Why Autism Isn't A Gift

I've been camping this weekend in the gorgeous New Forest on the south coast of England. Horses, cattle & pigs run free throughout the 200 square mile national park (it was originally a royal hunting park). It's very popular for campers, cyclists & other outdoor pursuit type things. What a gorgeous place to be when the British weather is nice.

On Saturday my daughter & I had collected some flat stones from a nearby beech to skim on the little lake in our campsite. However the lake (pond really!) was being 'guarded' by a peculiar little boy of maybe 7 or 8 years old dressed in a pair or filthy grey shorts. He'd approached us when we were at the pond on the Friday night, but had been called away by his father before I'd gotten a good look at him. On Saturday however we got the whole performance.

He threw gravel & dirt at my legs & then proceeded to spit on me. I asked him to stop, but realised quickly that this was having no effect! We moved further & further around the pond away from him and eventually he stopped pursuing us. Then I watched as he approached a little boy who'd arrived & gave him the same treatment. This appeared to be his way of interacting with people. From his behaviour it seemed that he was non-verbal & I'm not sure how much he could comprehend as he gave no indication of having heard me earlier. I left feeling sad for both him & his father.

Which brings me to the 'autism is a gift' bullshit you hear around the place. What about this situation was a 'gift'? He wasn't 'quirky', he was a severely disabled boy who's going to need life long care.

The psychiatrists have done everyone a grave mis-service by lumping many disparate conditions, illnesses, states-of-being, personality types, quirks and disabilities all together and stating 'these are all the same thing'. They are not.