Gage Speaks: How an iPad and Innovative Thinking Gave Voice to an Autistic Child

[TkaurB]

the first part of this vid describing gage, made me cry a river. it was like she was describing my daughter. this is the first time i have felt someone knows how im feeling, what im going through. cant thank you enough x

[trtlbot]

This is awesome! My small start-up company just created an iPad case that would be great for autistic kids. It has a home button cover, keeping them locked in the educational app they are in. It is also durable and BPA free. Take a look at trtlbot.com

[ericswifey27]

My son has autism too. Thank you for sharing Gage's story and starting a foundation to help children with autism.

[spedshift]

... this was a beginning process of learning the best foods to help the body nutricoach search on superfoods that heal

[injinivideo]

Excellent video. Thank you.

[CandisPixMoments]

That was such an inspiration to watch. Thank You!

[refresh967]

love the video

[neonpeach0420]

no one helped me

[refresh967]

@neonpeach0420 its ok

[lampyxd]

autism is more of a spectrum this boy is on the brighter side of the spectrum. My borther has autism and he just started talking and using the restroom by himself.

[YoungRepublican1997]

@RetardsEvolution, shut up. Heartless idiot.

[RetardsEvolution]

fuck that retard

[refresh967]

@RetardsEvolution go to hell, man you are not human.

[RetardsEvolution]

@refresh967 retards arent human. they cost too much to keep alive

[refresh967]

@RetardsEvolution what are you smoking, tell me cuz i want some too.

[turboTsdad1]

@RetardsEvolution when you say the word RETARD look within yourself!! the truth is that most people diagnosed " AUTISTIC" have a higher level of thought than the average or so called normal person.. as a person with autism I might be a bit odd in your opinion, But at least I am trying to help others understand how people like us think and function as folks like you try to figure -out your ass from a hole in the ground..

[CPSSucks]

Please support Derek Hoare, who has his austistic daughter stolen by the BC, Canada government, in order to "lighten his load."

[Italovesims3]

This is wonderful. I am a parent of an 11yr old Autistic boy and 19 yr old girl with Down Syndrome they are the apple of my eyes and I've learned so much by them both. I love to hear the parents stories of their achievements with their child and what that child has been able to accomplish. May God continue to fill them with wisdom and they could pass it on to others. Thank you for sharing.

[Bailiwick007]

Definitively encouraging. 

[hoytchristmas]

What I do not understand is why back in the 50s and 60s when I grew up we never had Autism or ADHD. When kids wouldn't pay attention, refused to talk, threw a fit or ignored commands all it took was a spanking and, lo and behold, things were OK. At some point it became "evil" to spank children and that's when Autism and ADHD took off. - I don't believe drugs can cure everything but if Autism and ADHD can be helped with drugs, great. If not you can do like Gage's folk or try a spanking!

[Italovesims3]

@hoytchristmas Trust me I tried it all and I I got was my child shutting down for ours. I too said things like you just said here. I let dr's give my child 'drugs' and thing only got worse. I found that the natural approach is better. Autism is a true disability I've lived with it for 11yrs. The cause of it IS drugs. Mostly the shots we give our kids when they are born. The Mercury preservatives that is in all the vaccines is the main culprit.

[BookRose86]

@hoytchristmas Finally, another person who understands exactly whats going on and whats being done to our children.

[randallnewton]

@hoytchristmas In our day (back in the 50s and 60s) kids like this were institutionalized. We never saw them.

[theresahangeletti]

what a wonderful and encouraging video and family... this is also why I try never to read comments... come on people... didn't you learn in school if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all?

[EasyLunchboxes]

I'm so humbled by your amazing family and so, so pleased that my EasyLunchboxes can make Gage's day just a little easier. With your hands so full with your own family, the fact that you are also reaching out to help others via the Gage Rufus Foundation is truly inspiring. Beautiful child. Beautiful family. - KL

[richardkentrbk]

P.s. The PJTV lady is gorgeous!!!



[quater2002]

I thought this was pretty cool. Thanks for sharing!

[ZombieX13]

Gage's dad looks and sounds a lot like Christian Bale.

[lrrp25]

I am stunned that a grand total of $130 has been contributed by three people. This has been up for five days with a total of 908 views. I would have thought that by now this would have been viral.

[rcarlomagnus]

Sound like the beginning of an Albert Einstein. Hidden Genius.

