My life is ruled by numbers.

Normally I spend my Mondays pouring over the different digits that give me pause. I wonder why my checking account has about four too few zero's.  I fret over the fact that my fantasy football scores less than a newly-wed who continues to bring up his mother's cooking.   I convince myself that having two caramel macchiato's by noon is a good idea.  I focus too much time worrying about the two numbers that tell people how many years I have lived might give them the wrong impression that I am an adult. 

Call it my fear of repeating High School math...but I hate numbers to the nth power.  I don't like them because numbers can be adjusted to make really subjective points.  For example: Just because Transformers 2 made 201 million bucks in it's first five weeks DOES NOT mean it was a good movie!  We can make numbers mean anything.  We become our SAT scores or GPA in High School.  We let our tax bracket define us.  Yes, numbers might put us in a neat little file...but there is so much more truth than any number can tell us.

Did you know that I won three backstroke meets when I was on a swim team in junior High.  Can you imagine?  My Devito-ish body flaying about in the water was a form that brought me three blue ribbons!  Three meet championships for the backstroke...when my back is like a half a foot long!  What an amazing feat!  If you just looked at the number of meets I won you would be forced to be impressed with my amazing athleticism.  The truth behind those three blue ribbons is that those were the times the other teams didn't have anyone else to race me.  So I won by default.  When I actually raced against another human it often ended in a horrid scene of my mother trying to fish out my speedo that fell off during my first few strokes, and myself grabbing hold of the ropes waiting for rescue. 

I sucked at swimming.  Yet...I can claim three meet victories.  Numbers can paint a picture that may or may not be true depending on how honest I decide to be when quoting them.

Sometimes numbers, however don't lie.  They don't really have to.  They can deliver reality that cannot really be adjusted to make ourselves feel better or worse.  Today I was bitten on the caboose by a few numbers.  Here they are:

1, 91, 1, 58

Without any context those look like nice innocent numbers.  And they could represent anything.  (no not my weight smart ass..although my body fat percent might actually now be at 191,158 %)  What these seemingly happy-go-lucky numbers symbolize is the heartache that is slicing through a family once every 20 seconds in the US.  These numbers represent the countless families that are or will be soon walking down the difficult path of autism.  In case you did not hear, here is some interesting news that was released today:

A new study published October 5, 2009 in the American Academy of Pediatrics' journal Pediatrics found a parent-reported autism prevalence rate of one in every 91 American children, including one in 58 boys. The study used data gathered as part of the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH), a national survey directed and funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Source: Autism Speaks

Say it with me.  Slowly.

1 in every 91 of American Children are now being diagnosed with Autism.

1 in every 58 boys are being diagnosed with Autism.

Now that you have said it.  Say it again.  And think about how many people that is.  Think about how many families that is affecting. 
The new findings mean 673,000 American children have an ASD. And that’s only the children. As far as I know, there has been no study in the United States about the number of adults with ASD. 



Are those numbers lying?  What is the truth inside those numbers? 

I don't know what the truth is.  I think if anyone tells you that they know what those numbers mean they are probably trying to subtly tell you that they are smarter than anyone else on the planet. There is no real answer to why just ten years ago the prevalence of children with autism was figured to be 1 in 300, and then it jumped to 1 in 150 a couple years ago...and now it is at an amazing 1 in 91. 

Does that mean more children are being affected by something that is causing the numbers to grow?  Maybe...Does that mean that Physicians have more tools to be able to diagnose kids than they had years ago, so that will explain the jump in numbers.?  Perhaps.  Is our ever changing world of radio waves, cell phones, and vaccinations leading to the rise of children with ASD?  No clue.  Are doc's just over-diagnosing children with ASD to just give them some sort of label?  Who knows?  Not this guy.

The only thing I know is....I DON'T GIVE A MONKEY'S  GREASY SWEAT GLAND HOW OR WHY IN THE HELL WE GOT TO 1 IN 91!!!

(please note:  I am unsure if a monkey actually has a sweat gland.  I tried to google it...and I was directed to websites that have burned horrifying images into my brain.  So if you know if they possess sweat glands please make up a website that will be a counter balance to the things I just saw. I think www.monkeysweatglandtruth.org is still available.)

It is my wee opinion that people are going to focus on the "why" or the "how"  we got to 1 in 91 instead of the "what the crap are we gonna do about it?" 

I have some ideas. Let me humbly present them to you:

 
The Official John Roedel What The Crap We Are Going To Do About Autism's Skyrocketing Numbers Thought Of The Day:

Start recognizing that autism ain't no cool medical fad and it is not going away.  The world needs to get itself ready for 1 in 58 self-stimming boys, who don't like loud noises, and have special diets.  There is a generation of autistic children on it's way to our school systems, doctors offices, church pews, and workforce. It is about time for our elected leaders to start to give that some real thought and do something about it.  Yes many of our politicians love to talk about their goals for helping special needs children when they get elected...but when they get to office they spend their time instead on helping a lobby that prints money for them, working on their golf game, running for re-election, or complaining that the other side of the aisle is evil.  Yes every national or local politician loves to talk about how they are going to help children with autism not be discriminated against by insurance companies because it sounds really good in sound bites...but they have done as much to help ASD families as my dog Monty has.  (just so you know my dog has done nothing...he is kind of lazy...and only really interested in sleeping)  Get off yer behind DC!  This problem ain't going to fade away...the bill is coming due and what are you going to do about it? 

Yes, I too am guilty of not doing my share.  I have passed on some opportunities to advocate for children with autism over the past year because I have grown emotionally tired of talking about it.  I have let myself grow complacent in being a voice for parents like me...or children like my little dude.   I have stopped talking about autism because well for me I have had my fill of the subject.  What a super chump I have been.   The truth behind the 1 in 91 or 1 in 58 is that they represent the fact that a lot of work needs to be done.  Those numbers are a wake up call for me.  It means that there are going to be a sea of daddy's like me who will discover under flickering flourecant lights that their little child may never speak or even understand who you are.  It means that there is flood of mother's who carry the heavy heart of the fact that their little angel might live a life of constant struggle.  Regardless of the "how or why" we got to this tipping point the fact remains we are in fact staring at a generation of autistic children who will need the world to be better prepared for them.

So like Paul Revere I shout at the top of my lungs about what is coming. 

Hello Grouchy Preacher/Priest/Minister A Generation of the autistic are coming!  What are you going to in your ministry to prepare for them?  Sorry... just praying is not enough anymore Why not first start by not sighing whenever your sermon is interrupted by a child with a special need.  That would be a good kick off point.  Encourage a more open minded congregation.

Hello Nosy Neighbor did you know that The Autistic are coming?  What are you going to do to help out a single mother raising a child with ASD that lives next door?  Sorry....waving is not enough. Maybe just maybe a small act of kindness will make that families day!  Try it.  Please.

Hello John Roedel, A Generation of Autism is coming!  What the heck are you going to do about it?  Why not open your pie hole every now and then and advocate.  Yes, even when it will cause conflict.  I don't care if you are more sensitive than the lead singer of The Cure.  Writing cute little blogs is just not enough anymore.  By the way...get a hair cut.

Hello World.  Generation A! is on it's way.  I know you only hear about us every April.  It looks like we are going to have be in your grill a bit more. 






This is one of the few times in my life that I will let numbers rule my life.  1, 91, 1, 58 are numbers that cannot lie.  The truth is I need to do more to help the next wave of autism that is coming are way.  I could have used someone to offer some advice years ago...

1 in 91.
1 in 58.

Wow.