My personal mission is to:

• introduce processes that can allow whoever is “autistic” to express their hidden competence;
• enable relationships with school and family that discover competence among the mislabeled and pathways to acceptance and growth;
• be a catalyst to opportunity and accomplishment that the world rewards, regardless of behavioral quirks.

 
My name is John Smyth and my mission and purpose is to FREE THE CAPTIVES – autistic persons and their families who do not now communicate across the barrier of autism.  I remember well the pain and isolation.  Read some of my essays in this blog.  Check out what my parents and others have to say.

Until full communication is established with your child, brother or sister, don’t give up.  Be cured of the interpretation that “autism” = incompetence.  Assume competence and explore alternatives.  You owe it to your loved one.  Most medical experts do not claim the frontal lobe of autistics is damaged.  We just don’t communicate easily.

I’m not about false hope.  Abandonment and hopelessness is worse, though.  I was there for 16 1/2 years, labelled low intelligence and incompetent.  My dad actually became convinced I was retarded.  Many of us “autistics” are fully intelligent and mentally competent even if our “experts” don’t know it.  We can be fun to talk with.  Then let’s work together with doctors to understand why our bodies won’t do what our minds say.  Your autistic loved one would love to help you with  that.