Children with Autism vs Adults with Autism

[Fade2black]

I've noticed recently that the general public is recognizing the problem of Autism in children and making efforts to cater to these kids. The garbage man now stops and says hello. The Policeman lets the autistic kid sit in the car and turn the siren on. Some donors are sending Autistic kids to Disneyland, etc. I think that is all great. But.........

These kids become adults, then middle-aged adults and eventually senior citizens. I'm amazed how shallow the thinking is about Autism, that most believe it only affects children. There is almost no comprehension, understanding or tolerance for adults with Autism.

Has anyone else noticed this? I'm out in the open about being Autistic and I don't try to hide it anymore. Although I'm not a people person, I do make an effort to educate people about Autism and how it makes us different. And, I educate people that there are more adults with Autism than there are children. I would encourage everyone else on the scale to do the same. I don't see anyone else educating the public on Autism in adults, so I believe it's up to us.

Thoughts?

 

[Rasputin]

I think what you are describing is society trying to publicly pat themselves on the back showing how they support diversity. If this were really true, they would treat everyone the same. The long term effect of this behavior is that kids are taught they are special and deserve preferential treatment. Then as they grow older they experience a door slam.

This occurs with all other minority groups as well. Society conditions them that they deserve special treatment, and over time they feel entitled to special treatment. Then they experience a different door slam.

Since being diagnosed with ASD, I have selectively let a few people close to me know. However, in my own family there seems to be this discomfort. What is surprising about this is there are children in my family with ASD. So if family members are uncomfortable with acknowledging adult autism, why should we expect society as a whole be any different?

 

[Streetwise]

I've noticed recently that the general public is recognizing the problem of Autism in children and making efforts to cater to these kids. The garbage man now stops and says hello. The Policeman lets the autistic kid sit in the car and turn the siren on. Some donors are sending Autistic kids to Disneyland, etc. I think that is all great. But.........

These kids become adults, then middle-aged adults and eventually senior citizens. I'm amazed how shallow the thinking is about Autism, that most believe it only affects children. There is almost no comprehension, understanding or tolerance for adults with Autism.

Has anyone else noticed this? I'm out in the open about being Autistic and I don't try to hide it anymore. Although I'm not a people person, I do make an effort to educate people about Autism and how it makes us different. And, I educate people that there are more adults with Autism than there are children. I would encourage everyone else on the scale to do the same. I don't see anyone else educating the public on Autism in adults, so I believe it's up to us.

Thoughts?

It's as long as you are no trouble adults with down syndrome are catered for because they are viewed as being benign autism as seen as a curse as down syndrome used to be and probably autism was at that time it was even children it's not really just the West there are some tribes in Africa that considered twins evil so one had to die it's different even if you are not development look different if you are different you will pay for it there is a young girl living across the street from me who has a nut allergy and her life is ruled by it sometimes she has eczema you can guarantee that she will pay for having that my mother wasn't autistic but she was different and had a health condition that meant she was discriminated against it's not developmental conditions it's just the wrong kind of difference there's no law to say people have to like somebody there's a law about hate speech in the UK but I don't think it would filter down to autism, you just die suffering unless you are extremely rich, even then you still suffer we are one of the people groups who will have to fight.

 

[UberScout]

As an autistic adult myself, I think it's atrocious that MISSY GET OFF THE TABLE!!

 

[UberScout]

Seriously though, it's horrible. I'm misunderstood on a daily basis, and it's not like these people know that I'm autistic, not that I expect them to. We scratch an itch somewhere we can't reach, and suddenly we're giving the middle finger. I reach for a water bottle in my backpack, wait, he has a gun! It's ridiculous crap like that.

People need to wake up.

 

[VAW]

I've noticed recently that the general public is recognizing the problem of Autism in children and making efforts to cater to these kids. The garbage man now stops and says hello. The Policeman lets the autistic kid sit in the car and turn the siren on. Some donors are sending Autistic kids to Disneyland, etc. I think that is all great. But.........

These kids become adults, then middle-aged adults and eventually senior citizens. I'm amazed how shallow the thinking is about Autism, that most believe it only affects children. There is almost no comprehension, understanding or tolerance for adults with Autism.

Has anyone else noticed this? I'm out in the open about being Autistic and I don't try to hide it anymore. Although I'm not a people person, I do make an effort to educate people about Autism and how it makes us different. And, I educate people that there are more adults with Autism than there are children. I would encourage everyone else on the scale to do the same. I don't see anyone else educating the public on Autism in adults, so I believe it's up to us.

Thoughts?

I have noticed that also. In fact my son was diagnosed at about 27, and it took us a very long time to even find a place that would work with Adults, every place we went to only took kids up to 18 years old. The one who did take him originally worked mostly with children so he felt he was being treated as a child. He never wanted to go back. He is very intelligent and felt it was of no help to him. I found one place who had regular meetings for ASD, but again most of them were under 18 and they did things like cookie walks, or things that my son wasn't interested in doing at all. That wasn't what we were looking for. Also as for myself I had never even heard of ASD until we happened to hit on something we read and went from there, so it doesn't surprise me when other's have no idea of what it is like to be in the autism spectrum.

