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

DaisyGirl

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

  • I don't believe HFA have less needs than LFA.

    For LFA the needs are geared toward care, but they could be missing out on the specific addressing of autism.

    To provide for people with autism you have to undersand the condition. With LFA there is a focus on care, behaviour etc. but are the carers really understanding autism?

    For HFA, many do not have jobs at all and suffer unbearable levels of stress and anxiety, loneliness, maybe bullying and domestic abuse by so-called family because they have no way out, poverty. All of this leads to a miserable life blighted by mental health issues. But the support services do not understand the nature of autism and so cannot provide the support needed.

    I am sure there are some psychologists, mental health teams, local groups etc. which are good, but too many think that the person has a learning disability and that that is the most important thing.

    In essence the reasonable adjustments needed to deal with an autisitic person are required in the behaviour of the support staff/professionals, and in their understanding of the nature of autism. This is something they have not had to do before. For someone in a wheelchair you provide an adapted environment, for a deaf person you provide a BSL interpreter, but for someone with autism the support staff have to understand what autism is and alter their behaviour and they just don't seem to get this at all.

    Lots of HFA cannot operate in the world as it is at all. There is just no-one out there to help or give support. I have almost given up.

Reply

  • I don't believe HFA have less needs than LFA.

    For LFA the needs are geared toward care, but they could be missing out on the specific addressing of autism.

    To provide for people with autism you have to undersand the condition. With LFA there is a focus on care, behaviour etc. but are the carers really understanding autism?

    For HFA, many do not have jobs at all and suffer unbearable levels of stress and anxiety, loneliness, maybe bullying and domestic abuse by so-called family because they have no way out, poverty. All of this leads to a miserable life blighted by mental health issues. But the support services do not understand the nature of autism and so cannot provide the support needed.

    I am sure there are some psychologists, mental health teams, local groups etc. which are good, but too many think that the person has a learning disability and that that is the most important thing.

    In essence the reasonable adjustments needed to deal with an autisitic person are required in the behaviour of the support staff/professionals, and in their understanding of the nature of autism. This is something they have not had to do before. For someone in a wheelchair you provide an adapted environment, for a deaf person you provide a BSL interpreter, but for someone with autism the support staff have to understand what autism is and alter their behaviour and they just don't seem to get this at all.

    Lots of HFA cannot operate in the world as it is at all. There is just no-one out there to help or give support. I have almost given up.

Children
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