Searching - A spoken Word Poem By Marcia P. Samuels

The cries of these babies represent wars that have occurred, the ones currently raging, and the unfortunate ones that lie ahead. Innocent lives will bear the heaviest burden, their tears leaving a mark, and their cries resonating through the air, never will their tears be silence.

(Jayden's voice change is at will, which he does often when recording)

When Jayden was about eight, he began spending hours diving into the backstories of his favorite cartoons and TV shows. Little did anyone know, he was also memorizing these stories. By the time he turned ten, he started recording them, and this is one of those recordings he made when he was around eleven or twelve. It's about The Powerpuff Girls.

Jayden has a distinct way of illustrating cartoon characters. If you ask him about those oversized eyes, he'll say it's how he sees them. You might even figure out the character on your own.

This Pic taken the day after Jay's b'day. This is the day he was first diagnosed with autism.

Jayden on plane on way to Disney World to celebrate 18th birthday.

TRANSCRIPT: Eighteen-year-old Jayden has never let Autism define him since his diagnosis at just one year old. Diagnosed the day after his first birthday,

Jayden was non-verbal until he reached the age of five and a half. During a visit to a Target store in New York, he unexpectedly exclaimed 'Target' upon entering, and soon after began naming the toys he desired. For the next hour, he recounted episodes from shows like Power Puff Girls, Charlie Brown, Little Einsteins, and his favorite, Dora the Explorer.

Jayden's extensive time spent on his iPad and computer clearly paid off, as he demonstrated his ability to read and speak, mastering technology well beyond his years. This was particularly evident when, at around seven years old, a teacher asked if he had received individual computer training, having discovered he could type 45 words per minute and exhibited impressive skills in using Google and other software, including creating stunning artwork with a paint program. However, these accomplishments do not lessen the challenges Jayden faces due to Autism. Even at eighteen, he remains without friends.

In future episodes, I will delve into Jayden's experiences on the autism spectrum, sharing touching moments such as his wish to take driving lessons and his confusion over why he cannot obtain a driver's license. These limitations starkly highlight that, despite his talents and aspirations, he faces considerable hurdles. I will also present recorded backstories of various shows and conduct live interviews with him, where he will share these narratives and insights about himself to the best of his ability.

One theory currently being discussed by experts about the increase in autism rates in the United States is that older parents are giving birth to these children. However, based on my observations over the past nineteen years, I have reservations about this theory.

I must first acknowledge that older women have been giving birth since the dawn of time.

While caring for my nineteen-year-old grandson taking him to various programs and schools in California and New York, I did not observe a significant number of older mothers dropping off their children.

Recently, I assisted a young mother in taking her child to an ABA program, which has reached its capacity of forty children. Among the forty children enrolled, whether it is the mother or father dropping off or picking up, I have not seen many (if any at all) older parents. Most appear to be in their early twenties to early thirties. This trend is also evident in the speech therapy program he attended in a nearby city, where, similar to the ABA program, older parents are not prominently present.

In the past, when Jayden participated in a program in a predominantly white neighborhood in New York City, he was the only child of color present. I noticed a significantly larger number of older mothers in attendance. This observation raises questions about whether research is being conducted in predominantly white communities.

The previous statement is not intended to convey any racial bias and should not be interpreted as such. I am simply sharing my observations to provide a clearer understanding of why researchers and medical professionals consider older parents as a relevant factor in exploring the increase in autism cases.

The ramifications of war torn cities and towns, where the children suffers on both sides of the war.

Let's Talk About Domestic Violence. It affects everyone, regardless of race, class, or background, and often remains hidden.

Just three months into my marriage, my husband attacked me one night, tying me up with a phone cord. As I struggled to break free, I promised myself that I would never go through that kind of abuse again. The very next day, I filed for divorce and moved on with my life. That night, I found strength in the memory of Mrs. Mulligan, a neighbor from my childhood in London.

I still remember the first time I met her family. A moving truck pulled up to their new house, but the movers left the furniture on the sidewalk because her husband refused to pay to have it carried upstairs. With boxes and bags scattered everywhere, Mrs. Mulligan instructed her six kids to sit on the steps. At thirteen, I felt the urge to help and offered to keep an eye on them, even though no one asked me to. While she was hauling boxes and heavy furniture up three flights of stairs, I kept wondering when Mr. Mulligan would show up to lend a hand, but he didn’t appear until later in the evening. A tall, muscular man finally came up the steps, shooing the kids inside, and then coldly yelled at Mrs. Mulligan, “I hope my dinner is ready.”

In the years that followed, my mom and Mrs. Mulligan became good friends as neighbors (I call them neighbor friends since my mom never saw her again after we moved). Mrs. Mulligan would often drop by for tea, and sometimes they’d even have breakfast together. One conversation I overheard stuck with me. Mrs. Mulligan confided to my mom, "Every morning when he leaves for work, I pray that God will send a truck to run him over. And every day, when I hear his footsteps coming up the stairs, I wish I had the courage to do it myself."

Years later, my mom told me she heard that Mr. Mulligan had passed away. "It took forty years... but she’s finally free now," my mom said. Then she added, "Mine took fifteen. Promise me that if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, you’ll leave the very next day." (Marcia P. Samuels)

ARE AMERICAN EXPERTS MISSING THE MARK ON THE NOTABLE INCREASE IN AUTISM? THEY ARGUE IT'S NOT AN ACTUAL RISE BUT RATHER MORE DIAGNOSES. WHAT ABOUT THE SIMILAR SPIKE IN AUTISM RATES IN OTHER COUNTRIES HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME AS IN THE U.S.?

One theory I’ve heard is that more kids are being diagnosed, but I don’t think that fully explains the situation. From what I’ve seen, it looks like a larger number of children actually being born with autism. This is clear from the long waiting lists for ABA programs, especially for kids aged two to five. If it were just about more diagnoses, we wouldn’t have so many toddlers needing these services.

If the uptick in numbers is linked to more diagnoses, it suggests that identifying older children is a key reason for this increase. If that's the case, we should make this clear, especially since the rise has been ongoing globally for over twenty-five years, similar to trends in America, indicating that other countries are also working to improve their diagnostic processes. Moreover, in the U.S., we need to look into why so many kids between the ages of two and five are on waiting lists for ABA programs, considering theories, that the rise is not based on recent and new births.