No Help For Autistic Children In Baghdad

Alli Abdul Suffers From Autism, But Can't Get Treatment In War-Torn Region

(CBS)  The ongoing instability in Iraq is taking a toll on the well-being of the very young. And, as CBS News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Lara Logan reports, parents who need special services for their children often have trouble finding it.

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Alli looks like any other toddler and until he was 18-months-old his single mom, Rahna Abdul, had no reason to think otherwise.

"Now, it seems as if he is in another world," Abdul said. "He is not with us.

That other world, Rahna believes, is autism. For the past year she's watched her son stop developing, stop talking and now at two-and-a-half he cannot do anything for himself. This once affectionate little boy shuns physical contact and prefers to be left for hours on his own.

"The hardest thing's that there isn't any connection between me and my child," Abdul said. "When I told him to talk to me, he doesn't have any response."

"I see him grow up in front of my eyes," she said. "But there isn't any progress in his mind."

The problem for autistic children in Iraq, Logan reports, is that almost nothing is known about this condition. Incredibly, the only doctor who did treat it, who founded a medical center in the name of his own autistic son, has fled the country. He left behind some social workers who try their best to help, but even they haven't been paid in four months. Rahna had to stop taking Alli there because the center is located in one of the most dangerous parts of Baghdad. And without the doctor it wasn't helping.

"I need a professional," Abdul said. "In order to recognize his state and in order to learn me how to practice with him."

Rahna knows there's no cure, but she and others believe there are many more autistic children in Iraq, who like Alli will never even have the chance to get treatment and she worries about his future.

"Who will take care of him if I die for example," Abdul wonders. "Maybe I go in the street out there and a bomb in my way, and I'll die. Especially in these situations, so who would take care of him? In his situation who would take care of him?"

[cbsfan73]

Well, with a 97 billion dollar surplus, it seems the problem should be easy to address.

[edadvocate]

I''m sorry but autism services are not abundant in the US. Missouri has a 3 year wait list for autism services with our local Regional Center. My son has autism and the only services he receives are the ones that I can afford to pay for. The public school and the government does nothing for him, whatsoever. We have a family of five and my husband works 3 jobs. I can''t work because my son requires constant care.

Let''s fix our problems here before we got looking to help another country. My ancestors serve in the Revolutionary War but I bet illegal immigrants get services before my son does.

[cbsfan73]

edadvocate wrote:
"I can''''t work because my son requires constant care."

Maybe someday we will have genetic counseling that will predict this so that we can know when not to breed.

[cbsfan73]

edadvocate lamented:
"I''''m sorry but autism services are not abundant in the US. Missouri has a 3 year wait list for autism services with our local Regional Center. My son has autism and the only services he receives are the ones that I can afford to pay for."

You will get no sympathy/help from the current administration.

The prisons are full of people with mental issues that were never addressed.

[sandy19731]

Well, with a 97 billion dollar surplus, it seems the problem should be easy to address.
Posted by cbsfan73 at 08:28 PM : Aug 10, 2008

Good Point!

[cbsfan73]

The article stated:
"Incredibly, the only doctor who did treat it, who founded a medical center in the name of his own autistic son, has fled the country."

Yes, and I am pretty sure you got political asylum in the USA. Now he''s a rich doctor with 7 tax free years to look forward to while his own people suffer.

[nothappyatall]

Who gives a krap?? we dn''t have enough of our OWN people who need help??? Those kids over there are tomorrow''s suicide bombers and terrorists, may as well kill em young when we can pick em off easy.

[barbaraf4]

I can''t see how autistic children in Iraq are the US taxpayers'' responsibility. We hardly take care of our own autistic children here in the US.

[anniepema]

Older fathers lead to autism in many non-familial cases. DU and other toxins of war might also be responsible. Autism can be prevented in some cases if men fathered babies in their 20s to very early 30s and at this point had no other children. http://www.schizophreniaforum.org/for/curr/Malaspina/default.asp

[beboldin09]

Boy, the fact that the surge has been so successful in Iraq and that America is winning the war on Islamic jihad in the Middle East must really be driving these liberal media outlets bezerk. Digging for a story from Iraq about autism is a prime example of this.

How incredibly pathetic CBS. Why don''t you ever report anything about the hundreds of wonderful things our troops have done for these innocent Iraqi children and their families over there??

Wait a minute...I forgot...it''s because you''re a bunch of defeatest agenda libs.

Again, PATHETIC.

[excelsior9]

I agree, who cares? Because the rich US is there we shouyld cure all problems and illnesses? Under Saddam autistic kids would probably be executed or put in a home to rot. All these western do gooders have thier own agenda and expect us all to sign off on it. What about kids here?

[beboldin09]

Who gives a krap?? we dn''''t have enough of our OWN people who need help??? Those kids over there are tomorrow''''s suicide bombers and terrorists, may as well kill em young when we can pick em off easy.


