jeff Gitchel
jeff@perseveration.org
http://perseveration.org
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JakeWilson
Snowy Owl
Joined: Jul 12, 2007
Posts: 137
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 1:35 am Post subject: |
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Gitchel,
I totally agree.
By the way, how the heck do you quote people in this forum? |
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Asterisp
Deinonychus
Joined: Dec 16, 2007
Posts: 363
Location: Netherlands
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 1:42 am Post subject: |
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Nice for the girl. But if a page contains more than three times the word 'purchase' on it, I consider it most of the time spam.
Certain music can change your moods or feelings, that could give the opportunity to learn. But miracles? |
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NewportBeachDude
Deinonychus
Joined: Dec 25, 2007
Posts: 355
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:57 am Post subject: |
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| Auditory Integration Dysfunction is common among Autistics who suffer from Sensory Integration issues. That's probably why auditory training helped. And, it baffles a normal Audiologist because Autistic kids can test with perfect hearing on Hearing Exams yet have supersonic or underdeveloped hearing due to sensory integration malfunction. Like ours. In many ways, even though our kid could hear, he was basically deaf. Not anymore. |
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TLPG
Phoenix
Joined: Nov 13, 2007
Posts: 682
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:28 am Post subject: |
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She's still on the Spectrum. I have no doubt about it. "Gifted" is a partial giveaway, and if that's her voice it sounds Aspie to me. Faster than (dare I use the word) normal.
This is an example of finding what caused the early sensory overload and dealing with it quickly. It shows the importance of early intervention with LFA in particular. |
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sartresue
Radical Aspergian
Joined: Dec 19, 2007
Posts: 2171
Location: The Castle of Shock and Awe-tism
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 9:08 am Post subject: Girl claims to be cured of Autism |
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| JakeWilson wrote: | Gitchel,
I totally agree.
By the way, how the heck do you quote people in this forum? |
Quotation Marks topic
JakeWilson, to quote someone you click on the quote balloon at the upper right hand corner of the post box of the comment you wish to quote. This will take you to the post a reply and the quote will appear as text in the screen where you type your reply.
Try it. 
Thank you for your post. The girl ain't cured. But she is doing really well, no thanks to Autism Speaks.
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Radical Aspergian
Awe-Tistic Whirlwind
Phuture Phounder of the Philosophy Phactory |
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LeKiwi
Phoenix
Joined: Nov 27, 2007
Posts: 2505
Location: The murky waters of my mind...
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 9:23 am Post subject: |
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I used to think I was cured of AS... then I just realised that I needed to accept it as a part of me and that it was still there, I'd just learnt to deal with it to the point that it didn't get in the way of me leading a normal life anymore, even if I am still a bit awkward.
It's great she can talk but yeah... I'm wary of these sites.
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We are a fever, we are a fever, we ain't born typical...
New Blog: http://onelittleaspergian.blogspot.com/ |
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zendell
Free Thinker
Joined: Nov 11, 2007
Posts: 1174
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:11 pm Post subject: |
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I think there are over 1,000 parents who claim they've cured their children of autism. YouTube has a bunch of videos on alleged recoveries from autism. Because autism, like depression, is defined based on behavioral symptoms, there are likely to be several causes of it, some of which are treatable. Cured in the case of autism means the person improved enough that they no longer fit the criteria for a diagnosis and are undiagnosed. It doesn't mean they have no trace of autism left. A better word would be recovered. If a person can go from LFA to HFA then clearly a person could go from AS to NT since there isn't as much of a difference. The rate of classic autism in identical twins is only 36-50% so there are clearly non-genetic factors that could possibly be treated.
Regarding this particular person, I don't know. The site seems to be an advertisement using a testimonial to sell a book and phone consultations for $120/hour. I don't trust testimonials that are part of advertisements because of the conflict of interest which is also why I'm not interested in what is on the site. |
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Averick
Calculateurre of Chaos
Joined: Mar 06, 2007
Age: 28
Posts: 2003
Location: in the trenches..
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe she was an evangelist?
DEMONS OUT!!! |
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MysteryFan3
Ex-COBOL dinosaur. roar.
Joined: Jun 09, 2007
Age: 51
Posts: 1358
Location: Indiana
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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What gets me is a child goes from uncommunicative to communicative and everyone yells "cured!". That's only one of several symptoms.
The page also says Ashley has "leaky gut" which has been treated with diet changes in many children. Those children also started communicating better. I'd like to see someone follow up with these "cured" kids over time to see if any of them have stims, obsessive interests, greater than usual instances of comorbids, enhanced sensitivities, etc. that also go with autism.
One or two symptoms do not make the whole story.
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To eliminate poverty, you have to eliminate at least three things: time, the bell curve and the Pauli Exclusion Principle. Have fun. |
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thegodofhats
Pileated woodpecker
Joined: May 01, 2007
Posts: 186
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Ashley's voice was annoying. Can someone give her her autism back so she'll shut up? |
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Mage
Phoenix
Joined: Oct 11, 2006
Posts: 727
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 8:25 pm Post subject: |
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| My son went from being globally delayed at 15 months old, to above his peers cognitively at 2 1/2 and nearly caught up in everything else. Therapy did wonders for him, but I wouldn't say he's cured. I think Ashley's story, and many other children, prove the benefit of early intervention. However to sell a "cure" is really cashing in imo. |
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SDFarsight
Snowy Owl
Joined: Feb 13, 2008
Age: 20
Posts: 131
Location: England
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 10:42 pm Post subject: |
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This site is obviously an advertisement for commercial purposes- buy this book by Sharon and your kid will be "awakened" and "recovered". It has a disturbing resonance to people that use claims of religious healing (either they're true or not) for their personal gain instead of honest worship to Jesus or [insert deity here]. In the same way, Sharon seems to treat this as a commercial venture.
Now don't get me wrong, I understand that parents may need help with their Autistic children, and I don't have a problem with people making some money by selling their wares, but this site looks like it is using Autism for profiteering; demonising Autism and hailing this book of awakening. To quote Marilyn Manson in 'Blowing for Columbine'; "because then you're watching television, you're watching the news, you're being pumped full of fear, there's floods, there's AIDS, there's murder, cut to commercial, buy the Acura, buy the Colgate, if you have bad breath they're not going to talk to you, if you have pimples, the girl's not going to f*** you, and it's just this campaign of fear, and consumption, and that's what I think it's all based on, the whole idea of 'keep everyone afraid, and they'll consume."
"She didn’t need data. She had Ashley—it was all the proof she needed!" In the same way, stereotypical Evangelical Christians have that 'Doctors and logical thinking didn't help us, but faith in God did!' mentality; as only through God can you gain salvation in His holy kingdom, and only though Sharon and complete Neurotypicalism can you gain humanity in Her holy world. 
| LeKiwi wrote: | I used to think I was cured of AS... then I just realised that I needed to accept it as a part of me and that it was still there, I'd just learnt to deal with it to the point that it didn't get in the way of me leading a normal life anymore, even if I am still a bit awkward.
It's great she can talk but yeah... I'm wary of these sites. |
Exactly, I went through something similar. |
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