Whether or not OP knew about the kids disability, he should've stayed out of it. He didn't need to stick his nose in someone else's business.

I don't disagree, the iPad can be a learning tool. I have no knowledge on the benefits it has on autistic children. *My point: one on one (human) interaction with a young child is much more beneficial than an educational television show or an electronic game

I completely agree, I babysit a 3 year old with developmental disabilities and there are a lot of really beneficial apps for him on the iPad (which is mainly his mom's, but she largely got it because she knew it could help him). It usually isn't worth buying a child one of their own, so I can see why people get frustrated with parents who "spoil" their kids with them, but I draw the line at people telling others how to raise their kids. So even though I can understand where the OP was coming from, she overstepped her right by trying to force her opinion on someone who wasn't at all affecting her.

Do you have any idea how ignorant you sound? First of all ASD is not a trendy label, it's a real condition with different levels of seriousness. Calling someone a "hand flapping tard" is one of the most disrespectful things I've ever heard, it's demeaning and disgusting. Both of my brothers have autism and although they're not "hand flapping tards" they have tablets to help with their motor skills and communication. Giving a tablet to an autistic child is not bad parenting, it's helping the child. You're just coming across like a horrible, stupid person.

Uhm, last I checked aborting disabled foetuses was NOT natural selection.

It was a "thing" 50 years ago, it just wasn't recognised. Are you saying these horrible things to get a reaction? If not then you have no moral compass whatsoever. That's so hurtful. Would you actually say these things face to face to an autistic child or someone caring for them? If so it would be you not long getting hurt.

There's nothing natural about an abortion, prick. Why should your child not get a chance at life because something happened with their genes that no one could control?

God damn you guys suck at actually reading the whole comment. Severely autistic children DON'T have a chance at life. I think it's cruel to force them to live when they will never be able to function normally. It's so humiliating for the poor kids to have to have their asses wiped when they're in their teens. I know I'd rather have never been born if that was my "life". Inb4 "so kill yourself" and all related responses.

You both are severely ignorant and uneducated. There are several studies that suggest reasons for autism appearing within the last 50 years. For the sake of every being around you and that you encounter in your lifetime, please, for the love of God, do NOT reproduce.

52: you obviously did not read the entire comment.

67: you have no right to tell me to not have children. Autistic kids didn't need iPads 50 years ago, and they don't need them now.

Autism WAS a thing 50 years ago, just like it is a thing nowadays. My uncle (who is 55) has mild-to-severe autism and has had it ever since he was a young child. And the sad thing is, because people didn't really understand the disorder back then, his parents (my grandparents) just pulled him out of school and home-schooled him so that the people in town wouldn't "ask questions" as to why their son was so "weird". It's sad because even nowadays he is barely able to communicate and cannot function on his own. I sometimes wonder what sort of person he'd be if his parents had the proper knowledge and facilities to look after him.

18 & 43- You two have to be the most ignorant and uneducated people I've seen on here. Ever read a textbook? It's a funny thing called "science" and "research". You know... Something that improves and develops over time especially with the technologies we have access to today? For the sake of mankind and "natural selection", I hope both of you don't ever procreate!

Lol, autism wasn't a thing 50 years ago? Because science was sooo advanced back then. And it's not like it could have been classified as something else. Correct me if I'm wrong, but HIV/AIDS didn't used to be a "thing" either. All those dying people must be faking it.

76: says the awfully rude 25-year-old who has a baby. LOL.

72 - NO ONE NEEDED IPADS 50 YEARS AGO! Jesus Christ, your opinions are so uneducated and horribly thought-out.

Autism was a "thing" 50 years ago, it just didn't have that name. Autistic children were called "slow" or "different" (and a heck of a lot worse names). No one is certain what triggers autism but there are theories that is has to do with processed foods, preservatives, microwaves/cellphone waves, hormones in milk, pesticides etc. All things that have become more widespread in the modern age. The statistics are that these days 1 in 100 American boys are born with Autism. It's scary to think about it.

83: MY POINT EXACTLY! Jesus Christ, your "method of arguing" is so horribly rude.

#18 I hope you get hit by a truck you insensitive, ignorant piece of human waste. Your mother should have swallowed you.

