Adam Lanza, Aspergers and the press-here we go again

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you want to blame the father because he's the only one alive? Adam Lanza was an adult. How do you hospitalize someone like him against his will? Sure, we know now that he was a danger to others, but how would his parents? And even if they did, do you know how difficult it is to have someone hospitalized involuntarily? And for what a short period of time they will keep such a person?

So many know-it-alls on this thread. As others pointed out, there is no medication for AS, the medication they discussed was for anxiety/OCD, AND you can't force an adult to take medication.

Very easy for all of you to sit back and act as if you know the answers. Half of you don't even know what Aspergers is.

Well, okay. But take a look at the first paragraph of this link, which indicates Risperidone is prescribed for irritability in those with autism:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risperidone

The antipsychotic is approved for use in children who have irritability "associated with autisic disorder." The article in the link below does not indicate that this irritability stems from a comorbid:

http://psychopharmacologyinstitute.com/antipsychotics/risperidone/risperidone-indications-fda-approved-and-off-label-uses/

Yes, some, in fact, many, people with autism (including Asperger's, although the DSM-V did away with the the specific Asperger's diagnosis) can be and are violent. Most aren't. But let's not act like none exhibit violent behavior because of a desire to have Asperger's presented in a certain way.

As an aside, speaking genrally, I don't think it's ever a good idea to push an agenda in terms of how people with autism "should" be seen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You make some good points. However, from the article it appears that Adam had no involvement with the mental health care system past the age of 14 or so. Multiple trials of medication are often required to find something that works. The nurse apparently told them Adam had a biological disorder that required medication, and expressed concern that he was not taking meds. At that point, who was responsible for ensuring that Adam received proper care? He was 14. There is no mention of further mental health care involvement after that point.

What I find troubling is Mr. Lanza's assertion that nothing could have prevented this tragedy. Do you think that's the right message to send?

There is no one alive who fully understands what happened and why, including Mr. Lanza. Thats the conclusion of the formal investigative report (and they talked with everyone, including Mr. Lanza) and thats the conclusion of everyone who has looked at the situation with professional expertise. Adam had an undiagnosed psychiatric disorder. He had some diagnoses, but not the full set. So while there was clearly an illness that contributed to what he did, no one knows what it was. There are theories but they are all guesses. There is also no one alive who understands why he picked Sandy Hook, specifically, and why mass murder. There are theories -- he went there himself, he was obsessed with mass murder -- but these are again guesses. The one person who knows is dead.

My point is that of course the tragedy could have been prevented but there is no one who knows how it could have been prevented. Mr. Lanza certainly doesn't. Which is why he is left to say he wishes his son had never been born. That is the one clear way he knows it could have been prevented. So I strongly disagree about any message being sent. Mr. lanza is telling the truth.

PP makes has an excellent for why Adam would not have gone through the extended hit and miss trials to find the "right" medication (if it even exists. Again, we don't know that any medication would have helped). Adam did try medication and he had an extreme negative reaction. I know from a medication trial with my DS that when he had an extreme negative reaction, it was YEARS before I was willing to try again with something. Unless you've seen your DC go through it, you don't understand. And Adam was a teen. he was old enough to be fully aware of the negative reaction and therefore not want to try again, and too old to force. How do you force a teenager to take medication? How?

I have one point to disagree with in PP's post. Lexapro is not just an anti-depressent, it is also used for anxiety. It is the first line medication, often, for both depression and anxiety. It tends to have a lower side effect profile than the other SSRIs.

There are other types of medications to try other than SSRIs for anxiety. The emergency room doctor prescribed it after Nancy Lanza took Adam to the hospital after he had a severe breakdown. The Lanzas never followed up on treating the anxiety which by all reports was debilitating - she decided to home school after the incident rather than trying new medications.

It's amazing to me how parents who are loving as well as well educated and well off could have let things go so far for a child - which is basically what he was even at the end, living in the basement and playing violent video games all day and collecting guns on his parent's dime. The report describes a complete downward spiral with an uninvolved father and a well meaning but overindulgent mother.

