Death Toll of Autism

When most people think of autism they don't think of it as being a terminal disease. That's because it's not. Autism is a pervasive, life-long condition that effects a person's ability to communicate, verbally and non-verbally, and understand unspoken social cues, routines, and norms. Which is why we usually don't associate autism spectrum disorders (ASD) with death or loss of life.

Yet, lives are still lost to autism.

No, I don't mean a person's life is over if they have autism. Quite the contrary. People with autism are leading happier, more fulfilling lives than they were 30 years ago. Breakthroughs in treatment, both medical and therapeutic, have led to more and more people with autism better overcoming the traits that disabled them the most. Also, the 1994 addition of Asperger's Syndrome to the autism spectrum has opened up an entire sub-community of verbal autistics that can, and have, shed light on the realities of autism. This alone has radically changed our understanding of the condition.

But, with all of these changes, these breakthroughs and understandings, we must also remember, and yes, understand, that there are dangers associated with autism. Dangers that can, sometimes, have lethal results.

These dangers come in a myriad of forms, and from all different directions. Depression, anxiety, naivety, ignorance, and desperation can all lead to incidences of extreme danger, even death.

Children with autism, and adults who are more severely effected by autism, have comprehension problems in regards to the world around them. They very often will not have a sense of danger, or perhaps too much.

Those who are effected by lack of a sense of danger may do things that will endanger their lives, like hop on stairs, lean out windows and over railings, or put potentially poisonous objects in their mouths. They may pay attention to complete strangers and be lured away by them, run into traffic on a busy street, or play with dangerous objects like broken glass.

Those with autism who are effected too much by a sense of danger may find themselves crippled and unable to respond appropriately when the situation calls for it. These individuals may not respond to offers of help when their lives are in danger. Like if their house is on fire and a fireman calls out to them to try and find them to bring them to safety, or if a bully is threatening them with physical danger and a passer-by senses this and asks if they need help. Likewise, if lost in store or a crowd they may not seek assistance.

Children with autism, and the more severely effected, can also be prone to wandering away, or straight out trying to get away. They may not understand the dangers in doing so and see it only as an adventure. When combined with the problems above they may find themselves in extremely dangerous, even deadly situations. On July 29, 2010 a 5-year-old boy with autism, Mason Madlem, wandered away from his home near Colwich, Kansas and fell into a pond a quarter of a mile from his house. Mason did not survive.

There are other potentially deadly dangers associated with autism as well. Ignorance of the condition in others can sometimes lead to disaster.

Because autism isn't always apparent in someone simply by looking at them, an unknowing person may inadvertently cause harm to an individual with autism. There have been repeated cases throughout the country where police have accidentally shot or physically restrained an autistic person who was mistaken for being dangerous because the person with autism did not respond correctly to commands to stop, to move, or to answer a question. On March 20, 2010 Steven Washington, a 27-year-old man with autism, was mistaken for being a violent gang member when he failed to speak in response to a question and then reached into his waistband. He was shot in the head and did not survive.

Mistaken identity and intentions are bad enough, but there are still more dangers to the person with autism that involve other people.

The most saddening, and probably most horrific, is that on very great occasion a child or more severely effected teenager or adult may fall victim to their own parent's depression. Usually, other problems are at work, serving to complicate the situation, such as a parent who suffers from chronic depression, alcoholism, or drug addiction. In these cases there are usually outward signs that there may be a problem. A parent or caregiver that shows signs of suicidal intentions are more likely to kill an autistic dependent before taking their own life than they would be to kill a normal dependent. Likewise, a caregiver with a drug or alcohol problem is more likely to become violent with an autistic dependent while under the influence or suffering from withdrawl.

This is not always the case, however. Though it is extremely rare, it has happened that an otherwise healthy parent has killed their child with autism after suffering for years under the extreme stress of having to care for a more severely affected individual with autism. Such appears to have been the case with Micaela Jackson, who, police ruled, shot her 12-year-old autistic son, Kenneth Holmes, before turning the gun on herself on July 28, 2010.

The stresses involved with autism, both for the caregiver and the person with autism, can be very high, but there are ways of dealing with it. Unfortunately, not everyone is aware of the ways in which they can deal with that stress.

Ways we can all help:

Be supportive of the person autism without expecting reciprocation. A person with autism doesn't always know how to reciprocate kindness, especially passive forms of kindness like simple support, which they may not even notice. But firm support and an understanding environment will help them feel more accepted and at ease, which will reduce chances of depression and anxiety for them, and reduce stress for their caregiver.

Be supportive of the parent or caregiver of a person with autism. Again, do not expect reciprocation. A man once said that caring for one child with autism was like caring for triplets that never slept at the same time. The caregiver rarely gets a break and their mental, emotional, and physical energy is usually spent entirely on their child, with none left over for anyone else.

Offer to help out in the home of a family or individual effected by autism. If you don't feel comfortable babysitting offer to cook dinner, help with the laundry, mop, or clean. Perhaps a normal sibling needs help with homework or a regular ride to or from an extra curricular activity?

If you do feel comfortable babysitting offer to watch the child(ren) so Mom and Dad can get some respite.

Offer to help with improvement projects that can help make the home environment safer for the person with autism.

Do not judge or criticize. What may seem like an easy enough situation to control to you may not be in reality.

Familiarize yourself with the needs of the person with autism so that you can better understand them and the pressures put on the caregiver.

If you are a neighbor help keep an eye on the person with autism when they are out of the house. Say hello to them when they pass by and make sure they understand that they can come to you if there is trouble. Keep their phone number on hand in case you need to call their parent or caregiver.

If you are a person on the autism spectrum or a parent or caregiver of a person on the spectrum and you are feeling sad, anxious, lonely, or angry seek support.

For more information on how to seek or offer help visit the following websites, or call your local Social Services:

AWAARE - http://www.awaare.org

Safe & Sound (autism Society of America) - http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=research_safeandsound

Autism Safety Project (Autism Speaks) - http://www.autismsafetyproject.org

Depression Statistics Dot ORG - http://www.depressionstatistics.org

For more information on autism related deaths click here.

Related articles by this author:

How To Talk To People With Autism