Adult Aspergers, why the focus only on those with learning disabilities

I have noticed that almost all services for adults with autism/Asperger's is tailored only for those with learning disabilities. In fact it seems that in many ways the knowledge of autism is almost all about people with additional learning disabilities. Why is this?

Almost always when adults with autism are on the TV they also have learning disabilities? All the support is about learning disabilities. It is as if so called experts do not actually know what autism is, and that people can be very badly affected by their autism but also highly intelligent. All the literature points out that people with autism can be highly intelligent but suffer a great deal due to their autism but this is not being reflected in the way autism is being portrayed or in the support available.

I feel like this is getting worse. How can we change this?

Parents
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    NAS18906 said:

    LFA sufferers have greater needs than HFA people. Some of the division in attention is because the resources go those in greatest need.

    That's certainly true. Another factor is that, for a long time, it was only the LFA end of things that was being diagnosed, because it's obvious. Relatively HFA people have been largely 'invisible' until fairly recent times. My uncle had difficulties with social interaction, but he was able to hold down a job, albeit unskilled, for much of his life, so lived and died undiagnosed.

Reply
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    NAS18906 said:

    LFA sufferers have greater needs than HFA people. Some of the division in attention is because the resources go those in greatest need.

    That's certainly true. Another factor is that, for a long time, it was only the LFA end of things that was being diagnosed, because it's obvious. Relatively HFA people have been largely 'invisible' until fairly recent times. My uncle had difficulties with social interaction, but he was able to hold down a job, albeit unskilled, for much of his life, so lived and died undiagnosed.

Children
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