Re: Autism anyone?

WILL HOCHMAN (hochman@uscolo.edu)
Tue, 23 Dec 1997 09:26:40 -0700 (MST) 

sonikska has it right, malcs...plus, I think it's wrong to guess too much
into mr. salinger's lifestyle to know if he has probs or not...but
whenever I go to his writing, I wish I had his problems and skill, will

On Tue, 23 Dec 1997, SonikSka wrote:

> bonjour
> i wasn't quite sure what autism was, past a vague idea of little anti-soc=
ial
> children playing the piano/doing math problems, with someone in the backg=
round
> saying "what's wrong with little jill?" or something like that.  [from a
> random book i read when i was little]. =20
> so i looked it up [definition is reprinted here] , and having done so, i =
can
> say no. =20
> i don't think that any of the glass children suffered from this disorder.=
  as
> for salinger himself, i would have no way of knowing, but my strongest
> instincts would say he is not.  an autistic person would probably possess=
 a
> single or several specific talent[s], but what makes them autistic is not=
 that
> talent but the lack of its practical application. =20
> in addition, the glass children did not demonstrate any of the symptoms, =
other
> than those characteristics that come not from autism but merely genius.
> [remember that most autistic children are of above average intellect--som=
e of
> their 'symptoms' are just common traits of above-average intellect]---wha=
t
> about teddy then?  does he fall under that category?  i don't know, i jus=
t
> somehow refuse to believe it---but my mind is open, feel free to convince
> me...
> AUTISM:
> developmental disorder, usually appearing before age three, characterized=
 by
> impaired non-verbal and verbal communication, including abnormal speech
> patterns or loss of speech; lack of eye contact; a restricted range of
> interests; resistance to change of any kind; obsessive repetitive body
> movements, such as hand flapping or spinning; a lack of awareness of the
> existence or feelings of others; social isolation; and no comfort seeking=
 in
> times of distress. Symptoms vary from child to child and can range from m=
ild
> to severe. Treatment is experimental, and few autistic children show
> significant remission of symptoms.
>=20
> The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia is licensed from Columbia University Pr=
ess.
> Copyright =A9 1995 by Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
>=20
>=20