There are too many fragmented viewpoints under the huge umbrella of Autism. There is no cause, no cure, no clear research, no true understanding, and the numbers of diagnoses keep growing year after year. So does the fear, the anxiety, and with the growing numbers are attached anxious, fearful families struggling to support, provide for, and educate their loved on on the spectrum. There are no cle
ar paths for receiving support. This state may offer some financial assistance, that state may have some community programs. That county has a really great special needs school, oh, wait, didn't that principal just get brought up on charges for calling her students, "retards" and telling the kids not to bother telling on her because their records already showed they had behavioral problems so no one will believe them anyway? The list of issues and sub-issues go on and on and are mind-numbing. And when the individual parent is already numbed by bed-wetting, head-banging, poor grades at school, or actual behavioral issues, or comorbid diagnoses like seizures or PICA, the last thing they have is time or energy to research these countless programs. My hope is that by reaching out to our Facebook community members, encouraging people to send ME messages or to post documented ideas that have worked or that I can validate will be happening (for instance, Toys R Us in the UK had a sensory friendly shopping day that I was able to verify through email with the store - very cool; dimmed lights, no loud music or sounds; the ability to leave filled shopping carts with your info so you could return later to pay if your child had had enough) then I can post things that people can just come to and know they can trust. I also post short, relevant posts of encouragement and humor. I also post missing children around the world in hopes that they will be found, along with brief tips on the special needs of children with autism to NOT be lost. These are not typical children. They require a lot more attention. I also post articles about stores or business that receive kudos for donating to autism research and awareness as well as jabs for those that have displayed deplorable behavior. We are consumers, too. Unfortunately, I also feel the need to make our community aware when one of us loses our minds, does the unthinkable, and abandons, harms, or kills one of our autism angels. It was one such angel, London McCabe, that sparked the need for this page's creation. Because, in the deepest, darkest hour, when a woman was bereft of hope, bereft of money, bereft of mental health, she broke, and she threw her son off of a bridge. I don't know why, or how, and I am so, so angry, but I am also so sad. He deserved so much more. Someone should have helped him. Every autism angel needs a village. I want to start the village here and now. I need everyone to join me.
