Just as Rain Man used to be the only movie out there about autism, for the longest time The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time was the only novel. Don’t get me wrong, Mark Haddon does a brilliant job with prime-number loving truth-crusading, 15-year-old Christopher Boone. And The Curious Incident is a great story, but it’s not the only story.
Another unspeakable tragedy. This time, 20 young children will never come home to their parents. But instead of looking at itself, at its own policies, America is yet again pointing the finger at the individual. Of course it’s much easier to blame one deranged young man then for the nation to take ownership of its role in the carnage.
For those affected by autism, it truly is the best and the worst of times.
As a mom who's only recently dipped her feet into the deep, often murky waters of this disorder, I am learning to laugh through my tears. With an estimated 1 in 88 children being diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorders (ASD), there is more awareness than ever. We are opening our eyes, digging our heads out the sand. And it's a wonderful, long overdue thing.
