conuly

http://www.tdn.com/articles/2004/10/31/area_news/news04.txt

When given Matchbox toy cars, he would only line them up, side by side. He didn't know how to play.

Y'know, this is just the sort of thing that annoys me. Doesn't it ever occur to anybody that this is playing, it's just different? But no, he has to be saved! He has to make annoying vroom vroom noises and make a mess! Gah.

Just before his third birthday, Ryan was diagnosed with autism...she and her husband, Roger, were devastated.

Because, really, they had no idea that this would happen!

This is just something I don't understand. How is it that they're not "devastated" until they hear the word "autism"? Does this change something?

That "epidemic" will create a future burden for the government, she said. One case of autism will cost taxpayers $2 million over the autistic person's lifetime, she said.

Let's see. 2,000,000 divided by... oh, let's say 80. That equals... about $25,000 a year. Hm. Not a pretty number, sure, but how much is spent on other people?

Therapists helped her son regain his childhood, spending 40 hours per week working on the basics: sitting, following basic commands, and eventually, speaking.

Somehow, I don't think spending 40 hours a week learning to be bossed around is part of childhood. *shrugs* Maybe that's just me. Maybe I shouldn't type these things when I'm PMSy. Maybe.

Oh, and my favorite:

Hamilton said the number of children with the disorder is growing 26 percent each year.

"Think about that," she said. "Every four years, the number is doubling."

No. The number of children diagnosed with autism increases yearly. Can we say "better diagnostic techniques" and "a concept of the autistic spectrum"?

*checks clock*

I need to go to class soon. Djusk' a!