Everybody, I think it's obvious by her comments and profile that nnnope is a troll who's really desperate for someone to talk to her. I don't think any stable human being can talk about eugenics the callously and be stupid enough to call it natural selection. Also judging by how many times she's already commented on this, it's also obvious that she has too much free time on her hands. Maybe if we all stop responding to her, she'll go Bach to the hole from which she came.

90: you're the only one here who's name-calling. That's sad.

Edit: back to the hole. Oops, don't know why it auto-corrected to the musician.

93: says the person whose FML profile looks like it belongs on a dating site. I'm commenting because I can, just like you are.

nnnope, you don't get thumbed down because people take your terribly thought out opinions as personal attacks. You get thumbed down because you are an ignorant, arrogant, hateful, douche. Go ahead, say I take it as a personal attack because I have a cousin with down syndrome, but don't kid yourself into thinking that's true.

@nnnope: I might have commented things before thought out off my ass, and so did other commenters, but I have never before seen such blatant idiotic comments such as yours! And I don't have too be a pshycic to know that you would reply to this with some pathetic attempt at sarcasm, so don't bother. This might seem hars, but I hope you rather die before influencing other brainless idiots with your pathetic logic!

@nnnope: Just stop with your idiotic replies! Somehow you just took being an arrogant ass on FML too the next level! Hars as it may be, I hope you die before you ever get the chance to influence other halfbreed humans such as yourself with your pathetic logic!

#55 - Who says she has to say these thing to an autistic parent or someone caring for one. I don't know anyone autistic and I would still punch her in the face

What the heck is wrong with a 25-year-old having a baby? That's a pretty average age to have children at. Also, nnnope you can't exactly abort an autistic child for the fact there is no test to tell if a child is autistic or not until it is a few years old. You really should do some research before trying to argue about things you clearly have no personal experience with.

Edit - I take that back. I remember a kid I used to know who had autism. He just graduated.

43, ASD was a thing over 50 years ago. But suffers were usually referred to as the village idiot.

72- "Autistic kids didn't need iPads 50 years ago, and they don't need them now". Interesting argument, since you originally stated that autism wasn't a "thing" 50 years ago. If you're going to make an ignorant argument, at least keep your opinions consistent.

You. Are. An. IDIOT! See how I "spoke slowly" so your moronic brain could understand?

Oops. My bad. You're actually the hand flapping tard. Be careful flapping then on this thing. You're accidentally posting comments and attempting to communicate with people.

I'm pretty sure someone who uses "tard" in a statement understands learning disabilities in children much better then professors and people who have doctorates in the field. Please, tell us more of your research pulled from the University of Bullshit.

Haha! Ive been reading through these, EVERY single thumbed down comment was from nnnope. And Nnnope... My friend is autistic, he's one of my best friends. One of the friendliest I've had since i was a kid. Just because someone isn't perfect doesn't mean they can't still live a long happy life. Infact, nobody is really perfect. But we're all still human and deserve the same as everyone else. Good day to you all.

Wow. Are you serious? The autism spectrum is so large and each individual in the spectrum is different. "Hand flapping tard" is so completely insensitive, rude, and ignorant. And what poor parenting are you referring to? The constant traveling for psychiatrists, therapists, counselors, doctors... Etc? Spending every waking moment with the child and teaching him/her new things, trying to understand his/her mind, showing unconditional love and support, doing research and finding resources for help? That's poor parenting? Correct me if I'm wrong, but parents who abuse their children and neglect them is poor parenting. Filling what emotional bonds should be between parent and child with mindless electronics and letting the tv babysit them, that's poor parenting. An iPad is a wonderful TOOL, not a crutch, for children with any sort of disability. Both of my children are, by your standards, "hand flapping tards" and do, in fact, use this iPad for communicating. You're nothing but a sad, ignorant bully with nothing better to do than make fun and poke at others' misfortunes. I hope you are never blessed with such a magical and precious gift of a child with disabilities. Their motivation and pride is really inspiring and it's too bad you'll never experience that.

I agree with you 100%. My husband put a couple of kids learning games on his iPad and shares it with our two year old. She's learning from the games and also learning to share. I see it as one more fun activity to do together. Especially on gross days when we're stuck inside the house.

Heck, there's a ton of learning apps for grown ups too. I've been working on teaching myself German for a while now as a hobby.