Dear Autism NZ I think you are the leader in understanding and parents with children on the spectrum and you do a great job......yes there is a BUT.
I was wondering since recently more non verbal children are communicating with communication aids that are proving that non verbal children aren't slow or unintelligent just based on the term "non verbal".
And also because Dr Kanner's  " classic autism" when looking at his notes sounds awfully like the old diagnosis of Aspergers which is no longer diagnosed using the current dsm5.
Because the above is all true and I can give you references if you request them.

Can you please remove this from your website or at least rephrase it.  As it marginalises many diagnosed people including my son.

Your websites words that I feel need to be reworded -
"This term includes Asperger syndrome, which is a form of autism at the higher functioning end of the autism spectrum. People with Asperger syndrome are of average (or higher) intelligence and generally have fewer problems with language, often speaking fluently, though their words can sometimes sound formal and ideas which are abstract, metaphorical or idiomatic may cause confusion and be taken literally. Unlike individuals with 'classic' autism, who often appear withdrawn and uninterested in the world around them, many people with Asperger syndrome try hard to be sociable and do not dislike human contact. However, they still find it hard to understand non-verbal signals, including facial expressions."


Edward would have been diagnosed with autism under the dsm4, and to the majority that meet Edward that is what they see ......mean while at home.  This is what we see.
Edward for teachers movie short version: http://youtu.be/5k2VA_MZwNE

These people who are diagnosed through to severe and are non verbal (including my partially verbal son are my proof that the statement is not correct)
Carly Fleishmann (going to university this year, still non verbal) http://youtu.be/vNZVV4Ciccg , http://carlysvoice.com/home/aboutcarly/

"I am not able to talk out of my mouth, however I have found another way to communicate by spelling on my computer. (and yes that is me typing on the computer by myself)

I used to think I was the only kid with autism who communicates by spelling but last year I met a group of kids that communicate the same way. In fact some are even faster at typing then I am."

Michael Weinstein (Non verbal) http://www.goldenhatfoundation.org/about-us/blog/125-golden-hat-foundation-blog-70211

"That was when I realized several things. I was not retarded at all, but I was very handicapped by my lack of ability to speak. People assume that if you cannot speak, then you must be retarded. Most people who are trained in special education know nothing about autism, although they think they are the autism experts. "

Dillan Barmache - (Non verbal) http://abc7.com/news/non-verbal-teen-with-autism-gives-grad-speech/96359/

""Always look inside other people's experience in order to gain another perspective," Dillan said on stage. For years, Dillan's ideas used to be trapped inside his head. Today they're spilling out with the aid of his tablet computer."

Jake Willmann (non verbal)  - http://youtu.be/q4pU9980Hm0

"

Autistic child is also math genius"


Rylan Kirksey (non verbal) - At 2 years, adding and spelling

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/25613637/tennessee-boy-with-autism-communicates-with-yard-sale-play-mat


Dashiell (minimally verbal)

http://www.specialneeds.com/children-and-parents/autism/autism-beyond-nonverbal-label

"“I wish people didn’t make fun of me. They don’t see me. They only see my disability. If they only knew I am an intelligent man who is saddened by people who tease me. I hope my story will help others understand that autism is not a disease you might catch but a condition that gives me the ability to see things that others don’t."

If you can't trust these people above to be a true representation of "classic autism", how about a recent study.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-8749.1987.tb08506.x/abstract

"Seventeen children with classical Kanner autism and three children with Asperger syndrome, all of whom had Full-scale IQs above 65, were subjected to a neurobiological assessment, including CAT scan, auditory brainstem response, EEG, chromosomal cultures, cerebrospinal fluid, blood and urine examinations and a thorough physical examination. 15 of the 20 children had ‘definite abnormalities’ on at least one of these examinations. It is concluded that the number of cases of ‘non-organic’ autism, even among children with relatively higher intelligence, "

And Dr Kanners observations of his patients....
From -
http://abnormaldiversity.blogspot.co.nz/2008/05/kanner-autism.html?m=1

"In his 1943 article Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact, Kanner said:

"With the non-language items of the Binet and Merril-Palmer tests, she [case 6, Virginia S.] achieved an IQ of 94. 'Without a doubt' commented the psychologist, 'her intelligence is superior to this'"

"A Binet test was attempted ... He [case 8, Alfred L.] finally complied in most instances in a manner that clearly indicated that he wanted to get through with the particular intrusion; this was repeated with each individual item in the test. In the end he achieved an IQ of 140." [Note: Alfred L and Virginia S were the only two children who cooperated enough for an IQ test.]

"Even though most of these children were at one point or another looked upon as feebleminded, they are all unquestioning endowed with good cognitive potentialities... The astounding vocabulary of the speaking children, the excellent memory for events of several years before, the phenomenal rote memory for poems and names, and the precise recollection of complex patterns and sequences, bespeak good intelligence in the sense in which this word is commonly used.""

I ask, neigh plead that you change this wording because parents are getting the wrong idea of their children's capabilities and hurdles.  As I see our very bright children with hurdles....some bigger than others totally, but still intelligent children with hurdles.  Being non-verbal does not equal low intelligence at all, just ask Steven Hawking.  And if I can't convince Autism NZ to please reconsider wording how do I help my son further?  How do I help other people realise his potential????

Yours sincerely,
Suzanne Warburton (crazy possibly undx on the spectrum mum of a brilliant partially verbal moderately ASD 3 year old)

The pushy parent theory

I know on  7 Sharp last night they yet again helped to make me feel like a shit parent by talking about forcing a child to do something younger than they should.  Please understand the only way Edward wants to even talk to us about anything is if it involves what he enjoys.
List of Edward hobbies;
Alphabet
Numbers
Rainbows
Solar System
Trampoline
Water play
Sand play
Swinging
Playing on the piano
Playdough
Likes watching peppa pig, Elmo, Bumble Bee Kids and pingu.
......

Did I say alphabet?
On long car trips from about 3 months old if we stopped singing the alphabet song Edward would scream the car down.  Other songs were not OK, but the alphabet to different tunes were acceptable.

I have never seen a parent manage to force a toddler to do anything other than when I have seen videos of autism ABA therapy (and we are not going there) and abusive situations and Edward is not being abused.....he runs this house most of the time

Anyway thank you for letting me vent.

Let's reverse autism

So frustrating being a mum with a child on the spectrum.  It seems like society is more accepting of a child that is being forced to learn how to get along with other people and for that child to be disabled.
And find it too hard to get around the fact that that same child can also be talented without being forced by the parents.

Let's throw this in reverse order shall we.
How would your typical child act and feel and respond if the reverse was true and parents expected that when happily or anxious they were supposed to spin and flap and jump?  And since they did not do these things but did this weird thing of looking into people's eye and talking far too early (yes the parents must have been really drilling talking into them far too early) that they would then need to go and get help and training on how to jump, flap and spin???

Well my ditch attempt to reach the people who can help in Edward's education - wish us luck

Well my ditch attempt to reach the people who can help in Edward's education - wish us luck

This is what the doctor who coined the diagnosis Autism said about Autism

I am actually really happy to find this because sometimes when you get enough parents telling you that you should shut up and that their child is just horrible and that I don't know what I am talking about and other mean things.  It hurts me more that they think that of their children more than my hurt feelings.

 Reference - http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=iFlFAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA6&lpg=PA6&dq=kanner+on+his+autistic+patients+focused&source=bl&ots=ABLXLHBJmH&sig=jQzNxkdpgJlwxP8r_2luhsHg0AU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=EJthVICNIqTymQWt6ILIDg&ved=0CC0Q6AEwCA