Michael Savage

[shesulsa]

It appears Mike Savage has it hands down over all liberal whackos and all the studies on exactly what autism is.

That's right, folks! Mike Savage has discovered what autism is.

Listen for yourself.

This kind of infantile, asinine tirade should escort the SOB off the air. What a hack!

 

[terryl965]

How can people like that get airtime and have any kind of audience at all. Like he really knows anything.

 

[Kacey]

Idiocy has sunk to a new low.

 

[bluemtn]

Yeah, a real work of art that one is. Obviously, he's never had any kind of interaction with a person that has autism. Then again, he's probably got that nose stuck too high in the air to pay attention to anyone other than himself.

I second the thought that he should get booted off for those remarks!

 

[Tames D]

Well, he IS entitled to his opinion. But it sounds like he just doesn't have a clue.
Maybe we should pay him a visit. I'm kidding, I'm kidding.

 

[punisher73]

It's unfortunate for people who are autistic or have someone close to them that are autistic to have someone say something like that. But, while I don't agree with his percentage, I do agree that some of the kids I have met that have been labeled on the autistic spectrum were kids that were allowed to misbehave by their parents.

I can only speak of my own personal experience though. For example, my last girlfriend told me that her doctor said her child had "sensory processing disorder" which is a form of autism. It was a family doctor who had read about it and she had never gotten a more professional (experienced in that field) opinion. Her kid had HORRIBLE behavior when he didn't get his own way. Well, I started watching and alot of it was him just being bratty. Later, as I helped her raise him more I would not allow him to get away with certain behaviors and held him responsible, mysteriously his outbursts and breakdowns stopped. She later took him to a specialist in the field who did a lot of testing and he did not have any form of autism at all. Even after this, she couldn't admit that her kid, while generally a good kid, had bratty tendencies and would manipulate her to get his own way because it was allowed ( summation of what the doctor told her). She then thought the doctor didn't know what she was talking about and took him to a psychiatrist who also didn't think the label was appropriate, and she STILL refused to admit that he didn't have autism. Why? Because it was easier for her to just say he had it, then try and hold him responsible for what he was doing.

I have had friends and known people who truely did have autistic children and I always thought it was an insult to them and what they have to go through to try and help their child, When she would tell other people that her child was autistic when he wasn't just to get attention and excuse the behavior problems.

 

[shesulsa]

Behavior management is *always* an issue in autism and its related disorders. Sensory processing disorder is very real but ... again ... you can work some children through and map the faulty synapses by exposure, behavior modification, etcetera. Much of autism spectrum behavior can *appear* brat-like.

Give that kid some time and adolescence will likely reveal whether the child has a "real" problem or not.

To me, this just further demonstrates that many people don't know what autism is and rather than trying to understand it, this idiot and his die-hard followers will likely sheep along after him with this intolerance.

There will always be misdiagnosed people ... but to say autism is bratty behavior?

That's just ignorant ********.

 

[donna]

I dont know how easy it is to get a diagnosis in America, but here in Australia , it is an extremely difficult and drawn out process and Doctors are very reluctant to give a diagnosis even to very clear cases. It took me 12 years to get my son diagnosed as Aspergers, and my friend who's son has never talked took 5 years for her diagnosis.( our sons turn 23 this year)
You have to be seen by a panel of doctors, speech therapists,and psychiatrists. No one doctor can give you a diagnosis.

This "peanut" making sweeping comments, is so obviously clueless and beligerantly ignorant of the reality of Autism spectrum disorders.

 

[Tez3]

Oh gosh to think we had 'the cure' for autism there all the time, all we need is to tell children to stop it and behave! Wonderful, we'll tell people with cancer to stop malingering and amputees it's all in the mind etc then everyone will be just fine. what a moron!
Does he really believe this or is it a cynical attempt to shock a reaction to his radio show? Sadly though I suspect some people will now believe him and make life more difficult for those with autism and their families.

 

[Archangel M]

More "attention through outrageous statement" from a media person. Disgusted but not too shocked.

