Post by Lawrence Gordon on Nov 21, 2011 8:52:48 GMT
As autism becomes the fastest-growing developmental disability in the United States, doctors in a new documentary express concerns that that fathers of these children with special needs are sometimes reluctant to face the issue. NY1's Cheryl Wills filed the second part of this report.
Emotions are raw and tears are flowing during a recent retreat for fathers of autistic children covered in a new documentary called "Autistic Like Me: A Father's Perspective."
The film is trying to help fathers open up and embrace their children with special needs, but it is no easy task.
"I thought I would never laugh again if he would never talk, if he would never become normal again," says Dr. Robert Naseef, a clinical psychologist and the father of an adult son with autism. "He never did talk again."
Naseef specializes in helping parents with autistic children and wrote "Special Children, Challenged Parents." He says he understands the unique challenges that fathers face.
"It's really hard for us as men to talk about things that we cannot fix," says Naseef.
So the documentary tries to be a catalyst for an outreach campaign to get more fathers to engage in their children's medical care.
Dr. Ram Kairam, who runs an autism parents support group at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, says fathers often do not come to the group.
"Most of my monthly meetings are attended by 45 mothers and two fathers, but all my children have fathers. So men, I have noticed, have some degree of difficulty dealing with their child’s behavior," says Kairam.
Autism rates are increasing nationwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism now affects one in every 110 American children and one in 70 boys.
Experts say both parents need to be engaged, not just mothers.
"There is a lot of mystery, stigma and sometimes just plain ignorance in this field," says Kairam. "Autism is not a psychiatric disease, it’s a neurological disease. Many people don’t seem to understand that."
No one exactly knows what causes autism, but researchers are investigating possible genetic and environmental links.
Emotions are raw and tears are flowing during a recent retreat for fathers of autistic children covered in a new documentary called "Autistic Like Me: A Father's Perspective."
The film is trying to help fathers open up and embrace their children with special needs, but it is no easy task.
"I thought I would never laugh again if he would never talk, if he would never become normal again," says Dr. Robert Naseef, a clinical psychologist and the father of an adult son with autism. "He never did talk again."
Naseef specializes in helping parents with autistic children and wrote "Special Children, Challenged Parents." He says he understands the unique challenges that fathers face.
"It's really hard for us as men to talk about things that we cannot fix," says Naseef.
So the documentary tries to be a catalyst for an outreach campaign to get more fathers to engage in their children's medical care.
Dr. Ram Kairam, who runs an autism parents support group at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, says fathers often do not come to the group.
"Most of my monthly meetings are attended by 45 mothers and two fathers, but all my children have fathers. So men, I have noticed, have some degree of difficulty dealing with their child’s behavior," says Kairam.
Autism rates are increasing nationwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism now affects one in every 110 American children and one in 70 boys.
Experts say both parents need to be engaged, not just mothers.
"There is a lot of mystery, stigma and sometimes just plain ignorance in this field," says Kairam. "Autism is not a psychiatric disease, it’s a neurological disease. Many people don’t seem to understand that."
No one exactly knows what causes autism, but researchers are investigating possible genetic and environmental links.