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Posted by newster1 at 10:13 PM : Aug 10, 2008

Are you saying all Iraqis are suicide bombers and terrorists?

What an idiot you are! And a low-life for saying "who gives a ***!"

Children should be cared for all over the world. And America has shown more care and love for children all over the globe than any other country that''s ever existed.

Your just pure evil dude...that''s all there is to it.

[cbsfan73]

To treasleefs:

***...

[cbsfan73]

treasleefs babbled on and on:
"traveling eternitys at the speed of thought,"

A snail can think faster than you...

[jedwards808]

Nowhere in the article does it say that these children are the U.S.''s problem or responsibility. The article just points out one of the plethora of problems Iraqi families are facing as a result of the war. I feel bad for these families and do believe, however, that since our "plan" is to help them rebuild the country, families will have to be one of our first priorities.

Also, if you''re going to post in these boards, please make your comments relevant. Posting a series of quotes that nobody will read in three consecutive posts just makes you look like a crazy person.

[nothappyatall]

"Boy, the fact that the surge has been so successful in Iraq and that America is winning the war on Islamic jihad in the Middle East"

LOL you think so eh? this problem is not going away even if you think it has or will, Bush''s tirade has made another attack for REVENGE more likely, Americans are now TARGETS abroad too.

"How incredibly pathetic CBS. Why don''''t you ever report anything about the hundreds of wonderful things our troops have done for these innocent Iraqi children and their families over there??"

Wonderful things? like blasting them with bombs and bullets, killing their families? using depleted uranium, destroying their lives and everything else with an illegal occupation, oh yeah we did SOOOOOO much for the chilrun over there!

[nothappyatall]

Who gives a krap?? we dont have enough of our OWN people who need help??? Those kids over there are tomorrow''s suicide bombers and terrorists, may as well kill em young when we can pick em off easy. AFter what we did to them over there, EVERY ONE of them will be tomorrow''s problem in their quest for revenge. Every person held in Guantanimo for years w/o a charge, trial or lawyer is now a sworn ENEMY of the US along with all of their families who by now HATE our guts as a result.
EVeryone of those kids whose family members were killed by *US* is now our worst enemy.

[downtowner97]

Newster1 - Terrorists don''t hate me. They hate you. I''d like to send you to Iraq for some one on one with the Iraqi kids you want to murder.

[rockpeterson]

Have some mercy, people. How is an autistic child in Iraq a terrorist? These children need everyone''s help. There should be more love in the world than this.

[juwboy]

Why do they want 72 VIRGINS, anyway?

Surely, 72 voluptuous, experienced women would give you a far better time.

[katahdingirl]

I think that the u.s. should start to support our children with autism before any other countries. CBS, it''s important to put the story out there , but northern maine has zero support for the high rise in children with autism, so , please stay focused on our children, they need services and support desperately. why so hard to take care of our own,first???????????

[katahdingirl]

no help for autistic children in usa , either!!!!!
jeez, so frustrating !!

[edadvocate]

CBSFan73 stated:
"You will get no sympathy/help from the current administration.

The prisons are full of people with mental issues that were never addressed."

I just got to love the ignorance of the public. For our information, CBSFan73, autism is a NEUROLOGICAL disorder, not a mental disorder.

[edadvocate]

CBSFan73 wrote:
"Maybe someday we will have genetic counseling that will predict this so that we can know when not to breed."

Not genetic, moron. We had genetic testing done as this is our third child. First two are typical children with no issues. No family history of autism and no autistic markers in our DNA. For the uneducated like you, that is called regressive autism and you can thank the multitude of vaccinations that children receive today for that.

You really need to get out more.

[cbsfan73]

onlythereal stated:
"Any American that constantly demonizes their own leaders and government needs to leave..."

Apparently you don''t support one''s Constitutional right of free speech. Since you seem to be against protecting the Constitution, maybe you are the one that should leave?

Free speech can''t demonize (not a real word) a leader. And if Citizens are demoralized, it is truly are a direct reflection of their leaders.

[cbsfan73]

edadvocate wrote:
"Not genetic, moron. We had genetic testing done as this is our third child. First two are typical children with no issues. No family history of autism and no autistic markers in our DNA. For the uneducated like you, that is called regressive autism and you can thank the multitude of vaccinations that children receive today for that."

There are now indicators that at least fifty plus genes are linked to Autism.
Like I said: maybe someday, when science unravels and maps DNA, we can indeed predict this.

Oh, and vaccinations are far more valuable than they are harmful.

P.S. You are a Moron for having three kids. Why didn''t you simply adopt if you wanted more? You probably don''t qualify since your husband works so many jobs.

[cbsfan73]

edadvocate said:
"I just got to love the ignorance of the public. For our information, CBSFan73, autism is a NEUROLOGICAL disorder, not a mental disorder."

One could say the same of depression too.