[johannas58]

encouraging!

[thomaserossi]

My friend's son is 6 and didn't start talking until recently. His dad bought a new Desktop PC and when it arrived he put it together, tested the internet connection, then powered it off. When he came back his son was watching his favorite shows on YouTube. He called for his wife and she wasn't around. So he turned off the PC and unplugged it. He son plugged all of the wires in, turned it on, opened the browser, found his shows and started watching.

[SuperCooper244]

If you read here:the pajamas media blog you will find that they were awarded the ipad by participating in an online program. My sister-in-law got her ipad through ebates and I am sure other companies have programs, too. The ironic thing about this man's nasty comments is that The Gage Rufus Foundation or another charity like it may one day provide ipads for his 2 autistic children and enable them to communicate with him.

[terrythetoetapper]

@SuperCooper244 I can only imagine what they would want to say to him after years of not having a voice.

[terrythetoetapper]

What an inspiring video and an amazing family. I guess I missed the part where they were feeling sorry for themselves -- even watched the video again and still can't see anything but genuine concern for their child and other autism families. I am a special ed. teacher and I always am so thrilled when I see parents get involved like this -- the children ALWAYS do better with involved parents. It is the parents who do nothing that end up having children who are reliant on the state for care.

[kallen1105]

And, Your not doing your child any justice by not being proactive and being his best advocate. Your child would b elated to express himself to you...and I'm sure you would love to hear him speak. Stop judging other parents and start using that aggressive energy to look at what YOU can do to help your special, awesome child.

[kallen1105]

They never said this was "horrible", and they didn't focus on the negative, but rather the solution! I know them personally and I know for a fact that we consider our beautiful children a blessing and love and appreciate them. We are always searching for what will help them progress and doesn't mean that we want them to change who they are or can't accept them. It means we want what's best for them and want them to succeed in life! Who are you to judge?

[jennmtm]

First of all I have to say...KUDDOS to Gordon and Gayle for all the love and support they are providing Gage! You are both wonderful, intellegent people who would do anything for any one of your children. I think it's wonderful that you put in the effort that it takes to ensure that Gage is a happy, healthy, productive member of society. It is evident that circutracer150 can't understand this....with in earning capacity of $695 dollars a month...you are wasting your key strokes!

[dbobke]

I am blown away by the negative comments here...these parents are trying everything they can to help their child. Not only that, they have established a foundation to help other families. In addition, the interesting use of technology to help him and other kids is very cool. They are not asking for the government to step in (at least not in this video) - they are appealing to us a human beings if we would like to help. I think they have a VERY worthy cause.

[kelijm]

Whoa, you are showing your complete lack of intelligence by interjecting profanity into an adult conversations. The reason that I initially commented on your post is per YOUR quote: "I am requesting for YouTube to IMMEDIATELY remove this video for Offensive and Misleading Content." You completely missed the reason for my response (which does not surprise me) which is that just because THEIR opinion does not match yours (ie - you hate it), you may NOT request that it be removed. End of story.

[greymattersblog]

This is an inspiring story. From what I can see on the video, Gage does seem to be very bright indeed. I also think it's an interesting look about how new technology can open new possibilities.

Note to Ms. Milloy: youtube.com / watch?v=fmUf9FDUOTk

[donnasworld01]

How could anyone pass judgement on Gail and Gordon?! SHAME ON YOU!!

[kelijm]

Circutracer, I would like to request that your comment be removed. It offends me. Whether or not you have a child with autism, you have NO right to judge other's experiences with an autistic child nor their decision to share it with others. I have known Gail since grade school and know her to be a very intelligent, caring and involved in her children's lives. Gail and Gordon love their son no matter what - how dare you suggest otherwise? If you don't agree, just don't watch their video.

[circutracer150]

@kelijm I do have a right. I'm an American citizen, excersizing my freeodm of opinion just as you are. Go fuck yourself. Do not spread slander about me, just because your Liberal views allow you to hate anothers opinion because it disagrees with yours.

[dragknuckle]

As an Asperger's person, I can say that a lot of the problem is that we don't understand WHY people want us to do things.

Social interaction is based on unwritten rules with no obvious purpose. It actually takes a lot of analysis to understand why people say and do certain things.

