As an Autistic woman with an Autistic child, it breaks my heart to see the way Autism is portrayed in society, however there is a growing acceptance of our differing neurology that fills me with hope. There is still a long way to go, and misguided, ableist articles and blogs like these that discriminate against us, do not help the cause.

Whilst I’m not going to tear apart every article I see, it’s important to show you, how critical it is, to choose the right language, not just for Autism, but for all disabilities.  This was an article shared within an Autism Support group *eye roll* that is filled with disgusting, discriminating language, that I’m in too much of a bad mood to ignore. Let’s start with the title, shall we?

“Top 6 Home Remedies For Asperger’s Syndrome You Should Know”

The use of the word “Remedies”. Are you serious? The word by definition refers to something that cures or relieves a disease or bodily disorder; a healing medicine, application, or treatment; or something that corrects or removes an evil of any kind. Does this really sound like a word that should be used when referring to Autism or Aspergers? Autism is NOT a disease.

It buys into that “cure culture” that for all concerned, is an endless source of pain. For those who know there is no such thing as a cure, because Autism is not a disease, it’s such a hurtful blow that we are all too familiar with. Then there’s those other people, who are hoping for that “cure” that simply will never come and plays into their hope for change.

Asperger’s syndrome is a form of autism and results in the patient not understanding some social norms. The patients are not retarded but are intelligent and some being above the intelligence quotient.

What? Patient? I’m not sick, I’m not suffering. I’m just Autistic. And not whaaaat? I’m not even going to go there CancerFactSheets, but the right language is Intellectually Disabled.

People suffering from this have problems in carrying out social communication as they cannot make out the actions and emotions of the other person. They are unable to progress in social interaction as they hesitate and don’t know how to react and respond to others. The last area where they lack is in social imagination, as in they would not know the meaning of a joke, or how to come up with topics for conversation. We bring you some home remedies to overcome this.

Oh again with the suffering…. I’m not suffering. I’m just Autistic. And I can “make out” the actions and emotions, I just have trouble identifying, interpreting and then finding a socially appropriate way to communicate my thoughts. I often need more time to respond because I am processing information, so I’m not “hesitating” – I’m deciding what to do. I also have verbal communication problems, where words are “stuck” and can sometimes I need a moment, or longer at times, to say what is on my mind.

What an awful paragraph…. I don’t lack social imagination. My issues are often I don’t enjoy small talk and prefer deep intellectual conversation about one of the range of subjects I’m deeply passionate about. I definitely can understand jokes, but I often miss mean spirited or sarcastic jokes.

I fail to see how your home remedies here, are going to help me over come “this.” This is who I am. Again, I’m just Autistic.

Chamomile is well known for its soothing properties against Asperger’s Syndrome. It comes handy in treating irritable and stubborn children who have a difficulty in trying to remain calm.

The nerve relaxing properties of chamomile help in soothing the mood and relieving anxiety attacks in these patients.

“Against” ? Excuse me? What exactly are you fighting? Maybe the child or adult that you’re treating is “stubborn” and “irritable” because you are treating them like they are diseased and must be “remedied.”

Gluten and Casein a chemical found in the milk of cow has been proven to aggravate the condition in children suffering from Asperger’s syndrome. Serving them gluten free products helps in controlling the aggression in these patients.

Here we go with gluten again…. Everyone can benefit from a gluten free diet. I myself have found great benefits from going gluten free and can help reduce a variety of symptoms, but it does not change Autism.

Children suffering from Asperger’s syndrome should be kept away from junk food and instead given organic and whole grain food. This will help them in their mental, and overall good development of all their bodily parts.

Also junk food is known to be very high on sugar, which again causes bouts of anxiety and increases hyperactivity in these patients.

Again with the suffering…. And children should be kept away? Why not keep the junk food away from the children? And here is the “hyperactivity” comment, a little dig about ADHD if I’m not mistaken. And sugar is bad for all children, is it not?

Essential oils especially lavender, is known to have a soothing effect for Asperger’s Syndrome. Use it especially when the suffering child goes into bouts of panic attacks. Rubbing the oil on the soles of their feet or palms and wrists helps them to relieve tension and anxiety.

Lavender is soothing for EVERYONE. Not just Autistics. I believe we are definitely more sensitive than our neurotypical counterparts, but if your Autistic child is going into bouts of panic attacks, it’s more than likely sensory overload, which needs to be addressed properly, not just – rub a little of this on their hands. Autistics often don’t like being touched either, when we’re overloaded. I can tell you right now, if I was experiencing a meltdown and someone came at me with oil, they’d get a punch in the face.

You’re better off using the oil in a weighted heat pack or burning it in an oil burner and also addressing the issue of why the child has been so severely overcome by emotion. It’s important to not put a band aid over this situation and minimise their stress. Attention needs to be focused on the prevention and support for the child if they need to return to that environment or a similar situation in the future.

The best home based therapy that can be given to patients suffering from Asperger’s syndrome is the support of their parents and loved ones. Because these patients are slow learners, and the stress of not able to catch up with the rest of the crowd can cause severe anxiety leading to withdrawal and irritation in them. The best people to understand their status are their parents and with the help of home based therapies can help these patients to be calmer. Being slow helps a lot, teaching the children and patients slowly about all the processes helps them to build the required confidence. These patients have a problem in finishing their daily chores and any changes to them can cause them to freak out. The parents can best quell this fear and help them.

Again with the suffering…. And what the f*ck did you just say? “Because these patients are slow learners” ? I’m not surprised though, given the use of the R word in the beginning of this ignorant crap.

My stress is not from being able to catch up with the rest of the crowd. It’s that the way I need to learn, the support that I need, is often not provided. As a lot of Autistics, I learn best from visual, hands on guidance, not from simply “being slow”. I’m also uncomfortable with new situations and challenges, and anxiety often increases because all my life, I’ve never been fully supported to be who I am.

The choice of language here, “freak out” is appalling. And yes, anxiety does come on strong when routines change unexpectedly. But that’s why if you provide an Autistic child or adult the environment where they can have the space to try to figure out how to problem solve and empower them with choices, their anxiety will ease.

Asperger’s syndrome has no proven chemical or drug treatment to cure it from the root. The diagnosis can take a little time as it’s a form of autism but not that severe as autism. The best way to help these patients cope up with the real world is the support from their loved ones.

Autism or Aspergers can’t be cured. It’s not a disease. It’s just different neurology. And the best way to help us, is to stop using disgusting ableist language, end the “cure culture” and just be kind and accept us for the way we are.

If you want to read this Bullshit for yourself, I’ve made a PDF of the original article HERE as I don’t want to link back to their website.