Radio Host angers autism parents?

Question

Has anyone heard about this???? What are your thoughts on the matter?

No Im not trolling-not trying to start problems...I just want to know what people think.....

http://news.aol.com/health/article/radio-host-angers-parents-of-autistic/94535?icid=100214839x1206291288x1200313038

Answer 1

The guy is a pig...what qualifies him to say that autism is overdiagnosed? I love how he thinks that he knows better than parents,doctors, and teachers...it makes me so mad.

Answer 2

Michael Savage is a moron.  I've heard his show a few times and he just likes to run his mouth off about things he knows nothing about.  He's nothing but an ignorant loudmouth with terrible diction.

Answer 3

Complete and total ignorance.  Autism, if the child does indeed have it, is not an excuse for bad behavior but it does make behavior harder to control.  I think that radio show host was WAY out of line.

Answer 4

He's ignorant.  I have three kids, one who was diagnosed with autism.  If I'm such a lazy parent that just needs to discipline my kid more, how come my other two kids are fine???  Whatever, that radio host is not even worth the effort.

Answer 5

I  do not get how he can say it is greedy drug companies. There is no drug out there to cure autism or really to alleviate the symptoms to any great degree --though many people try  with ADHD drugs and anti-anxiety and anti-depressants etc.

I was deeply offended by his statements but I pretty much get that is what shock radio personalities do and I simply dismiss it for the most part.

I have a fifteen year old son with High Functioning Autism (he is missing maybe one marker for officially being Aspergers but whatever dudes -- nearly the same thing).  

His problem is not having tantrums and acting like a brat so this guy`s arguments carry no weight. AND he was diagnosed at age 7 by a pdoc who had been seeing him and treating his behaviors since age 4. NOT because I kept bringing him to the doc trying to get that diagnosis but because something was wrong and I knew nothing about high functioning autism or that autism was a spectrum -- had no reason to know then -- and had no idea what was happening with D.

So...the guy is factually incorrect and trying to bring out the crazy autism moms to make those of us who deal with the diagnosis and symptoms in our children rationally and mindfully look bad.

The best plan of attack is dismissal.

I admit it did bring up some of the hurt I felt from back in May when little Alex was voted out of his kindergarten classroom and so many parents on message boards said there should not be any inclusion for special ed kids because their neurotypical little snowflakes ``deserved a better education.``

I am the mother of an autistic teen; a gifted 12 year old daughter who reads at a college level and broke the record for the highest Math Olympiad score in our school district ever; and a five year old neurotypical boy whose gifts remain to be seen.

D -- the autistic boy -- is already ``mainstreamed``into our family so not ``mainstreaming`` him to learn with other people would be ridiculous. He goes to English; Math; Science; Art/Computers (he is a very talented digital artist and will be taking Photoshop this year) in the a.m. then has different days of study skills; employment skills/internship; cardio workout (replaces PE) and social skills with other students with disabilities in the p.m.

Anyway -- AUTISM IS NOT FAKE.

My  son is living proof.

And do NOT receive ANY financial assistance due to his autism so that argument is out of line too. It is VERY hard for parents of autistic children to get help with medical bills or equipment or really anything.

Answer 6

i think he is rude ignorant, a complete moron and a bit of a "brat" himself. he should look at the autistic children that he insulted. my little brother is autistic! and if they cant get him fired the public should. i also think he should get jail time for crule and inhuman treatment. from his job and from a cannon.

i know everyone says freedom of speech. but if he called you or anyone in your family a moron because they act funny or anything like that. you would probubly beat his head in. but if it is olny for autistic children you think this is ok? he has to go! next he is going to be saying half of all teenage girls are ho*rs and sl*ts  because they wear tight and revealing clothing. we got to stop him befor he make people feel so bad the kill themselfs. he is a inhuman creature that shoud be trown out. he is not good enough to backtalk a bug on a brickwall let alone humans with feelings.

he is a mean, selfish, greedy, inhuman, moronic, non-pitying creature. get rid of him!

DOWN WITH MICHAEL SAVAGE!!!!!!!!!!!! THE HEARTLESS CRIMINAL!!!!!!!

