Hi.

Unfortunately, I can't talk to the parents because they just drop him off in front of the house, and pick him up at night. Lots of stuff going on in this family. I see the WHOLE FAMILY a few times a year.

It's a BIG family. Lots of professional people in this family. Sometimes, a person wants to interfere but then sometimes a person CAN'T.

People (in this case) want their privacy. I completely understand.

I think all I can really do is just wait, listen, and if they need my help, well I'll be happy to help. But I can tell you one thing. The parents, and grandparents, do NOT go on the internet and look up information on Autism.

That is abundantly clear.

Very old world type of people. And one other thing.

There is a lady around here (I've noticed her for 17 years). She's abut 45 or so. She is extremely mentally handicapped. (Not autistic). She speaks but no one can understand her. She knows what she is saying but no one else does.

Her parents did not believe in sending her to any type of special needs school for any type of special needs training (or whatever special needs schools do for people with her particular kind of disability).

Her parents actually send her shopping with a shopping cart. Do you know how many times I have seen shop keepers literally take her by her shoulders and heave her out the door because she is screaming (she knows what she is saying but because no one understands her, everyone is frustrated and nothing is accomplished).

I've seen her go into butchers, and local supermarkets with a list. She goes shopping. But because she yells and screams, everybody goes nuts and they kick her out. They actually hand her dollar blls to make her leave. And she goes back in 5 minutes later.

I once asked someone, (and she must have been 33 or so at the time). "Why do her parents send her out without anyone to accompany her". and they always sadly say "they didn't want anyone to know, they didn't believe in sending her away for help, so they just let her sit on the stoop". (And I've seen her sit on the stoop talking to herself".

They've since moved, but I have never seen such ignorance in all my life.

This woman might have had a much better shot at life if she had been properly schooled and instructed in managing her communicating skills.

She wound up never being able to communicate.

The autistic kid I know does not verbalize at all. Not one word. So at 16, I have no idea if he can be taught to communicate. I mean, the van picks him up and takes him somewhere. I gather he does SOMETHING all day long, no???"

Very frustrating (especially with more and more of our younger people being diagnosed with various forms of autism today).

Thanks for the input,

Melody