Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello to all members. So interesting to read everyone's personal stories and experiences.
I do not know if I have an autistic child. We have never sought a diagnosis or even talked about it as a couple.
As a result our son is now 16, but I have had a few creeping concerns for about him for about 3 years now. If he does have a problem it's very mild.
He is one of our four children (second eldest) and right from when he was a baby it was always he who I have felt a special bond with. He always appeared the more vulnerable, the more fragile.
I'm not going to go through all of the 'signs' that ring true for him in this first post. There are of course many that don't ring true also. But there are a few difficulties in social situations, a very limited range of interests. He spends most of his time alone in his room, and although not without friends, doesn't appear to make them easily. He is bright enough that he excelled in maths when he was a child, memorised all the worlds flags when he was 5, and used to 'read' childrens books out loud to people when he was 3. He couldn't in fact read, he had just memorised them. Now he isn't interested in anything except football, and will not partake in conversation about anything else at all. He's doing average in school.
Why is he not tested? Because i don't feel confident enough in our position to access good local health services with regards to this type of situation. We live in rural France and the services are a bit basic. Also our command of the language isn't up to the subtleties, impressions and nuances of discussing something like this. French doctors are notorious for throwing pills at every situation, and our GP is a master of the art.
Anyway, big strength to everyone, and a bo=ig hello
Welcome to the forum CoffeeGuy,
Based on what I've read online on a couple of international autism forums, I think you're right to be cautious about seeking a diagnosis while you are living in France.
Sadly, France is notorious for being completely out of step with the rest of Europe in the diagnosis and treatment of autism. In particular, it seems to be common there that the medical system still hangs on to the long disproven idea that autism is caused by bad parenting, and that it can be treated by forcibly preventing patients from displaying their autistic traits.
For example...
Activists call for better autism treatment in France
It seems a shame that I have to be so negative in my first post to you, but some of the awful treatment of autistic people there that I have read about makes me feel obliged to warn you to tread very carefully. Hopefully, the everyday folk there have a more enlightened view than many of the doctors do.
Best wishes.