repost: schafer report...sorry

[Guest guest]

Magazine, and NPR.]

     Dear President Bush,

     The Schafer Autism Report recently reported that you had no time to

deal with autism. I understand, because once I had no time to deal with it

either. I was busy with my new second career. You see, I once worked for

people you know in my first career, before I started and lost a second

career to autism.  I worked in the Pentagon, helping keep the Army's weapon

system's program strong, then edited the Pentagon's newspaper, which you

might have seen lying around the building. Then I worked in the Wisconsin

State Legislature, for a Republican leader, and often coordinated work with

then-governor, now US health secretary, Tommy . After that I worked

very hard in Los Angeles promoting the B-2 Bomber programs and others at

Northrop Grumman, for a time working for your own Army secretary

Roach.

      You see, I was once like you and the people you know.

      Then autism struck my son. My husband and I dropped everything, hired

a lawyer, spent thousands of dollars to fund round-the-clock interventions,

learned about special diets, medicines, special ed, and therapies of all

stripes. I became unable to leave my home, since someone has to be present

when 40 hours per week of in-home therapy is taking place. I can't convey

the agony, the economic loss, the fear my husband and I experienced. But we

are among the fortunate. Due to the money spent on my son and his own innate

talents, he has passed two kindergarten screening tests undetected, and

doctors who do not know his history think his prior diagnosis of autism was

a mistake. I can assure you that the child who went from head-banging,

biting and social isolation is now a loving, gifted child with great speech

and intelligence, and friends. Yes, he has friends. A miracle.

       So it looks as if future presidents won't have to spend 3 million

dollars over my son's lifetime to institutionalize him.

      No one has time for autism. But autism is slowly devouring this

country's economic future, pitting the needs of well children against

special ed kids. There are ten kids in my neighborhood with autism now, Mr.

President. How can that be? Won't you please help us find out?

      By the way, in the early days of my son's diagnosis, I went to see

Congressman . I explained about autism to him in the 2

minutes he could give me, and asked him to respond to me. I came home to

find out that my 3-year-old son had run away. Kids with autism often do

this. A helicopter was launched, a SWAT team came to my door to ask for a

photo of him, and neighbors searched the area for my child. After 45 of the

most surreal moments of my life, a neighbor found him, far down the street.

Fortunately, all these people had time to help me find my son.

      I never heard from Congressman .

      Won't you help us find what's decimating a generation of kids?

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