Answer 7

like all the other c**p that guy spews he is full of hate and foolishness a semi political less amusing version of howard stern

Answer 8

The 99% part was rude but he made a good point: too many kids are being labled autistic.

Answer 9

He's obviously an idiot. I've never even heard of him before. I'd like to see him spend the day in a classroom for children with autism.

Answer 10

I think the problem with this is that he overgeneralized the percentage, but I'm sure parts of it is true that it is being overdiagnosed, but then again when people hear about Autism they think of someone who can barely function. People don't really know that there's a spectrum of autism going from them being able to interact with the world and you would never know they had it, but then there's the opposite end of the spectrum where they can't do anything for themselves and have to have everything on a set schedule or it messes them up. Should he be fired for the comments? No, should he be suspended and apologize? Yes!

Answer 11

yes, I am angered ! I posted a question about it this morning and a "Reporter CHUMP" reported me for "ranting" and got my question deleted ! I am trying to appeal it, because he got 7 thumbs-down before they took it off. What a chump ! My thoughts are that Mr. Savage is a MORON. My son is in the Advanced Learning Program and is making some of the top grades in Math in his class. It is something he was born with. He didn't get it from me ! Also, He has never been on any medication. My friends call him a mothers dream. He is obedient, helpful, honest, and caring. I am very proud of him.

Answer 12

i agree that many kids are diagnosed with something ADD, ADHD, Autism spectrum etc and it is nothing more then parents trying to find a reason for their children's behavior other then the kid being a brat and the parents refusing to disapline the kids.  Kids need consquences for bad behavior not a diagnosis and drugs.

Answer 13

ignorant

Answer 14

It's very insensitive.  That right wing idiot has no right to say anything that he obviously is not educated about.  To be specific, he sounds like he's not even educated about anything.  My thoughts.

Answer 15

I think instead of trusting VERY VERY misquoted statements in articles, which rightly, from what the articles say, make everyone FURIOUS, we NEED to go to the source and find out what exactly what was in fact said...

I say s***w the articles and go directly to his site and listen to the clips themselves!

www.michaelsavage.com

Yes, Savage is extremely opinionated and I believe that he does do things from time to time to get people riled up, but he NEVER said what everyone is claiming. He NEVER said that legit cases of autism weren't real... that's the trouble with the sources who are "quoting" him, they are conveniently leaving out what all was said, within the context it was said in. Sadly, those misquotes are what everyone is trusting and getting angry over... Furthermore, what about say, Howard Stern who actually misuses those who are disabled for humor and at their expense. Michael Savage was trying to raise awareness of something that is legitimately a problem. Let's focus our anger at someone like Stern who ABUSES the handicap for money and ratings-literally exploiting people who don't know any better and belittling them FOR their disability-THAT is the outrage... and the misquoting of Savage is also an outrage.

Add: Here is a quote from his site, I did not leave a word out (unlike "reporters" and newspaper writers)-

The Autism Controversy

My comments about autism were meant to boldly awaken parents and children to the medical community's attempt to label too many children or adults as "autistic."

Just as some drug companies have overdiagnosed "ADD" and "ADHD" to peddle dangerous speed-like drugs to children as young as 4 years of age, this cartel of doctors and drug companies is now creating a national panic by overdiagnosing "autism, for which there is no definitive medical diagnosis!

Many children are being victimized by being diagnosed with an "illness" which may not exist, in all cases. Just a few weeks ago doctors recommended dangerous anti-cholesterol drugs for children as young as 2 years of age! Without any scientific studies on the possible dangers of such drugs on children, corrupt doctors made this controversial, unscientific recommendation.

Increasingly, our children are being used as profit centers by a greedy, corrupt medical/pharmaceutical establishment. As the brother of a severely disabled person who suffered and died in a New York "snake-pit" of a "mental hospital," I know first-hand what true disability is.

To permit greedy doctors to include children in medical categories which may not be appropriate is a crime against that child and their family. Let the truly autistic be treated. Let the falsely diagnosed be free.

Michael Savage