Adults with "mild" autism can have problems equal to those with severe autism (study)

http://sfari.org/news-and-opinion/news/2011/people-with-milder-forms-of-autism-struggle-as-adults

"Contrary to popular assumption, people diagnosed with so-called mild forms of autism don’t fare any better in life than those with severe forms of the disorder. That’s the conclusion of a new study that suggests that even individuals with normal intelligence and language abilities struggle to fit into society because of their social and communication problems."

"The implication of our findings is that the consequences of having an autism spectrum disorder with profound difficulties in communication skills and social impairment can’t be compensated for by either high intellectual level or normal language function,” says lead investigator Anne Myhre, associate professor of mental health and addiction at the University of Oslo in Norway."

Basically the article says that without support and interventions, outcomes are just as severe as if the individuals had more a more severe form of autism.  Intelligence means that people are often not given the support and this is the consequence.

Let that be a lesson to all local authorities, schools, CAMHS and central government.

Parents
  • I think this confusion between autistic people who have a learning disablility and those who don't is very central to the problem of understanding autism, and getting the services in place that are suitable for autistic people.

    I have severe problems from my autism, but am highly intelligent (multiple degrees etc.), and this is a big problem because professionals treat you as if you have a learning disablility, and then when you are articulate and knowledgeable they ignore the autism.

    The systems just don't seem to be able to understand autism on its own. Autism should only be the primary descriptor of people where it is their primary "disability", if their learning disability is more prominent then this should be the main desciptor.

Reply
  • I think this confusion between autistic people who have a learning disablility and those who don't is very central to the problem of understanding autism, and getting the services in place that are suitable for autistic people.

    I have severe problems from my autism, but am highly intelligent (multiple degrees etc.), and this is a big problem because professionals treat you as if you have a learning disablility, and then when you are articulate and knowledgeable they ignore the autism.

    The systems just don't seem to be able to understand autism on its own. Autism should only be the primary descriptor of people where it is their primary "disability", if their learning disability is more prominent then this should be the main desciptor.

Children
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