everyone, but specifically autistics and aspergers how do YOU feel about .............................?

I am deeply shocked at just how damn graphic the levels of misunderstanding are between people. In my experience of life (I have AS), and in my continued dealing with people on the spectrum (I am part of a massive online community, and regularly meet others on the spectrum), I have come to see that there is little understanding of our capabilities and needs. This is evident in the community in general, professionals, even people's family members, and is shocking beyond belief.

In the case of this young man, I do not know the full circumstances regarding his needs. However, I believe caging him up like that is in no way right at all, no matter how severely his own difficulties affect him.

Pushing on with my point about the general lack of understanding for autistic people, entire organisations exist to attempt to find a cure for autism. Surely to remove an integral part of a person's entire livelihood and identity is immoral and inhumane? It would mean people are no longer born with these difficulties, but that is a selling point in my opinion, rather than a justification that it would be a good thing. Given the way that autism is more of a difference than a disease, I see this idea as an attempt to clear future generations of their individuality, their talents (a high proportion of autistic people have a specific talent that they excel at, mostly some form of art), and amounts to genocide. I believe all the research should be used to better understand the differences, train people to properly be able to provide encouragement and help, and ultimately to be able to allow autistic people to live their lives to the fullest potential.

It seems we're largely either overestimated (my OT seems to believe that increased exposure to situations I am not comfortable with should get me used to them. I agree to an extent, but I had already tested the theory for 27 years and found that little difference is made), or underestimated (people assuming that every challenge is an absolute killer, and trying to shelter us from everything, leading to zero progress). Compounding the issue is the fact that many of us struggle to relay adequately what we need and when.

Add on that no two autistic people are any more alike than any two neurotypicals... Ultimately, there should be training available for professionals ALL OVER THE WORLD to get a complete understanding of what they may face when dealing with an autistic spectrum patient, and then get fully acquainted with the individual. My local services have no such professional training, yet I live an hour away from some of the best specialist services available in the UK.

LDawnZ: I generally avoid WP. The community on there is a little too voluminous for me to feel comfortable in, although there is a wealth of helpful information, sourced directly from us on the spectrum. I do not, however, see its founder as anything more than a businessman who got lucky with appealing to a niche market. I don't disagree with WP's existence, as it is absolutely vital to the community, but its chatroom has spawned a number of offshoots that are considerably more comfortable to communicate in. WP's chatroom itself, however, is usually no fun at all to be in. It is far too crowded, and more often than not plagued by troublemakers. I could point to some smaller forums, too, that may be useful.

EDIT:

((((froufrou))))

I didn't know myself until last November, and that was long after I moved on from Y!A. I'm actually surprised to see so many of the old R&S mob still around :D I'm still on the interwebz, though, hanging around. I only occasionally return when I get an interesting question from contacts, and that's only if I notice before I hit delete. I should start coming back more regularly.

OMG! This is totally disgraceful to say the lest, and as many people have said it is a "dog run" or "cage" as described in the article.

This is more than just communication breakdown, obviously there was no consultation with the appropriate people, in regards to what constitute a "Safe Play area", wasn't there a plan put forward before being signed off on and the beginning of construction? And as it was being built, surely someone saw it was looking more like a cage.

I am stupefied that very hard earned fund raising money was wasted, on what is clearly a cage/dog run. I firmly believe the institute is at fault, they should NOT have just assumed the supplier/builder knew what to put up, they should have made it very clear with written instructions and a design plan.

I am still muttering rude words

how the hell did that fenced off dog run get past his risk assessment-which is exactly what it is as they have these at kennels?

he coud just as easily injure himself on the metal.

have seen programmes on tv,of people in those high security prisons in america,and they have cages like that for the people to go in-is this boy really being seen as on the same level as they are?

they shoud have sorted out a padded safe room for him-if they needed a chillout room,to meet his needs.

those of us with autism and severe challenging behavior [which am guessing he is also being classed under the label of to] are usually seen as to high risk by OTs for anything but padding to absorb shock or avoid injury from otherwise different causes,as well as possible injury to others.

own OT woud see that as a torture device.

there is another issue with this,by having him housed in that prison,they are singling him out in front of all the other school children,this is going to give a really negative image of the boy,his difficulties and needs,and both autism and disability as a whole-eg, 'lock em up when theyre difficult'.

it creates nothing but a feeling that we are burdens when we have difficult and complex needs.

if they cant cater for his needs,they need to find a school that can cope.

...in this day and age,its very difficult to see how this can be allowed.

WTF-ing hell is that? If I saw my kid in that *heads would roll* and they would roll on the prime time news, which is what seems to have happened in this case?

I dunno, "lack of communication" between council and contractor sounds like a BS excuse to me. where were these people, staff, teachers, etc, during the "construction" of this cage. I can hardly believe they werent aware and surprised they werent part of the process in choosing an appropriate play area. theres no reason an autistic child would need to be confined, maybe a simi isolated, quite "break" area to relax, but thats something else entirely.

I dont know what to say, im alittle annoyed with public education and the accommodations for special needs students at the moment anyway. actually, im plain pissed off. this is not an "epidemic" waiting for a cure, this is evolution manipulated by humans that refuse to evolve naturally. everything on the planet has adapted to its environment, except humans, for centuries. we have jacked with and f**ked up our environment with the intention of making it suit our "needs" rather than us adapt to it for so long that evolution has gone astray, or maybe its exactly right?

(and it doesnt matter if you believe in "god" or not, what im saying applies either way)

everything will eventually adapt to the environment its in, we mess up our environment and coincidentally, or consequently, people start to become affected and its a big "epidemic", a surprise?

the educators, and everybody else for that matter, need to get on board or get out.

Horrifying. Sadly, far too many people do not understand mental disorders, and so when they hear "make a play area for a person with autism", they think "fence off the crazy kid", which isn't the right approach at all.

it's a far sight nicer than the closets they lock autistics into in american schools, and american school administrators are usually far from apologetic about locking kids into rooms with no means of escape in case of an emergency.

but it's still appalling.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-is...

Looks like a dog run, not like anything for a child - no matter what behaviors he might exhibit. The council is certainly apologetic, but how could something like this ever have been approved?

It is wrong. Autistic kids shouldn't be kept away from others because they are different.

i think its disgusting!!!!!!!!!

ps are u on wrongplanet because i just read this article posted on wrongplanet a minute ago

Build a better cage, they will come. What is is, what is not, is a wish. Can you do the wish or not. If not, tough luck. If he was a compulsive masturbatory vegetable, I wonder what they would do then.