I just thought this might be of interest.
Did anyone see the news yesterday? It was either on ABC or NBC, about a family with six children with autism. Three of them went to regular school but had one class to help with special needs. Two didn't speak at all. And the youngest was three, she was one year delayed, just beginning to speak. The house was furnished very sparingly. They showed the bedroom of the two who were the "worst". Nothing was on the walls, the walls were stripped down to the plaster in a lot of places. There was no bedding on the beds, no dressers in the room.
Anyway, it was a good piece as far as it went, I just wish they would have has time to go more into depth. They did mention that it was genetic and environmental to some extent. Now, I had never heard that the environment had anything to do with it in all that I have read, or am I missing something? They estimated that it cost $500 a week to raise one autistic child. They didn't say where they got that figure or what the expenses where. But this family couldn't afford special services. I thought the state was supposed to furnish services for these kids. ??
The kids were darling, and the parents said they wouldn't trade them for anything, that they all were a joy to have, each in their own way.
Just a side line - The mom did say she felt she was having a melt down and needed help. The children were taken away for a couple of weeks while mom sought a psychological evaluation. The kids were returned!
(FYI ~ My daughter saw this on the web, we don't have TV)
Connie
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