One of my primary purposes for publishing these stories each week is to be sure that interested readers have access to the most up-to-date and accurate information about the disorder that is presently called autism, including alternative points-of-view.

If a parent says that “I read something on the Internet about…” I inquire about the author(s), their education, their experiences with autistic patients and the outcomes that they may be claiming. After all, the statement that, “If you have seen one patient with autism, you have seen one patient with autism,” is not too far from the truth. On the other hand, if you have seen one thousand such individuals, you begin to get a sense of signs and symptoms that patients have in common, enabling professionals to pinpoint services that may lead to improved results.

TheAutismDoctor.com blog is popular, and often at the top of most Google searches regarding advice about the diagnosis and treatment of patients on the Spectrum. Childdev.org describes my medical practice, and is frequented by interested families and potential new patients. However, both websites rate at the low end of social media searches. I have Facebook Autism.

The disorder from which my Facebook sites suffer is repetitive postings, inability to communicate digitally and Internet social isolation. Classic symptoms. I recently became aware of multiple announcements that serve no purpose because requests and comments have gone unanswered (one was from April of last year). My inability to “get the word out” is because I hadn’t realized that I frequently post my new stories only on TheAutismDoctor.com and the public has not necessarily heard my voice. All of this has led to my social isolation, not being visible to many in the Facebook audience.

Therapy has been provided by Heather and Sean, my socially ultra-aware, twenty-something year-old children. “Da-aa-ad,” they ask, “you are so computer literate, why can’t you figure out how to manipulate social media sites?” Until now, I suppose I really didn’t understand the need, or care to navigate those waters. My comment that, “I don’t need more friends” has only served to prove their point.

So, there are now two official Facebook pages where titles will be posted and discussions can be shared. The Child Development Center of America page is concerned with my medical practice where we treat patients who have many diverse problems, such as genetic disorders, allergic problems, behavioral challenges and other developmental delays. The Autism Doctor is more specific to the areas of ADHD and ASD.

With these interventions, I hope to reverse the effects of my Facebook Autism as I reach for an Optimal Digital Outcome. Next stop, Twitter and mobile devices.