My Opinion on an Opinion

I read this op-ed article from the New York Times about kids with autism and how wandering around is such a big concern. I honestly didn't have much background knowledge on the topic, I still don't really know much about autism. However, in the article I learned that kids with autism tend to walk around places, just the same way that people with Alzheimer's do. I did know about people with Alzheimer's - I have family members that are diagnosed with it - and how they sometimes lose their orientation skills and simply wander around having no idea where they are heading. It is very interesting how the brain can trick us and makes us do things that maybe we wouldn't think about doing. For example, in the article, the author talks about different cases of kids diagnosed with autism and how they wandered around very dangerous places. The fact that they are risking their lives brings a lot of anxiety to their families. This is what Lori McIlwain, the author, conveys in the article. 

I noticed that the author used pathos throughout her article. She used pathos when she described the different examples of kids who had negative consequences due to their wandering around. For example, she mentioned a 5-year-old boy called Devonte who was also autistic and wandered from his grandparents' home. He was tragically found drowned near a slough the next day. Also, she talks about her experience with her own son, Connor, and how she has felt anxiety and distress whenever he wandered around. Through pathos, she manages to move us with her story. 

McIlwain also uses ethos in her article. We as the audience get to know what type of person she is. I noticed that she is a very good mom, and cares a lot about her child. Many families don't get that much attention from a mother, especially many whose kids are confronted with problems like autism. She over protected him by putting a secure fence around their home's yard and also bought a tracking device for her son to use. This really shows us her interest in her kid and the way she wants him to be safe at all times. Additionally, she became a member of the National Autism Association, where she states that they provide "information and resources for caregivers." That shows that she is fully committed to helping families just like hers. 

At the end, the author compares the attention that Alzheimer's and autism get from the public. She said that the Department of Justice gives around a million dollars each year for Alzheimer's-related technology for tracking. On the other hand, there's no equivalent funding for autism-related tracking technology, and she mentions that the government should really take this into consideration, for both of the problems are very serious.