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April 20, 2007
Don't Blame Autism Diagnosis
The word is out -- Autism. Labeled as autistic, Virginia Tech shooter Cho Seung-Hui murdered 32 people. In my work, I meet numerous mothers and autistic children. Not one would I describe as "murderous." I believe that Cho's feelings of rage came from something other Autism.
Dr. Louis Kraus, chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at Chicago´s Rush University Medical Center, describes Cho Seung-Hui as "someone who was bullied to the breaking point. ... Cho had a biological psychiatric disorder that may have worsened in recent years because of the pressures of college life and his leaving the support of his family. http://www.mymotherlode.com/News/article/id/D8OK31NO0
In addition to being mistreated and bullied (as if that isn't bad enough), Cho exhibited classic signs of depression. He felt isolated, and his writings showed a troubled mind.
As many people strive to point blame or isolate a cause, I worry about all the mothers of atypical children who must deal with a suspicious society.
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Comments
There are certainly a great many people in the autism community who are very worried that this connection has been made and is being touted around the media.
Best wishes
Posted by: mcewen | April 20, 2007 9:10 PM