See if this definition of mental sounds about right:

1 a: of or relating to the mind; specifically : of or relating to the total emotional and intellectual response of an individual to external reality mental health b: of or relating to intellectual as contrasted with emotional activity c: of, relating to, or being intellectual as contrasted with overt physical activity d: occurring or experienced in the mind

[cbsfan73]

edadvocate wrote:
"I just got to love the ignorance of the public. For our information, CBSFan73, autism is a NEUROLOGICAL disorder, not a mental disorder."

Does this mean that if an autistic person commits a crime that they are mentally competent to stand trail?

[chapnalli]

I am quite shocked and horrified at some of the comments. Have we come such a selfish society we cannot have compassion for a woman in this situation?? I''ve seen very few if any compassionate responses. As a mother who also watched her child regress into autism I can relate to her feelings of fear of dying and who will take care of her son if she dies, the pain of not being able to have a conversation with him or get through to him. But I can''t possibly fathom how difficult it would be to have my son in such a dangerous war ridden country without any hope of help or guidance. This is a devistating story but it needs to be told obviously due to the ignorance and krass responses I''ve seen on here. Really sad.

And just for the record. Autism is a neurobiological disorder affecting the entire body and brain. Most often in the regressive form caused by toxic insult. It is treatable but only if you have access to information, treatment and testing. The fact that she has no access even to treatment or even educational tools is a travesty.

[cbsfan73]

chapnalli wrote:
"I am quite shocked and horrified at some of the comments. Have we come such a selfish society we cannot have compassion for a woman in this situation?? I''''ve seen very few if any compassionate responses."

We are a direct reflection of our conditioning. When our leaders no longer care for us, we no longer care for others.

[cbsfan73]

"But I can''''t possibly fathom how difficult it would be to have my son in such a dangerous war ridden country without any hope of help or guidance."

So far, we have spent about 600 billion dollars on "guidance". The American people have sucked it up and did without to pay for this engagement. If there is any lack of compassion, it is not with Americans but rather their great leaders.

[cbsfan73]

edadvocate suggested:
"You really need to get out more."

If you promise to breed less, I promise to get out more.

[edadvocate]

CBSfan72 wrote:
"If you promise to breed less, I promise to get out more."

I won''t be having any more children as I could never chance this happening to another child. It is torture to watch this person suffering everyday. I work 60 hours a week on doing research, investigating programs, fighting the school district to provide services, finding doctors who don''t treat my child like he is a leper. Yes, they still tell people to put your child in an institution when it is not necessary if they receive the proper early intervention. Parents can''t possibly help multiple autistic children simultaneously and give each child their best effort.

[edadvocate]

MyOpinion1 wrote:
"Oh and I''''m sure his autism "appeared" after his MMR....right? RIGHT? No one does much for autistic kids in this country either. Welcome to the real world."

Actually, my son has a neurological speech condition called apraxia. It impacts speech so he has to learn how to speak because it affects motor planning/control. He has been to the Mayo Clinic for it. He was only diagnosed with autism after the school put him in the autistic classroom for 9 months just because he couldn''t speak at the rate they wanted him to. He had 5 words when he hit the school''s preschool at age 3. He had been tested for autism before going to school and tested in the non-autistic range. Now he is autistic after spending one school year in the autistic classroom. Coincidence?

[cbsfan73]

To edadvocate:

I, like most every American, more than welcome you to use my tax dollars for assistance.

If you want to know the lack of of compassion comes from, you need look no further than Washington D.C.

[edadvocate]

CBSfan73 wrote:
"I, like most every American, more than welcome you to use my tax dollars for assistance.

If you want to know the lack of of compassion comes from, you need look no further than Washington D.C."

I cannot get any government assistance as we make too much money. We pay $1,275 cash for therapies per month. My home mortgage isn''t that high. That is only for 8 hours/week of therapy. My son needs at least 25 hrs/week. My husband''s 2nd and 3rd jobs pay only for therapy. We don''t have new cars or new clothes. I was lucky I could buy my older boys (15 yo and 12 yo) new shoes for school at $10 each.

I am well aware that our "representatives" are part of the problem. I tried to appeal to mine and he is only interested if the media is watching. Once the cameras were turned off, he dropped me like a hot rock.

[cjohara88]

It''s terrible to be a single parent with an autistic child; even worse to be a single parent with two autistic children whose father has run off to pursue his pleasures. Certainly to be a single parent with an autistic child living in a war zonoe is even worse. I can say categorically that finding help is nearly impossible no matter where you are. By conincidence I have spent the afternoon leaving pathetic voice mail messages at various doctor''s offices and hospitals begging for help for one of my sons. But, if the fathers of these children won''t help, who will? Perhaps Lara Logan and her producers could do a story examining the impact of abandonment on autistic children.

[edadvocate]

Cjohara88 wrote:
"Perhaps Lara Logan and her producers could do a story examining the impact of abandonment on autistic children."

I don''t know about the abandonment rate but the divorce rate for families with autistic children is around 90% so I''m sure that the abandonment rate is up there, too.