Take small talk. To an AS person, it is just pointless noise, because we don't understand all of the nonverbal communication that goes with it. You can't start a conversation with you thoughts about Israel or Reagan.

[Winky395]

Tracer, I think this is an effort to let people know about

alternative means of assisting these children.

[circutracer150]

Wow, what TERRIBLE parents! I have an Autistic 4 year old son, and NONE of these thoughts have ever crossed my mind. Logan doesn't talk yet either.

I'm his father, and I love him no matter what he does or doesn't do.

SHAME on you PJTV, for making this video and making it seem like Autism is a life stopping disease or something to be ashamed of or be distraught over.

I am requesting for YouTube to IMMEDIATELY remove this video for Offensive and Misleading Content.

[superlucci]

@circutracer150 You have totally missed the point of this video

[circutracer150]

@superlucci Oh? And what might that have been then?

[bavly6]

@circutracer150 hey man i really can't say anything to you because u have actually gone through it, but i wouldn't label your experience as the absolute uniform feeling of everyone. They didn't make it seem like a crisis, but it is defiantly hard on the parents because it is a disease and any disease, no matter what it is, is always hard for the parents to see their child with. The video is simply showing how a child learned to speak, and they never make it seem like autism is shameful.

[circutracer150]

@bavly6 As I was raised, you do get the luxury of suffering as a parent, or an adult. You pick your ass up, and do the hard things yourself. Because they have to be done, and because no one will do them for you.

All I heard in this video was "Help us poor parents!"

I raise 3 kids, TWO of them Autistic, on 695 dollars a month. I don't have money for a damned iPad, let alone treatment beyond what I can provide them, and I NEVER complain. I do for them, without question or sorrow, ALWAYS.

[thomaserossi]

@circutracer150 - Lose the bitterness and anger. It's not going to garner and sympathy for your family. More to the point, this is the internet; your behavior is all we have to go on. And what we have to go on is you're a jerk.

[TracyII77]

@circutracer150 Autism is no different than vision impairment. My eyes grew naturally to a different shape than the average person. This does not make me any more or less valuable as a person nor any less loved by my friends and family. And just like autism, there is a whole spectrum of those whose eyes are barely impaired to those who are completely blind. So why is it not offensive that people are provided glasses to wear or braille books to read?

[circutracer150]

@TracyII77 That was the single most inept comparisson I have ever read. Wow.

[SuperCooper244]

@TracyII77 I think this is a great analogy. Of course I believe that autism is much to do with the way the wiring in the brain develops so it meshes. If someone believed that autism was caused by something else (a witches curse? wee fairies? etc.) they might disagree.



[mcap52]

@circutracer150 I am curious, alot of people say that vaccines are the leading cause of autism. Do you know if there is a possibility that a vaccine caused your child's autism?

[circutracer150]

@mcap52 Vaccines that children receive do not affect the part of the brain suspected to cause Autism as far as I know, though I am not a doctor, so I don't believe even a LITTLE bit that life saving vaccines are linked to Autism.

Besides, even if they were, it would literally be impossible to link them.

Autism seems to be primarily a genetic trait or defect, passed on and easily skipping generations.

[yvonnehouy]

@circutracer150 Gail and Gordon are amazing parents. They are truly loving and caring about their three children, thinking about each child's individual needs. Because I know them and how they interact with their children, it's impossible for me to see this video as anything but a kind of love letter to their son Gage. They have been an inspiration to me. Gage is an amazing sweet little guy. He's lucky because he never would have gotten this far without these parents.

[circutracer150]

@yvonnehouy No, the whole time I watched this video, all I heard was how hard it is for THEM. I have 3 children, and TWO of them Autistic. My family lives on EXACTLY 695 dollars a MONTH. When I found out that my babies were Autistic, did I fall to pieces? NO. I didn't care that they had needs, special or otherwise. I man up, and do what I need to do to help them and assure them they are loved EVERY DAY, and I NEVER complain. They can get him an iPad, but freak about paying for treatment?! pfft.

[bandit7732]

@circutracer150 I think most people would freak about paying the $10,000/month they were first quoted. So when you compare that to a $500 iPad, that is a huge difference. They do pay for intensive treatments for him. And, if you would check their website (link above), you would see that they didn't buy him an iPad. The family earned it through ebates.com. It is ok to grieve at first. They did "man up" and they do what needs to be done for their son. Did you see a different video than the rest?