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Perceptions

NAS87651

I was out with the family last night when my mother in law, who has one autistic grandchild and was sat across from me openly said if anyone thought there were too many indentifications  these days.  I ignored it at the time but explained one or two points to her about this. But there does seem to be a lot of it about. Can anyone explain why this bashing is taking place.  When I think back to my childhood and the struggle that I had it would have been nice to have known back then instead of carrying the baggage around until I finally found out. I wouldn’t want any child to go through it. 

  • in reply to Bananatropics26

    I remember years ago, back when I was young and god was still in short trousers an elderly woman muttering about how they didn't have an ozone layer when she was young so why was everyone worried about it? I think many people just stop learning, stop being interested in the world, they restrict themselves to what they know, I think it's why "back to basics" is such a big thing for conservative voters, its trying to hold back time. I think theres a big element of jealousy too, maybe they're dyslexic or something and it was never recognised, because it more or less didn't exist when they were at school. Of course it did exist, just as ND existed, it was just unknown or thought to be a very small number of people affected, those who's ND is profoundly disabling.

    I think there's also a class thing in Britain about such things, they're seen as something only effecting the middle classes and nobody else. I think you can see this playing out in the real world, parents who are educated and articulate are more able to advocate for thier child and of course they speak the same "language" as teachers and doctors who are educated to the same level. Poorer, less well educated people can and are put off from speaking out and advocating, by thier own lack of education, their social standing and are often ignored. A middle class child is dyslexic and working class child isn't expected to be academic and the parents are encouraged to accept this.

    I think another thing with a lot of people is their concept of justice, which is often indulgence for oneself and punishment for every body else, so they deserve benefits and healthcare because they have something that can be seen or has been known about for a long time, and those with less visible disabilities are skiving and need a kick up the bum.

    How ever I do think it's a conversation worth having, especially if we can gently challenge assumptions and bring people to the realisation that we're different, but equal and ignorance is the real enemy.

  • I think the main reasons why people would be concerned about excess diagnoses would be if they thought:

    1. Loads of workshy people trying to get benefits.
    2. People need to man up and get on with life, it was hard for me too, etc.

    Both of those would be from a position of ignorance. Because things may not be obvious, you are ok and are just attention seeking.

    There is a other one, which is more difficult:

    1. Does it actually help to have a label, since it can't be cured. Is it better to just let people find their own way in life and figure out what works. It was how things always used to be.

    I'm not saying I agree with any of these. Just that they're what imagine the thinking is.

  • Yeh it's mad. People from older generations come from a time where there were less autistic people and not much was known about it either. I dunno I mean a lot of young adults are autistic. But I mean it's not an identity at all. It's a diagnosed condition haha.