Shards of Glass - Severe Autism Realities Hidden from Sight

 

I love to post the many pictures of Conor's happiness and his wonderful smile but he has always suffered from the more severe realities that afflict some with autism particularly those like him with ID and epilepsy. Severe autism realities from 7 years ago. The picture shows broken glass fragments which I found some time after Conor had put his hand through a window which he did a few times back then as well as through walls ,,, many times. Things have improved for him and it has been done primarily with medications. He still suffers moments of pain on occasion. Wearing costumes and praising autism as a gift and a community doesn't address the realities of those with autism, intellectual disability, migraine level headache pain and seizures of whom Conor is one. Conor can enjoy life and his smile is proof positive but painful reality can never be dismissed or ignored.

7 Years Ago

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Harold L Doherty

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Shards of Severe Autism Reality

We were cleaning books and papers out of the "China Cabinet" in our kitchen today. We had never stored China there only photos, albums and papers. Like other China Cabinets though there were glass doors on the front through which you could view the China. Over time Conor had, on different occasions, while suffering meltdowns, put his hands through the glass windows. I thought I had gotten all the glass out on each occasion but today after moving a group of albums I found some shards of glass, shards of severe autism realities.

Such events are not talked about by those alleged "thinking persons" and others who talk breathlessly about the joys of autism and criticize parents, and grandparents, of children with severe autism disorders and intellectual disabilities who talk honestly about the severe challenges faced by their own children, the children they love. Personally they will not stop me from talking honestly about the severe autism disorder from which my son suffers and yes he does suffer from it. I will continue to speak the truth about these serious neurological disorders and if my words seem to them like shards of glass then so be it.

          Double Disadvantage - Autism and Intellectual Disability

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jir.12573

The prevalence and general health status of people with intellectual disabilities and autism co-occurring together: a total population study

K. Dunn, E. Rydzewska, C. MacIntyre, J. Rintoul, S.-A. Cooper

Results

A total of 5709/5 295 403 (1.08/1000) people had co-occurring intellectual disabilities and autism; 2.58/1000 children/young people and 0.74/1000 adults. The peak reported prevalence was at age 10 years (3.78/1000); 66.0% were male. Their general health status was substantially poorer than for the rest of the population, more so for children/young people, and they had more limitations in their day-to-day activities. Co-occurring intellectual disabilities and autism had odds ratio = 48.8 (45.0–53.0) in statistically predicting poor health.

Conclusion

This is the first study to report the population prevalence of coexisting intellectual disabilities and autism, and the substantial influence this double disadvantage has on general health status, apparent across the entire life course. This highlights a group in need of wider recognition for whom resources should be focused on and planned for, informed by evidence. Staff in services for people with either of these conditions need to be trained, equipped, resourced and prepared to address the challenge of working for people with this duality. This is essential, to address these substantial health inequalities.