Published on 12, July, 2020
My Beautiful Daughter was diagnosed with Autism 2 years ago when she was 15yrs old. We had been through the worse time with her as she had a complete breakdown! she was suicidal and had complete school refusal, this all lasted for a couple of years and to cut a very long and painful story short she was eventually diagnosed privately with Autism which made alot of things fall into place and was the start for her to understand herself and accept herself for how she is.
One of the hardest parts of all this is is how certain members of my family have reacted towards the diagnosis. I have been accused of putting a label on her! by getting her diagnosed that I am to overprotective of her and I need to let her grow up and figure this all out for herself. I have explained if I did this she would be dead! as that was how she was feeling and yet they still don't get it!! I have tried to educate my family on how Autism presents in girls and how it has a massive impact on a persons life! but they just don't understand they think I'm overreacting. My nephew refuses to thinks his cousin has autism and has said the diagnosis is wrong! My Mum and Sister also think she will grow out of it.
My Daughter is turning 18 in Nov and I have arranged a meal in Brighton for her, My brother in law asked if she would be going out drinking clubbing afterwards! now she is 18 I explained that she wouldn't be able to deal with all the noise and people in a busy nightclub so she was more than happy to have a family meal and mayb a cocktail to see in her birthday! He then said she should go out and enjoy herself and he can get her Autism out of her! as he is good with young people and on there level. WOW I could not believe what he said I was shocked that he thinks like this and it goes to show what he thinks autism is. Arhh I find it so frustrating and I'm trying hard to not let it get me down to much but it really does.
Have you had to deal with family members who don't understand or support you? How do you deal with them? is it easier to just stay away from them as there lack of support is unwanted in an already hard situation.
Amy said:He then said she should go out and enjoy herself and he can get her Autism out of her! as he is good with young people and on there level.
I would straight up call him out on this and shame him into doing some research. My response would be something like:
"Wow - I always though you were the intelligent one but you have clearly got no understanding of a neurological condition like autism. For my daughter is is like experiencing the noise twice as loud as it is for you, not being able to separate the conversations from the music and experiencing the lighting as if she had a migrane Are you surprised she doesn't want to go?.
You just don't get it because you didn't even bother to look it up - I'm so dissapointed that you think so little of your niece that that is too much trouble for you.
Go educate yourself and stop being a neanderthal."
That level of burn should hurt badly enough to make them realise they didn't even bother to understand what is a serious confition for your daughter and also make the others around realise they could be on the sharp end of your tongue if they make similar stupid comments.
That is just my approach.
I love it! Thankyou i wish you was in my head when I responded! I think i was more in shock so did.nt say too much. I will remember this as it is spot on! Xx