Despite a number of clarifications in The New York Times and on ABC News, NBC News, and CNN that Asperger’s is not a predisposing factor for premeditated violence, the spurious association of Asperger’s with the violence in Newtown, CT is still strong. In part, the media is responsible for not having clarified early on that yes, Adam Lanza shot 27 people and yes, Adam Lanza was apparently autistic, and no, one had nothing to do with the other. Such failures were rife. For example, in exploring a possible explanation for the shooting, Dr. Xavier Amador opined on Piers Morgan Tonight that people with Asperger’s are missing an essential element of humanity: More Here...

The aftermath of the Newtown Connecticut shooting tragedy has spawned a wide range of questions regarding gun control and school safety. One of the questions I find myself asking is why the media is frequently associating Adam Lanza's Asperger's Syndrome diagnosis with the horrific event. I'm not the only one asking that question. 

I was undecided about sending out holiday cards at all this year. 2012 has been a particularly difficult year for me personally and the thought of stuffing a hundred or so envelopes with a picture of our smiling faces seemed a bit like a lie. No way was I going to be able to write a cheery holiday letter to go with it. For me, this year has been filled with bouts of depression and anxiety. I’ve been daunted and overwhelmed by the task of parenting our teenager, our son on the spectrum, and our very feisty, strong-willed Kindergartener. More Here...