Sorry. There is no Monty Python in this entry. I have just elected to do something different and use focal point of this post to focus on something unrelated to sports.
In April of 2010 we received word confirming what my wife had feared for the last couple of years: our son Aidan was autistic. Many of the signs were there but most people who worked with Aidan had simply chalked it up to "cognitive delays" meaning his mind was just coming along at a slower pace than most. My wife vehemently insisted that it was more than a delay. I finally relented and we had him tested. About a month was spent on analyzing the results of the data collected. His speech was behind so we were already able to get him into special education classes. Still, when it was made official, there was a day or two when we didn't really know how to approach it.
Since then, we have been able to enroll Aidan into Applied Behavior Analysis therapy (or ABA therapy) as well as equine assistance therapy at Tarleton State. We understood Aidan needed help. We needed to understand where he was coming from so we could accommodate him. However, we refused to let autism be an excuse. It would simply be an obstacle we all would have to work to overcome.
Last school year, Aidan was sent home for disruptive behavior. In most cases I would agree that one child should not disrupt the learning of many. However, I was completely unsatisfied with the steps taken to try to refocus a child they knew had special needs. After a meeting with the school staff (and a significant upgrade in the principal position) we were able to develop a plan to refocus Aidan on the task at hand. This year, the principal has already commented on how much Aidan has improved in school.
Unfortunately, there are many more children with more severe cases of autism. Some of these children may be limited in some areas of development. As a father, not a celebrity, I implore you to do the following:
1. See numerous professionals who are specifically trained in the field of autism. One professional may miss it. Many are less likely.
2. Get a consensus. If professionals are split in whether or not that your child falls into the spectrum, see more specialists or request further testing.
3. Do the research. Autism is controversial in cause and treatment. Unfortunately, there is no consensus on either. However, seeking trusted advice from experts in the field should help you plan the best course of action.
4. Take action. If there are concerns, do not hesitate to seek testing. Also if the child is diagnosed with autism, take action to help your child. Inactivity is the absolute last thing a child with autism needs. The sooner the diagnosis, the more help your child can get. The more help they get, the better the chance they have at overcoming the obstacles that people with autism face.
Remember, your child is not autism. Autism is merely something the child must face and fight. Your child is your child.
Side Thoughts
-Tell me the BCS (Bowl Championship Series) is not interesting. The season hasn't even started and yet two contenders have all but fallen. LSU was forced to suspend four players indefinitely for allegations that they were involved in a bar fight. Ohio State lost its coach and quarterback while school was out. The race for the BCS title has started before the season has. Again, tell me the BCS (even though wrong in nature) is not at the very least interesting.
-Malcolm Gladwell recently wrote an article for Grantland in which he depicts why owning and NBA franchise does not make business sense; nor should it. It is a great read for any die-hard NBA fan who is lamenting the possible loss of games (if not the entire season) for the upcoming year.
-Add the Miami Hurricanes to the list of schools that are pretty much dead before even entering the starting blocks. They have suspended up to 13 players that have been suspended pending the NCAA's findings. One of those players includes Jacory Harris.
-ESPN NFL analyst Merril Hoge recently spoke Colin Cowherd's radio show about Kyle Orton. Hoge recently took a lot of criticism for his critique on Tim Tebow. Now he is endorsing Kyle Orton. The funny thing is Orton won games in Chicago where they had not a clue on what to do with a quarterback. He has played well in Denver. Tebow gets bumped back farther and farther. I have already stated that Tebow's best chance at success was fired. Hoge is someone the NFL fans would be wise to listen to. He is blunt. He is honest. He is smart.
-There are a lot of celebrities out there who are perceived as hot. Yet, I never hear about Ivanka Trump. Take away the last name and many people do not know who you are talking about. Beautiful, smart, and able to do something productive. I guess that is not hot in pop-culture but getting drunk and painting yourself orange is.
-"The last thing I would do if I was a professional athlete is have a Twitter account." -Derek May
Another athlete is dismissed from a college program for their use of a social networking site. It is sad that these kids are derailing their chances at ever becoming professional simply because of their misuse of the social web-site. Many companies understand that social networking is a phenomenon that engulfs more Americans every day. They outline policies on what is acceptable and what is not. Some coaches are smart and set guidelines. Some ban it completely. Either way, athletes (and people in general) need to be more cognizant of how they use these windows into their lives.
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