Why did nobody notice?

I was diagnosed last September aged 23. I have had mental health problems for over 10years though. Been in hospital dozens of times. But what i want to know is why didn't anybody notice my Autism as i was growing up? Teachers and Doctors and dance teachers etc. I've been to 4 schools - infant, junior, high school and grammar, and at both secondary schools i had problems yet nobody ever questioned why. I feel really upset, angry and let down. I know i am a moaner but a bit confused and cross. Mum feels the same. Is it worth writing a letter to my schools?

Anne

  • Hi first I got diagnoses of learning difficulties which it wasn't then depression which is connected then finally after 2 years finally autism I never went to mainstream high school I went to a special school due to other medical issues at the time I never got to do exams so I feel I missed out
  • longman said:
    I think it is just there is so little known about it. It probably gets overlooked if there are other factors manifesting, such as OCD, depression or very often dyslexia.

    This is the case for me. I have also been told by the GP who referred me and my pstchiatrist that I'm harder to diagnose due to a load of other diagnoses. Not helped by the fact that I am waiting on a diagnosis.

    Another area is physical education and sport (though that is in decline in some schools). But I wonder what attention is given to pupils who show co-ordination difficulties. 

    I am one of these pupils (or was; left school 7 years ago and am still showing co-ordination difficulties) and was never given support. With me, it's really obvious. I attend a running club twice a week and on Tuesday, did circuits. It was clear to the instructor and everyone else, that I am really un co-ordinated.

  • I think it is just there is so little known about it. It probably gets overlooked if there are other factors manifesting, such as OCD, depression or very often dyslexia.

    One area where it ought to be spotted is when someone is getting persistently bullied. I wrote 18th March to the anti Bullying Alliance about this; still awaiting a response.

    After a discussion about bullying and AS I looked on their website. They have produced reports about bullying in schools. These include one on SEN/Disability, and "Tackling Bullying in Schools - a Governors' Guide" 

    However apart from listing NAS as a contact organisatiion, nothing is said about autism/aspergers and bullying. The Governors Guide actually says p8 "no one is born a bully or a victim of bullying". Well people on the spectrum come pretty near to being born to be bullied!

    It astonishes me that I cannot find any literature on UK anti-bullying organisation websites that recognises aspergers or autism as a possible contributing factor.

    The same no-doubt applies in other areas where schools should be monitoring causes of difficulty for pupils.

    Another area is physical education and sport (though that is in decline in some schools). But I wonder what attention is given to pupils who show co-ordination difficulties. 

    Given the lack of response by many Local Authorities to the "Leading Rewarding and Fulfilling Lives" campaign, I'm afraid it may be a long time before we get proper help in schools, espercially where the signs are confused by other conditions.

  • I had no support in school. When i was 17 i was admitted to psychiatric unit, when i got discharged it was the summer hols and after that i went back to school but had to re-do my year. The kids taunted me and the teachers urged me to answer questions that i couldn't. They pushed me too hard. I got bullied by my ballet teacher too for not smiling when i danced. I used to cry about all sorts and nobody helped. Mum wishes things had been done. I feel sick to think how i suffered and never got help. And others too, like yourself.

  • I have similar feelings. I am 24 years old and was diagnosed age 21. My primary school, and even nursery, noticed I had problems but very little was done about them. Age 10 I was assessed by an Ed Psych, who advised the school to get me a Statement, but nothing happened - my parents actually believed I was statemented until we found out recently that this was not the case, when I went to Connexions and they could not locate any statement!. My parents thought I had AS (my Dad is a teacher and had found out about it in 1998 during a training day), but expected the school to sort things out. I received some support in lessons, but it only covered academic areas, not my social and emotional needs. Like you, I also have mental health problems (OCD and severe anxiety and tension with hardly any respite), but school did nothing, despite the Ed Psych report highlighting my obsessive hand washing and aversion to dirt. It is only recently that I have begun to get support and made some improvements - but there is a long way to go; the damage was done during my undiagnosed years. Of course we cannot change the past, but it is only human to have regrets and to feel angry. I find it helps to raise awareness of autism so that others don't need to go through the pain. I think that things are improving, it is just a shame that nothing was done in our childhoods.