Parental discord and divorce obviously contributed to this tragedy.

[Anonymous]

>> But let's not act like none exhibit violent behavior because of a desire to have Asperger's presented in a certain way. <<

I am learning that this forum is all about engineering the image of those with autism or on the "spectrum" in a positive-only way, and that affects the credibility of those parents and their cause, as it were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:>> But let's not act like none exhibit violent behavior because of a desire to have Asperger's presented in a certain way. <<

I am learning that this forum is all about engineering the image of those with autism or on the "spectrum" in a positive-only way, and that affects the credibility of those parents and their cause, as it were.

OK this is simply outrageous. As the mother of a DS with autism, it is an absolute lie. How many posts have I read here about kids with ASDs who have tantrums, act violently, act inappropriately. How many posts have I read from parents who feel like they have failed? Far, FAR more posts than I have read here that say "my child with autism is perfectly well behaved and I am a perfect parent."

Please go back to general parenting. You wouldn't last a minute in our shoes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:>> But let's not act like none exhibit violent behavior because of a desire to have Asperger's presented in a certain way. <<

I am learning that this forum is all about engineering the image of those with autism or on the "spectrum" in a positive-only way, and that affects the credibility of those parents and their cause, as it were.

OK this is simply outrageous. As the mother of a DS with autism, it is an absolute lie. How many posts have I read here about kids with ASDs who have tantrums, act violently, act inappropriately. How many posts have I read from parents who feel like they have failed? Far, FAR more posts than I have read here that say "my child with autism is perfectly well behaved and I am a perfect parent."

Please go back to general parenting. You wouldn't last a minute in our shoes.

As a teacher, you wouldn't last in mine, dear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:>> But let's not act like none exhibit violent behavior because of a desire to have Asperger's presented in a certain way. <<

I am learning that this forum is all about engineering the image of those with autism or on the "spectrum" in a positive-only way, and that affects the credibility of those parents and their cause, as it were.

OK this is simply outrageous. As the mother of a DS with autism, it is an absolute lie. How many posts have I read here about kids with ASDs who have tantrums, act violently, act inappropriately. How many posts have I read from parents who feel like they have failed? Far, FAR more posts than I have read here that say "my child with autism is perfectly well behaved and I am a perfect parent."

Please go back to general parenting. You wouldn't last a minute in our shoes.

As a teacher, you wouldn't last in mine, dear.

NP. At least you can always find another profession if dealing with SNs is too trying for you. The parents here don't have that option.

[Anonymous]

I shouldn't have to find another profession. Society needs better alternatives. But by all means, make it all about you. Typical.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I shouldn't have to find another profession. Society needs better alternatives. But by all means, make it all about you. Typical.

The only person making this all about themselves is you.

[Anonymous]

Oh wow, you are a teacher? And this is your attitude? I sure hope (and assume) you aren't teaching my children.

I am very close to several teachers and they have never, ever spoken about SN kids the way you have, even in private, even after a few drinks.

[Anonymous]

And they never will. But rest assured, their job is made MUCH more difficult by inclusion laws and there is resentment regarding that. They won't tell you, but I will.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And they never will. But rest assured, their job is made MUCH more difficult by inclusion laws and there is resentment regarding that. They won't tell you, but I will.

Thank you! Exactly what do you think we should do with this new knowledge? Ask for less inclusion, divorce our SN kid for being a PITA...

You sound hateful and burnt out. Maybe it's time for a new profession since you feel this way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And they never will. But rest assured, their job is made MUCH more difficult by inclusion laws and there is resentment regarding that. They won't tell you, but I will.

Thank you! Exactly what do you think we should do with this new knowledge? Ask for less inclusion, divorce our SN kid for being a PITA...

You sound hateful and burnt out. Maybe it's time for a new profession since you feel this way.

