Teen earns kudos dispelling myths about autism

Post Reply New Topic

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/s ... rship.html

Teen earns kudos dispelling myths about autism

Last Updated: Thursday, October 1, 2009 | 10:07 PM CT Comments4Recommend14.
CBC News

Lewis Schofield, 14, uses blogs and other internet networks to dispel myths about autism.

A 14-year-old Regina native, now living in Ontario, is earning recognition for his efforts in dispelling myths about autism, a general term for neurological disorders that can impair development.

Lewis Schofield is a Grade 9 student in Peterborough, where Trent University is honouring him with a Community Leader Award for Youth.

Schofield is often online, using blogs, artwork, videos and podcasts, providing information about his health issues including Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism. He also participates in a Family Autism Forum on Yahoo.

"I was just doing what I always do," Schofield said in an interview with CBC News. "I always do my best. It's just how I was raised."

"He was very surprised and very shocked that he had been nominated, never mind had actually won this honour," Elyse Bruce, Schofield's mother, told CBC news.

She said her son's interest in technology led to him sharing his experiences, helping to educate people about the realities of autism.

"I just want them to know the facts instead of all this gibberish," Schofield added.

In addition to living with Asperger's Syndrome, Schofield was recently diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, a life threatening neuromuscular disorder, for which there is no cure. MG, as it is known, is a rare and complex form of muscular dystrophy.

"I want to give other people hope through knowledge," Schofield said about his efforts to educate people.

Schofield will be honoured by Trent at a ceremony on campus on Oct. 26.

That's cool. I wish I was even a little bit good at using computers or I would do this sort of thing too! It's sad that he's got MG though, it's a horrible condition.

Anyone offering him a book deal yet?

Nope, that isn't the Canadian thing to do.

congratulations to him.

Okay, I checked his website, and it looks interesting from a 14-year-old perspective, but tbh I wasn't so impressed that I would be giving him an award. HIs info isn't totally accurate, and if what he writes on his website, is wha the also write son the Yahoo group, if I were an antivax mom, I'd laugh at him.

It's more than just his website though. he has done two podcasts for MIC on autism. He also made up a video called "Tell Me What Time It Is" about the IVIG treatment. Sick Kids in Toronto uses the video to instruct MG patients about the IVIG process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZXz3HaCRAA

MG foundations in Canada and the US use the video for this purpose also.

He also does tourism videos. See this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOKk8Y7j69s

He does speaking engagements and goes to autism conventions where he sells his artwork too.

An anti vax mom would laugh at you too. Preaching to the converted (of any side) is one of the least effective ways you can campaign. The guy has got exposure so he is doing well without question.

What information isn't 'totally' accurate? There are links to back up his claims about real people who have AS so that's accurate. The rest of the website is personal and you can't be wrong about your own information.

I happen to know the family and this kid has been an advocate for kids with Autism since he was 5 years old. Now he's a teenager who advocates for kids and youth with Autism.

He has a life threatening illness on top of that where he nearly died 3 times in the past 12 months alone.

And yet, he still finds time to write on his blogs (he has 2), to make videos about technology, to make videos about Autism and MG, to make videos about treatments for MG, to belong to a couple of listservs (one for MG and one for Asperger Syndrome), to be part of the admin for an online Yahoo! group for parents raising kids on the spectrum, to make presentations, to attend Autism conferences as a presenter and/or as a visual artist and more.

He was interviewed by Donna Williams 3 years ago and he's a regular contributor at Irked Magazine (the only minor who is a regular contributor to this online ezine that has earned worldwide accolades).

And in spite of all this success, the kid is modest and likeable which is uncommon these days whether we're talking successful adults or successful kids.

It seems to me, ChangelingGirl, that at 23 you're just a tad jealous of what this ambitious kid that's 9 years younger than you has accomplished in the past few years. Instead of being a hater, maybe you should try making the world a better place for Autistics in your corner of the world.

He's been published in Vietnamese now.

http://www.tuoitre.com.vn/Tianyon/Index ... nnelID=573

Oh goodness. I hate when this sort of argument is used, as if everyone who doesn't agree is automatically jealous and/or a "hater". It's such a cop out.

What info isn't totally accurate? The 2007 study he talks about did find a contributing gene but did not rule out possible environmental causes, as he stated. That's just looking at one page, and I don't feel the urge to go through the whole site. (I'm such a hater, I know.) There's a couple of subjective things I disagree about, but that's purely opinion and so doesn't matter.

That being said, I do say good for him. Clearly he's got a lot on his plate, and he's still trying to get his message out.

He's updated his website (ChangelingGirl ought to be happy ... there's probably lots there now for her to nitpick about).

He's got two lists with sources quoted that tell you which famous people have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (including Bill Gates and YES, he has a source for that claim) and which famous people have Myasthenia Gravis.