not_my_kids
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I read a few things that were posted overnight that I want to comment on. First off, no matter how you classify autism spectrum disorders (classical autism, Asperger's, Pervasive Developmental Delay, ADD, ADHD), be it neurological condition or mental illness, it really doesn't matter. I choose to treat it as a neurological disorder, because that's how every single doctor has explained it. However, the reason it doesn't matter is that there are so many conditions that fall under the blanket of ASD, and so many different behaviors that are included, that you can have 2 people with identical diagnoses and totally different behaviors.
Both of my stepsons and my oldest bio son have ASD. They are opposite people. Stepson is quiet, reserved, extremely socially awkward, fearful, and cannot tolerate ANY change to routine or discipline. He couldn't display violence in a directed way, as in towards a specific target.
My son is unnaturally loud, not in the least reserved, although the social awkwardness is still there, just not to the degree it is with my stepson. My son has no fear and an unnaturally high pain tolerance, although he is sensory seeking at the same time. Changes to his routine can be relatively peaceful, as long as every aspect of the change is announced ahead of time. He is oppositional, defiant, and he has harmed me physically more times than I can count. An extremely strong child, no impulse control, very bad combo.
Point being, both of them have had the maximum in terms of services offered by the state and the school district. Both of them are in therapy, both of them utilized early intervention through age 5, both are in mainstream special education, and both receive in home therapy and crisis services. Both are diagnosed with classical autism. But for each of them, the diagnosis means something different. One of the reasons that autism is so difficult to live with is because we know very little about it. My stepson cannot handle loud noises without melting down. My son will melt down because something isn't loud enough. It's a complete dice roll, and ASD has become a catch-all diagnosis for many physicians. Don't know why this kid is having problems? Call it ASD until we figure it out. MOO. In determining his potential level of violence, an ASD diagnosis would mean very little.
Totally different topic - the survivalism, fear of economic collapse thing. I am not a survivalist, not in any true sense of the word, so I don't understand the mindset completely, therefore I will tread carefully. I do stockpile food, but that's because I remember blizzards that have shut this city down for the better part of a week and I have kids to take care of. One might be able to spin my beliefs to say that I fear economic collapse...don't we all, at least a little bit? It doesn't mean that I don't trust the government, and there is no evidence that it meant that to Nancy. I fear what will happen in a time of war, or a time of massive natural disaster, or in the event of a stock market crash, any of which can cause economic collapse, but have no bearing on how much I trust my government. She had the guns, reported for protection, but I don't see where she held any paranoid beliefs, such as having written a manifesto regarding the NWO, or that she ever did anything to influence Adam's state of mind regarding conspiracies or fear of the government.
One thing that I don't see addressed, hardly at all, when considering the motive, is the statement someone made right around the time that Nancy's photo was released to the media, saying that she pushed Adam hard in school (paraphrased). That can be a very positive thing or a very negative thing, depending on how the parent does it. If she pushed him hard in school, then it seems to me that her pushing did very little good or did not get her anything by rebelliousness, since he did drop out, got his GED instead and hadn't chosen to pursue his education.
His mother, one of his only socializations, and a huge impact on his world, pushed him academically, to which he did not seem to respond positively, and he then later shot said mother and 26 people in an educational institution. There's something there. JMO.
Both of my stepsons and my oldest bio son have ASD. They are opposite people. Stepson is quiet, reserved, extremely socially awkward, fearful, and cannot tolerate ANY change to routine or discipline. He couldn't display violence in a directed way, as in towards a specific target.
My son is unnaturally loud, not in the least reserved, although the social awkwardness is still there, just not to the degree it is with my stepson. My son has no fear and an unnaturally high pain tolerance, although he is sensory seeking at the same time. Changes to his routine can be relatively peaceful, as long as every aspect of the change is announced ahead of time. He is oppositional, defiant, and he has harmed me physically more times than I can count. An extremely strong child, no impulse control, very bad combo.
Point being, both of them have had the maximum in terms of services offered by the state and the school district. Both of them are in therapy, both of them utilized early intervention through age 5, both are in mainstream special education, and both receive in home therapy and crisis services. Both are diagnosed with classical autism. But for each of them, the diagnosis means something different. One of the reasons that autism is so difficult to live with is because we know very little about it. My stepson cannot handle loud noises without melting down. My son will melt down because something isn't loud enough. It's a complete dice roll, and ASD has become a catch-all diagnosis for many physicians. Don't know why this kid is having problems? Call it ASD until we figure it out. MOO. In determining his potential level of violence, an ASD diagnosis would mean very little.
Totally different topic - the survivalism, fear of economic collapse thing. I am not a survivalist, not in any true sense of the word, so I don't understand the mindset completely, therefore I will tread carefully. I do stockpile food, but that's because I remember blizzards that have shut this city down for the better part of a week and I have kids to take care of. One might be able to spin my beliefs to say that I fear economic collapse...don't we all, at least a little bit? It doesn't mean that I don't trust the government, and there is no evidence that it meant that to Nancy. I fear what will happen in a time of war, or a time of massive natural disaster, or in the event of a stock market crash, any of which can cause economic collapse, but have no bearing on how much I trust my government. She had the guns, reported for protection, but I don't see where she held any paranoid beliefs, such as having written a manifesto regarding the NWO, or that she ever did anything to influence Adam's state of mind regarding conspiracies or fear of the government.
One thing that I don't see addressed, hardly at all, when considering the motive, is the statement someone made right around the time that Nancy's photo was released to the media, saying that she pushed Adam hard in school (paraphrased). That can be a very positive thing or a very negative thing, depending on how the parent does it. If she pushed him hard in school, then it seems to me that her pushing did very little good or did not get her anything by rebelliousness, since he did drop out, got his GED instead and hadn't chosen to pursue his education.
His mother, one of his only socializations, and a huge impact on his world, pushed him academically, to which he did not seem to respond positively, and he then later shot said mother and 26 people in an educational institution. There's something there. JMO.
It wasn't a punishment; she just wanted me to do better in the only subject that gave me trouble.
