Comments on: Autism - The Baseball Analogy

By: Dad Of Cameron

Dad Of Cameron — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 17:51:09 +0000

Hi Emily, Thanks for the comment. My analogy could be pretty weak - I really don’t know sports that well. At any rate as I understand it, in baseball, curveballs are just a fact (not inherently negative) - how you learn to look at them coming at you is what matters

Bronwyn G, I like the secret recipe idea.

Hi Bonnie, You know, our doctor really didn’t spend a lot of time on anything stereotypical - although she did in fact discuss a few stereotypical things in neutral terms. As I remeber it (from a year ago), she was very clear about not speculating, and offered much more in the way of resources and information that were age appropriate. I was trying to pull out 2 minutes of a 1 hour conversation (as I remeber it from a year ago), to exemplify the possibility that many different people could see such a diagnosis many different ways (and be persuaded by stereotypes). Our doctor was quite helpful in my opinion. Could she avoid all stereotypes in the course of her practice? Maybe, actually probably.

Hi Ruth, modifying your own expectations (and building real understanding?), now that’s reality that works. Puberty? Yikes! - Autism or neurotypical, life’s curveballs persist.

By: Ruth

Ruth — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 17:32:05 +0000

MY doc refused to predict the future, but did say that since my daughter was verbal, and getting helped at a young age, her chances of a good outcome were better. That’s fine with me. Don’t promise me a cure, but tell me what you do know can improve the odds. We moved to a school district with some of the best special ed teachers I’ve ever met. My husband and I modified our expectations, and found she would try to cooperate if the goals were reasonable. She is now social enough to torment her little sister, just like normal sibs.

Just when we thought everything is OK, I think she is starting puberty. Don’t know how I will deal with that curveball!

By: Bonnie Ventura

Bonnie Ventura — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 16:20:04 +0000

I wouldn’t describe your doctor as doom and gloom, either; there are certainly much worse predictions out there. Still, I don’t think it’s helpful to throw around broad stereotypes about what could happen in the future, even if they are worded in generally neutral terms. There’s no way of knowing what any child will grow up to do, and what parents really need is specific information about a child’s needs at his actual age.

For example, instead of saying “people with autism typically don’t smoke,” which gives the parents no information that would be of value in raising a young child, it would be much more helpful to explain that autistics are likely to be sensitive to strong odors, etc., and that an autistic child probably will be more comfortable in an environment that is free of cigarette smoke, perfume, cleaning products with strong fragrances, and so forth.

By: Bronwyn G

Bronwyn G — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 09:36:31 +0000

And in life we have a low batting average, don’t we?

When life throws you a lemon, you make lemonade or some other highly profitable soft drink with a secret recipe.

I think autism is like a secret recipe.

By: Emily

Emily — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 09:17:51 +0000

I like it, well the 2nd doc anyway! I wish more docs would advise parents wanting to help their children to be sceptical.
I can’t comment on the accuracy of your analogy, I know zero about baseball, well apart from what I picked up from various American films