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When AS is not "significant impairment"

longman

I would like to introduce a thread that deals with AS/ASD with lesser impairment - when those diagnosed do not strictly meet the requirement of "significant impairment". These are the people with ASD/AS who are able to manage their lives or who have not been successful in claiming support or whose access to support is being challenged under the new constraints.

From other dialogue here, there is clearly some concern amongst those with significant impairment that too many people are being diagnosed who are perceived as not fitting the "significant impairment" criteria.  That includes people who have improved/ "been cured" since original diagnosis.

Some of this may otherwise belong under "Living on the Spectrum", but I feel there are a lot of concerns under diagnosis and assessment that need addressing where people are managing to cope with impairment and have some degree of fulfilment. This includes socialising, relationships, travel, work etc. However the reason I bring this up is that there are maybe significant issues for those who do not meet the "significantly impoaired" criteria that differ from the latter. I don'r feel these get a fair hearing.

If the moderators want to move this to "Living on the Spectrum" fair enough, but can you please do it so that there is an opportunity to discuss issues affecting those with "lesser impairment"

Parents
  • Former Member
    Former Member

    Caro said:
    I think that the premise that AS is a "lesser impairement" if someone is in employment, or superficially "normal" is unhelpful.  It seems to me the categorisation on a scale of less or more is less useful that thinking of differenct challenges and strenghts.  As mentioned by Hope many with AS pay a significant price trying to appear 'less impaired" or normal, and would be more inclusive to try and understand how each person could be best and most approrpiately accomodated and able to work to their strenghts rather than placing ourselves on a "less" vs "more" type continuum

    It would surely be useful if research were to be carried out into the way adults with AS who were diagnosed when young and received support cope with the adult world of work/relationships compared with those who were undiagnosed and unsupported.  It would also be interesting to know if those who received help from childhood are still bedevilled by the chronic anxiety which seems an intrinsic  part of AS.

    It's true, as Hope says, that many with AS pay a significant price by trying to appear "less impaired" or normal but that is surely true of any person with a disability - mental or physical.  Like many with AS I found it a terrible strain  to leave the house each day to go to work and it's not easy, either, to learn all the copying/acting/ faking necessary to interact successfully with "normal" colleagues and the whole thing might have been quicker - and less stressful - with some support from a professional who might have made the process quicker and easier.

     

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  • Former Member
    Former Member

    Caro said:
    I think that the premise that AS is a "lesser impairement" if someone is in employment, or superficially "normal" is unhelpful.  It seems to me the categorisation on a scale of less or more is less useful that thinking of differenct challenges and strenghts.  As mentioned by Hope many with AS pay a significant price trying to appear 'less impaired" or normal, and would be more inclusive to try and understand how each person could be best and most approrpiately accomodated and able to work to their strenghts rather than placing ourselves on a "less" vs "more" type continuum

    It would surely be useful if research were to be carried out into the way adults with AS who were diagnosed when young and received support cope with the adult world of work/relationships compared with those who were undiagnosed and unsupported.  It would also be interesting to know if those who received help from childhood are still bedevilled by the chronic anxiety which seems an intrinsic  part of AS.

    It's true, as Hope says, that many with AS pay a significant price by trying to appear "less impaired" or normal but that is surely true of any person with a disability - mental or physical.  Like many with AS I found it a terrible strain  to leave the house each day to go to work and it's not easy, either, to learn all the copying/acting/ faking necessary to interact successfully with "normal" colleagues and the whole thing might have been quicker - and less stressful - with some support from a professional who might have made the process quicker and easier.

     

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