 

[Sukerkin]

As Punisher has said above, some 'diagnosed' as having this disorder are not going to be so afflicted (it being used as a convenient excuse for lack of discipline) but the fellow linked to by Georgia beggars belief .

 

[Kacey]

As a special education teacher, I see students with a wide range of behaviors - both diagnosed and undiagnosed. To say that 99% of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (never mind the ones who are never diagnosed) is simply bratty behavior is ignorant and idiotic. I would love for him to live for a week with the autistic, non-verbal (at least as far as speech is concerned... there's lots of screaming) twin girls that have been attending my middle school for 3 years, and I'd like to see him tell them "'Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, idiot.'" Believe me, their mother would be ecstatic if that worked.

Are there kids who were misdiagnosed with autism? I'm sure there are - the autism spectrum is broad and wide-reaching, and the symptoms look different from child to child, making misdiagnosis possible; many children with autism were previously misdiagnosed as mentally retarded, and some are both, further muddying the water. But a broad, sweeping statement such as the one Savage makes highlights his ignorance and interest in attention-mongering, and does unfortunate and untold damage to the need to find treatments to make the lives of these children better, and, hopefully, to someday find an early intervention - or better, yet a cure or preventative.

 

[punisher73]

Behavior management is *always* an issue in autism and its related disorders. Sensory processing disorder is very real but ... again ... you can work some children through and map the faulty synapses by exposure, behavior modification, etcetera. Much of autism spectrum behavior can *appear* brat-like.

Give that kid some time and adolescence will likely reveal whether the child has a "real" problem or not.

To me, this just further demonstrates that many people don't know what autism is and rather than trying to understand it, this idiot and his die-hard followers will likely sheep along after him with this intolerance.

There will always be misdiagnosed people ... but to say autism is bratty behavior?

That's just ignorant ********.

I do understand that some autistic behavior comes across as "bratty" and I also understand (to some degree) the processing issues that someone with autism faces.

That is why I prefaced my statements the way I did. I am in NO WAY saying that autistic behavior is bratty behavior. I was talking about a kid who was sometimes bratty and the mother refused to deal with it. Also, the more I read about autism and the other things on the spectrum, the more I noticed that his behavior DID NOT match any of the things that were listed as autistic behaviors and processing issues. The family doctor suggested something to look into and never made a diagnosis. She chose to use that label for many years until I talked her into getting him taken to a specialist so she could get an IP into place with his school. When she finally did take him to a doctor, both of them agreed after testing that it was not an autistic issue.

I guess my point is this, there is a HUGE increase in the diagnosis for Autism. Is it due to better testing methods? I think so. Is it due to some other causation that we don't understand? I think so. (Many people scoff, but I have known two people whose kids were diagnosed with autism and they put them on a special diet and there are now no signs of it). Are there some misdiagnosis, or people trying to get their kid labeled as such? I think so. Unfortunately, I know of people who try and get their child labeled "learning disabled" for various reasons because the state of Michigan will give you around $600 a month.

Education is the key and people need to understand both sides of this argument for it to be cleared up and people to learn and understand what autism is.

 

[DavidCC]

he holds Master’s degrees in medical botany and medical anthropology and earned his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in Epidemiology and Nutritional Science


so, maybe not exactly "ignorant", hmm? exaggeratng the percentage? sure...

 

[shesulsa]

he holds Master’s degrees in medical botany and medical anthropology and earned his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in Epidemiology and Nutritional Science

And he's a talk radio host? Hmmm ....

so, maybe not exactly "ignorant", hmm? exaggeratng the percentage? sure...

Exaggerating the percentage? That's putting it mildly, don't you think? Sorry, I believe he's either extremely ignorant (prolly all that partying before those all-night cram sessions to pass his college exams) or has been absolutely and tee-totally SOLD. Ninety-nine percent?? That's either irresponsible journalism or corrupted ethics.

 

[celtic_crippler]

...okay.....and he got his MD where?

 

[Ninjamom]

... or is it a cynical attempt to shock a reaction to his radio show?

