What if…..we replace the words ‘Autism/PDD-NOS/Aspergers’ with a more generally accepted and understood medical diagnosis—like Asthma—and replace ‘behavior’ with ‘breathing’, etc. and then apply it to statements that parents/individuals with autism hear on a regular basis. Sound absurd? You be the judge.
“OMG- he doesn’t have asthma. I met him once a few years ago and I didn’t
notice any trouble at all with his breathing”.
“They took him to the hospital again? Talk about over-reacting. Have they ever tried a humidifier”?
“My kids breathe like that too sometimes. It’s called a cold”.
“That kid knows what she is doing. I saw her skipping, running and playing and
she didn’t have to use an inhaler for help once. She should run for office one day”!
“I’ve worked with kids with asthma before. I know one when I see one. He is not it”.
“Maybe if they gave her more structure and discipline she
could breathe right”.
“I think it’s because of too much…. television
internet
baby
Einstein videos
Minecraft
media
exposure
free
time
junk
food
bad
genes
“It’s probably not enough……… exercising
fresh air
vitamins
parenting
discipline
structure
vegetables
“She has what?! But
she’s so… cute
talkative
nice
smart
clever
empathetic
creative
“What that girl needs is a good spanking. It’ll clear her bronchial airways right up”.
“Her mom probably didn’t eat right while pregnant with her”.
“He probably didn’t bond enough with his mother as a baby”.
“She probably didn’t get breast fed”.
“He was probably breast fed for too long”.
“I heard the Dad’s age has something to do with it”.
“Environmental factors?
Air quality? What a crock. Her parents just cant deal with it and need
something to blame”.
“You’re changing his diet again? [Insert eye roll] ……right--as if food can trigger an allergic episode”.
“I know he has asthma, but that is no excuse for him to not
breathe right”.
“Wow you really have your hands full— I don’t know how you
do it. I don’t know what I would do if
my child had asthma”.
“Stop dwelling on it already and just enjoy her”.
“I’m really worried about the influence she might have on my
typically-breathing child”.
“Lol- -asthma. Is
that even a real diagnosis”?
“I guess anyone can get a diagnosis these days”.
“Well, It’s obviously more
than just asthma”.
“God only gives people with asthma to special parents. You are a saint”.
“Cases of asthma are not rising. We are just better at recognizing it. When I was younger we just called it
‘breathing-quirks’ “.
“So what if he is wheezing?
You don’t have to put a label on him”.
“Seriously? He has to
be in a non-smoking environment? I
should limit my use of perfume and hair spray?
You can’t expect the world to revolve around his needs. It’s really unfair to the other
typically-breathing people”.
“OH! Is that why she gets all those ‘special extras’ at school. Must be nice”.
“Are you sure it’s asthma?
She doesn’t look like she has
asthma. She looks so--normal! She must have the really high functioning
kind of asthma”.
“He’ll grow out of it.”
“Why are you bothering with an inhaler and breathing
treatments? Just leave her alone and let
it run its course”.
“Oh his asthma’s improved?
He probably never had it to begin with.
Told you so”.