I agree with this. I was a teacher. I had many inclusion students in my class. I know how much red-tape and nonsense went on in the IEP process. I always felt so incredibly badly for my students because I had 150 students and realistically could only dedicate so much time to each one...special needs and otherwise. I tried incredibly hard to make sure Imwas enforcing things on IEP's. Documentation itself took up a lot of time. I was often the teacher (I taught in the upper grades) called in to give a realistic assessment as to whether the goals in the IEP's were fitting. I gave my best, and the process still sucked. Not because of the students at all though. Most of the parents of my students were non-English speakers, and that made it doubly hard to have everyone on the same page.

I now have a child of my own with special needs.

If you ever get to the point in your teaching career where you are blaming the people and not the process, it's time to find a new profession. You are burnt out and not doing anyone any service anymore. Best wishes to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You make some good points. However, from the article it appears that Adam had no involvement with the mental health care system past the age of 14 or so. Multiple trials of medication are often required to find something that works. The nurse apparently told them Adam had a biological disorder that required medication, and expressed concern that he was not taking meds. At that point, who was responsible for ensuring that Adam received proper care? He was 14. There is no mention of further mental health care involvement after that point.

What I find troubling is Mr. Lanza's assertion that nothing could have prevented this tragedy. Do you think that's the right message to send?

There is no one alive who fully understands what happened and why, including Mr. Lanza. Thats the conclusion of the formal investigative report (and they talked with everyone, including Mr. Lanza) and thats the conclusion of everyone who has looked at the situation with professional expertise. Adam had an undiagnosed psychiatric disorder. He had some diagnoses, but not the full set. So while there was clearly an illness that contributed to what he did, no one knows what it was. There are theories but they are all guesses. There is also no one alive who understands why he picked Sandy Hook, specifically, and why mass murder. There are theories -- he went there himself, he was obsessed with mass murder -- but these are again guesses. The one person who knows is dead.

My point is that of course the tragedy could have been prevented but there is no one who knows how it could have been prevented. Mr. Lanza certainly doesn't. Which is why he is left to say he wishes his son had never been born. That is the one clear way he knows it could have been prevented. So I strongly disagree about any message being sent. Mr. lanza is telling the truth.

PP makes has an excellent for why Adam would not have gone through the extended hit and miss trials to find the "right" medication (if it even exists. Again, we don't know that any medication would have helped). Adam did try medication and he had an extreme negative reaction. I know from a medication trial with my DS that when he had an extreme negative reaction, it was YEARS before I was willing to try again with something. Unless you've seen your DC go through it, you don't understand. And Adam was a teen. he was old enough to be fully aware of the negative reaction and therefore not want to try again, and too old to force. How do you force a teenager to take medication? How?

I have one point to disagree with in PP's post. Lexapro is not just an anti-depressent, it is also used for anxiety. It is the first line medication, often, for both depression and anxiety. It tends to have a lower side effect profile than the other SSRIs.

There are other types of medications to try other than SSRIs for anxiety. The emergency room doctor prescribed it after Nancy Lanza took Adam to the hospital after he had a severe breakdown. The Lanzas never followed up on treating the anxiety which by all reports was debilitating - she decided to home school after the incident rather than trying new medications.

It's amazing to me how parents who are loving as well as well educated and well off could have let things go so far for a child - which is basically what he was even at the end, living in the basement and playing violent video games all day and collecting guns on his parent's dime. The report describes a complete downward spiral with an uninvolved father and a well meaning but overindulgent mother.

Parental discord and divorce obviously contributed to this tragedy.

It's about Lanza here.

[Anonymous]

Did anyone raise doubts about the Asperger's diagnosis? How could that be accurate? Aspies don't have language delays, and Lanza didn't speak until he was 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone raise doubts about the Asperger's diagnosis? How could that be accurate? Aspies don't have language delays, and Lanza didn't speak until he was 3.

Clinicians often gave the AS diagnosis to kids with language delays who fit the profile after their language catches up, even though technically AS should be excluded. My DS is one -- language delays and then he more than caught up, with AS fitting him more now than HFA. This is yet another reasons why the old definitions were flawed.