Above is a link to a very interesting article related to
autism and the Amish community. You see a while back I wrote a blog about no
autism in the Amish but since writing that blog I have had a little voice in the back of my mind asking, what if
that is not really true? I have even stopped into an Amish market and if it
wasn’t so busy that day I would have asked to speak to someone on this topic.
Looking back I wish I had. What if the
lifestyle they live just prevents us from really knowing very much about autism
in the Amish? Yes, you can say I am going against my own blog on this one
because I need to. Not necessarily going against it because my past blog was
based on diet and that is important but my title was No Autism in the Amish and
that may not be true.
After
reading the article above and a few others I started to think about the
lifestyle of the Amish and how the simple fact of how they live could very well
be a productive way for a child with autism to grow up making progress every
day. It’s safe to say they are much more accepting of each others as they don’t
have to keep up with social expectations most of us do. They have their own and
largely based on working together and working hard. Could the constant process
of daily routine and large support systems help autism to adjust? I think the
answer to that is pretty clear if you have been closely involved with autism.
Temple Grandin is known to say “Autism must stay engaged.” And although I have
never spent time in an Amish community we know they stay engaged to keep things
running. The children are expected to participate in running the community and
they typically don’t attend public school. A routine of one on one learning in
the same environment as they grow.
I have
also learned and you will see this in the article above, they do in fact
vaccinate. Could it be rates of autism in the Amish are lower because they
aren’t screened for it at the first sign of late talking or maybe a child that
appears to have serious nature is acceptable so no need to run to a doctor for
help? I also wonder if years ago when only severe cases of autism were reported
if this was the same way of the world so to speak.
Years
ago families worked together at all things throughout the day. They sustained
each other and young kids were expected to work what we might consider
hard. They instilled a constant routine
as they grew up and many times the routine was in fact based on work and
learning to go out into the world being able to continue on with the same
family standards. That’s not saying kids aren’t still raised the same way but
we can’t deny these same values are dwindling in our modern times. It could be
during those times a late talker was ok and a child who wasn’t always silly or
social was also accepted as long as they engaged in the family routine. Maybe
that led to a way for an autistic to make progress by the firm ground they were
living on. Accepted for their difference but also expected to keep up
regardless.
My
grandparents wrote each other nearly every day during the 40’s and many of
those letters get me thinking about the difference between then and now. The
letters are serious in nature for the most part. There is a pride in
accomplishments and pride in family and almost no, what my grandma would have called,
funny business. Another point in the letters that really gets me thinking is a
pictures they exchanged and how neither one of them knew how to fake a smile
for pictures. Typically in those times a smile wasn’t faked for a photo so autism
would have blended in nicely.
During
those times it could be a child who worked hard at one thing was totally
acceptable. Not having a silly nature would have been appreciated to a point. Not smiling on command was normal and a child
with an ability to take apart a toy instead of playing with it may have been
appreciated in regard to a work ethic. What we call meltdowns may have been handled
the same way each time creating a constant routine to ease them. Being socially
acceptable was not as important as being successful. Success would have sustained the family. I am
considering all these things in regard to mild autism of course but still points
to consider when we look at the big picture of how society affects us as a
whole.
Yes, we
may be overlooking autism in the Amish and yes it may be there but I would
never argue the fact that we could learn a lot from that lifestyle difference
and how quickly we jump to have children diagnosed with disorders. Yes Disorders are real and 20% of our children in this country have been diagnosed with some kind of mental health challenge but we shouldn't be so quick to assume Amish are not effected. What we should be quick to do is learn the differences in there community or remember might be a better word.
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