Bingo!!

I think the best thing that can be done with such an ignorant, misguided comment is to ignore it. Unfortunately, autism is widespread enough that most people know at least one person personally with an autism diagnosis, often a child, grandchild, other relative, or friend. Perhaps their personal knowledge of and experience with autism will do more to torpedo this guy's credibility than all our combined outrage, phone-calling, and/or letter-writing.

...so, maybe not exactly "ignorant", hmm?

Nahhhhh..... I think 'ignorant' fits the situation pretty well (or at least as well as any word that won't get me banned).

 

[shesulsa]

I do understand that some autistic behavior comes across as "bratty" and I also understand (to some degree) the processing issues that someone with autism faces.

That is why I prefaced my statements the way I did. I am in NO WAY saying that autistic behavior is bratty behavior. I was talking about a kid who was sometimes bratty and the mother refused to deal with it. Also, the more I read about autism and the other things on the spectrum, the more I noticed that his behavior DID NOT match any of the things that were listed as autistic behaviors and processing issues. The family doctor suggested something to look into and never made a diagnosis. She chose to use that label for many years until I talked her into getting him taken to a specialist so she could get an IP into place with his school. When she finally did take him to a doctor, both of them agreed after testing that it was not an autistic issue.

I guess my point is this, there is a HUGE increase in the diagnosis for Autism. Is it due to better testing methods? I think so. Is it due to some other causation that we don't understand? I think so. (Many people scoff, but I have known two people whose kids were diagnosed with autism and they put them on a special diet and there are now no signs of it). Are there some misdiagnosis, or people trying to get their kid labeled as such? I think so. Unfortunately, I know of people who try and get their child labeled "learning disabled" for various reasons because the state of Michigan will give you around $600 a month.

Education is the key and people need to understand both sides of this argument for it to be cleared up and people to learn and understand what autism is.

Please understand that I'm not trying to tell you that you were wrong with this child - I have absolutely no point of reference for the boy and his behavior. And again, I concede that there is over-diagnosis just as there is under-diagnosis and honestly, I think the amount of each cancel each other out.

But the statement made by Mike Savage was irresponsible and if it wasn't ignorance, then it was an attempt to get a lot of press for his show in a damaging way.

 

[Ninjamom]

he holds Master’s degrees in medical botany and medical anthropology and earned his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in Epidemiology and Nutritional Science.

I checked this out a little more. His degrees are more towards the liberal arts/anthropological side, and his early writings (before he became a conservative talk radio 'shock jock') were all on homeopathic medicine. His Bachelor's were in education and sociology (Queens College, NY), Masters were in ethnobotany and anthropology from the U of Hawaii, and his Doctoral thesis was on "Nutritional Ethnomedicine in Fiji"

In other words, he's a botanist with a background in herbal medicine and homeopathy.

Yup. Ignorant.

 

[Live True]

Unfortunately, holding master's degrees means he's had specific training and presented a thesis, but it does not guarantee that he's an expert on any topic. It merely increases the likelihood of his base of knowledge and also that he knows about some very specific topics (ethnobiology and herbal medicine...thanks Ninjamom!).

IMHO, a higher education implies that someone will be more open-minded and thoughtful of thier responses...especially those they put out to the public....but that is not a guarantee.

Some folks, and I think this idiot is one, use it as a shield to put out half-baked and hate-filled nonsense. One-The spectrum of Autism is entirely too broad to come up with this 99% figure of Savages with any degree of reliability. Two-His statements implies that it's mainly little boys and families without dads that are diagnosed with Autism, which is complete bunk and demeaning. Three-His rhetoric is purposefully inflammatory and skirts any real professional verbiage.

So, basically, you have a biggoted talk show host seeking attention by using pseudo terminology to sound like he knows what he's talking about.

Yes, misdiagnoses happen on both sides, as Shesulsa mentions, but his statement is incompetent and panders to an uninformed and already suspicious sheep population. He's about as competent an authority as Dr. Phil:BSmeter:...at least in my opinion.