I have two sons on the spectrum and a third that is typically developing. We are a gun friendly family and have taught all 3 boys from a very early age the respect and caution necessary for weapons. We have overcorrected the boys on the extremely cautious side when it comes to handling the DOGS (a term used here as well) My sons are not allowed to play any video games that have weapons and have been schooled in the seriousness of using weapons. All 3 are cub scouts and have earned badges/pins in archery and BB guns. I honestly think when approached in the right way, any child, on the spectrum or not can learn how to handle DOGS. We have an unwavering belief that weapons are for recreation and can never be used against a person/animal/living thing. With this being said we have had to face some deep questions from our oldest son. Both my husband and I are teachers and my son is now worried about our safety and is questioning whether weapons can be used in self defense and how can we safely decide who is responsible enough to make that decision. He is struggling with a lot right now and we are staying vigilant on our beliefs of educating him on respect, responsibility, and caution when faced with something so powerful.

As a former law enforcement officer and disabled military veteran, I actively support and defend each American citizen's right to own and bear arms. This right is protected by the 2nd Amendment and unless you repeal the 2nd Amendment, then it says clearly that this right shall not be infringed. Therefore, any legal attempts to infringe on an American citizen's right to own a firearm is a violation of his Constitutional rights. That being said, it is the responsibility of every gun owner to operate and store the weapon responsibly. I keep my weapon in a locked gun box that my daughter does not have access to. Laws should not be enacted to tell responsible gun owners that they cannot own or keep a weapon in their home because they have a child with ASD. Instead, responsible gun owners should own them responsibly! That means they should keep their guns locked up and out of the reach of their children, regardless of whether they have a neurological condition or not. It is the parent's decision whether or not to educate the child on how to use the weapon and that should be based on the parent's understanding of the child's maturity level, not just their age.

I do support strict gun control laws. But that's neither here nor there. The only issue here is there is NO link between ASD and violence. Mentioning that this murderer may have been an Aspie is as relevant as saying he has dark hair. Please visit http://www.autismspeaks.org/newtown-resources/c... they have a lot of great information about how to address this tragedy with children on the spectrum. So if you want to discuss gun control fantastic, just leave autism completely out of the discussion. Never mistake Autism for mental illness it is not a mental illness. Also aggression and violence in ASD is never premeditated and is often likely directed inward.

Ok, thank you everyone. You have all helped me learn a ton by answering my question. That is what I was hoping for! There ARE plenty of young people on the Autism spectrum who can safely do target practice and their parents keep guns safely in their homes. So, I am quickly conluding that this is a matter of knowing your child, knowing what they are capable of and knowing with is best for each person! Now, I have friends who have had kids on the Autism spectrum who have psychiatric issues as well and they are clearly a danger and should never have access to a gun! There are others who can safely be trained. My son is someone who has issues with impulse control and is most motivated to get things he can't have so having guns in my home obviously would never be a smart move! Every child is different and every family and parent is different so how to we prevent how to predict? I really like Crimson Wife's answer on this! But, I appreciate all of your feedack. Thank you - you all teach me a ton!

my husband wants to buy a gun for protection etc. and i want to get a service dog for my son. we have come to an understanding that we will not be purchasing one until we move into a house and i am comfortable with how he plans on keeping both our kids safe. he is former military and we have many other military/militia family and friends between them i am confident that when te time comes they will come up wiht a plan to keep our children safe.

but as a general rule any family thinking of having a gun in the house should be able to keep it up and safely away from anyone (especially children) who is not properly trained in its use.