Since we don’t have cable we didn’t catch any of the spots that CNN did on autism yesterday.  Rachel had an appointment with her psychiatrist this morning and I spoke with one of her case workers.  We talked about autism in the media.  I am mostly annoyed at the way the media reports on autism in that what I see reported doesn’t reflect what I see in severely autistic young people, including my daughter.  Rachel’s caseworker is more annoy about how treatments are always “over promised”  leaving parents without the means  to try every new thing feeling as though they have failed their child.

CNN’s videos can be seen here.  It is  hard sometimes to watch parents talk about their autistic children.  All our situations are so different and yet there is this string that runs through so many of the stories.  Of course I identify with the parents who’s children are teens.   I wish though there could be a  few more stories about how very, very difficult it can be to deal with autism in the more sever forms.   Oddly enough Law and Order once had a show about abuse at a treatment center for autistic youth with self injurious behaviors.   I think this is the only time I have seen that end of the spectrum represented, and it wasn’t even represented that well.