• Replies 1 reply
  • Subscribers 29 subscribers
  • Views 52 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Some deeper thoughts

Alien0n3arth

I can see quite much disagreement around the spectrum. There are people, who say that autistic people with lower support needs shouldn't be actually diagnosed with autism. There are people, who get angry, that their diagnosis is not being taken seriously anymore. There are people, who get diagnosed just to have the information/ confirmation of their experience. (And its fine) I think, that it's not only about their lives. The more late diagnosed autistic people,  the more insights into the possible future of autistic children. It's always being talked about autistic children,  but very little about adults. I myself found another reason, to go through the process. Half year ago, I also shared that story here, my daughters teacher in nursery approached me and asked me if I would like to share my experience with one family, who's son is probably autistic.  I told her I'm also only probably autistic, it's not sure yet. But I agreed. I described my early development,  which turned out to be very similar to that boy's, my difficulties at school. I prepared that carefully, to not make my story dramatic, but useful instead. The boy got already diagnosed,  I'm awaiting assessment. His mom, who I talked to, expressed her gratitude for sharing my story and lending her a book about autism. So I think that late diagnosed or recognised people are not problematic (as many say) instead, they can help families to prepare and understand their autistic children better. 

When it comes to disagreements around the "what is autism and what's not" I can only say- it's duty of professionals, who work on it, to categorise this or that condition.  For me the most Important thing is having proper diagnosis,  that describes my difficulties correctly. I used to be misdiagnosed multiple times in my life and also mistreated. I think that the spectrum with levels of support needs make a lot if sense, especially because there are many people,  who tick the same list of symptoms,  but their needs change throughout their lives, and autism is a life long condition. 

If anyone has any thoughts about this topic, can share them with me.

Parents

  • The concern about the late diagnosis of autism in adults is hugely overblown. It seems to stem from a fear that all the support that autistic adults will require will be expensive for health systems. This is hogwash, most late diagnosed autistic adults have not received any support before diagnosis and will most probably not require, or be eligible for, support afterwards - as governmental financial support is individually assessed. Accommodations at places of work are very often essentially costless, or of very low financial cost. 

    This just leaves the 'autistic mom syndrome', whose argument is that only people who have very high support needs and cannot live independent lives can be called 'autistic'. This is tantamount to saying that only people with paraplegia or double amputees in wheelchairs can be said to be  disabled in regard to mobility and that no one with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis who have limited and painful mobility can claim to be disabled. The argument that a person can only be autistic if their autism is immediately apparent to an unqualified onlooker is so logically flawed that it has no merit whatsoever.

Reply

  • The concern about the late diagnosis of autism in adults is hugely overblown. It seems to stem from a fear that all the support that autistic adults will require will be expensive for health systems. This is hogwash, most late diagnosed autistic adults have not received any support before diagnosis and will most probably not require, or be eligible for, support afterwards - as governmental financial support is individually assessed. Accommodations at places of work are very often essentially costless, or of very low financial cost. 

    This just leaves the 'autistic mom syndrome', whose argument is that only people who have very high support needs and cannot live independent lives can be called 'autistic'. This is tantamount to saying that only people with paraplegia or double amputees in wheelchairs can be said to be  disabled in regard to mobility and that no one with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis who have limited and painful mobility can claim to be disabled. The argument that a person can only be autistic if their autism is immediately apparent to an unqualified onlooker is so logically flawed that it has no merit whatsoever.

Children
No Data