Marlon and Pearlie Barton by Renée C. Byer (Sacramento Bee)
“As a sweet-faced baby Marlon Barton, right, pictured with his mother, Pearile Barton, sister, Mary Barton and father, Larry Barton, made everyone smile. Marlon was almost 18 months old before he was identified with autism. Now that he is full grown, no one knows quite what to do with him. Barton is 6 foot 2 inches tall and weighs 283 pounds and acutely autistic. He is one of thousands of people diagnosed as children who are now entering adulthood. “He scares people, ” said his mother, Pearlie Barton, who cares for him around he clock. “Being large, African American and autistic does not work in his favor.” Autism was a relatively rare condition when Barton was born, and youngsters like him did not get the kinds of therapeutic help that they do now.” - From Renée C. Byer’s essay in the Sacramento Bee about Marlin and Pearlie Barton.
See the full essay on the Sacramento Bee website.
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December 19th, 2009 at 4:55 am
Nice blog. You’re article was spot on. Will you be following up on this?