4 ms·

The fact that the term autism is applied across such a massive range of outcomes is at the heart of the problem there, I believe. Any list of "summary advice"

The fact that the term autism is applied across such a massive range of outcomes is at the heart of the problem there, I believe. Any list of "summary advice" can never ably cover that range. Effective advice for a formerly-and-sometimes-still known-as Asperger Syndrome person is indeed going to be hugely different than effective advice for a non-verbal non-independent person. As the above paragraph implies, the world can barely even agree on names for the most basic sub-categories of autism. We've a long way to go. Also it bears mentioning that people with milder forms of the condition have their own unique crosses to bear, e.g. imposter syndrome, having people treat you as a fraud by default "because you seem normal", and other fairly significant lifetime burdens.

TylerE 3y ago
I found the former situation much worse. I was accused (subtly) of basically taking it at least once. High levels of raw intelligence can mask emotional stuff that I suspect makes a lot of the high functioning people not really that high functioning, they are just able to compensate a bit more and be less outwardly effected to their peer group. Consider, as a parallel, the dirty looks and snide remarks someone with cardiac issues or some other invisible disability get for using a handicapped parking space when they “don’t look handicapped”.
- coldtea 3y ago
  >I was accused (subtly) of basically taking it at least once. You meant to write "faking it" here, right? But how was the "former situation much worse"? Surely lumping aspergers into the same general name of "autism" (like is the case now), makes it even more likely to be accused of being a fake when saying you have autism, as you wouldn't fit the stereotype of the high support needs person they have in mind (whereas people already understood that someone with asperger will not look "outwardly effected" like that).
  - TylerE 3y ago
    It’s much better because I can say to some random, say, nurse that I have autism and they a general idea. Of things that are likely to be challenging for me.
    - coldtea 3y ago
      Sure, but you could say aspergers before, and they'd have an ever better idea (as autism is too wide a spectrum). And doctors and nurses at least can grasp ASD 1, 2, 3 and so on, laymen, not so much.
      - TylerE 3y ago
        That was never my experience. It was, for most of it's existence as a diagnosis, not well known at all outside of psychs and developmental people.

TylerE 3y ago

I found the former situation much worse. I was accused (subtly) of basically taking it at least once. High levels of raw intelligence can mask emotional stuff that I suspect makes a lot of the high functioning people not really that high functioning, they are just able to compensate a bit more and be less outwardly effected to their peer group. Consider, as a parallel, the dirty looks and snide remarks someone with cardiac issues or some other invisible disability get for using a handicapped parking space when they “don’t look handicapped”.

coldtea 3y ago
>I was accused (subtly) of basically taking it at least once. You meant to write "faking it" here, right? But how was the "former situation much worse"? Surely lumping aspergers into the same general name of "autism" (like is the case now), makes it even more likely to be accused of being a fake when saying you have autism, as you wouldn't fit the stereotype of the high support needs person they have in mind (whereas people already understood that someone with asperger will not look "outwardly effected" like that).
- TylerE 3y ago
  It’s much better because I can say to some random, say, nurse that I have autism and they a general idea. Of things that are likely to be challenging for me.
  - coldtea 3y ago
    Sure, but you could say aspergers before, and they'd have an ever better idea (as autism is too wide a spectrum). And doctors and nurses at least can grasp ASD 1, 2, 3 and so on, laymen, not so much.
    - TylerE 3y ago
      That was never my experience. It was, for most of it's existence as a diagnosis, not well known at all outside of psychs and developmental people.