 

[Aneka]

I've noticed recently that the general public is recognizing the problem of Autism in children and making efforts to cater to these kids. The garbage man now stops and says hello. The Policeman lets the autistic kid sit in the car and turn the siren on. Some donors are sending Autistic kids to Disneyland, etc. I think that is all great. But.........

These kids become adults, then middle-aged adults and eventually senior citizens. I'm amazed how shallow the thinking is about Autism, that most believe it only affects children. There is almost no comprehension, understanding or tolerance for adults with Autism.

Has anyone else noticed this? I'm out in the open about being Autistic and I don't try to hide it anymore. Although I'm not a people person, I do make an effort to educate people about Autism and how it makes us different. And, I educate people that there are more adults with Autism than there are children. I would encourage everyone else on the scale to do the same. I don't see anyone else educating the public on Autism in adults, so I believe it's up to us.

Thoughts?

It might be the understanding that children are still developing, and they are not capable yet of taking care of themselves. Adults however, are responsible for themselves. Goverments tend to invest a lot in education and healthcare for children, because children are the resource for the future of society. It's purely economical thinking on part of the state really. People only become aware of what they experience themselves or what is on the media. It's our responsibility to call attention to this.

 

[Rasputin]

It might be the understanding that children are still developing, and they are not capable yet of taking care of themselves. Adults however, are responsible for themselves. Goverments tend to invest a lot in education and healthcare for children, because children are the resource for the future of society. It's purely economical thinking on part of the state really. People only become aware of what they experience themselves or what is on the media. It's our responsibility to call attention to this.

What about long term care for seniors with ASD? They do not qualify for long term care insurance because they are considered to be of higher risk of developing other illnesses as they get older.

 

[Pats]

I agree with @Rasputin about the pat on the back thing. If someone is doing something nice for anyone, you can about bet there's a camera somewhere. To be totally honest I don't even know what I would like to see happen. You don't want the kids growing up with the entitlement attitudes and I agree that often happens when a person or a group is being catered to. Just a little understanding and acceptance, I think, is all anyone needs and is looking for. When you start going past those things it might start going the wrong way in a different direction.

I just got off the phone with my daughter and we were talking about school. I was saying that I never understood kids liking school and people liking going to work. I hated both. Second grade I was already begging my mom to let me quit school. I hated working just as much. Had I not been forced to have to do those things, I would not have done them. So if catering to my needs would have gotten me home schooled (which wasn't really a thing back then) and I hadn't been forced to face life in society I would never have learned to cope in society. Yes, masking involved, but so what really. It got me through. Would I have been better off to been allowed to spend my life at home, not having to go out into society? I'm sure that's what I would have chosen. Would I have been better off if I had been catered to? Probably worse off. Would I have been better off to have had autism acknowledged and adjustments made growing up? You're right, not if those adjustments would stop when I reached adulthood. I learned to do what I had to do, like everyone else. The only difference is that I never understood how others could be happy doing these things and I was miserable.

 

[Judge]

I've posted here for years now, pointing out the obvious that continues to elude much of the Neurotypical world.

That autistic children grow up to be autistic adults.

It's almost as if there's the perception that with enough therapy, we simply outgrow autism. It simply ain't so.

Though there remains one dynamic that continues to stand in the way of progress. That there aren't many of us on the spectrum who are cut out to be effective communicators or "ambassadors" to the Neurotypical world.

 

[tducey]

It's good to see people cater to kids with Autism for sure but I do agree that kids with autism become adults with Autism. Hope to see more attention brought to that going forward.

 

[Major Tom]

I agree there needs to be more adult autism awareness. I can't be open about being autistic, because I'd lose my job and people would also treat me differently. If you can and are brave enough, being open about autism is a good step in the right direction, but first I'd let people get to know me first. I think that way they will have an easier time accepting autism and maybe shed a good light on the condition.

 

[Thinx]

Well, it mirrors a lot of other types of social ignorance and prejudice unfortunately. For example, general prejudice against elders. Who are very routinely patronised, dismissed and written off as irrelevant.

There are initiatives for change, and I think there's a slight improvement in awareness around adult autism. But way too much ignorance, and in a way the growth in awareness of the condition is currently being matched by a growth in negative prejudice, because awareness is based on negative stereotypes of autism.

Hence most of us don't want to come out at work, same as being gay in some work settings.

 

[SusanLR]

I feel like the special treatments mentioned that are given to autistic children are not truly done with
the right intentions.
Certain groups do these things to bring noteriety to themselves.
A way of saying, "Hey, look at me. I'm treating an autistic child extra nice!"
It's done for a show to make themselves look good and not really any reason behind it for
actual help for the child.

Autism awareness is needed, but, for all age groups.
It's always nice to see ANY child smile and feel happy, no matter their condition or background.
But, I see society failing to even try to find ways of making life better for
adults and seniours.
If anything, it seems they want to make it more difficult for us.

 

[UberScout]

Let's not forget how other conditions are viewed. Sure, you have something like, say, Down Syndrome, feel free to be yourself, but if you're autistic? God forbid I blink with one eye at a time.

You know what it is? People with autism, well, high-functioning autism, don't *act* like they have it, so they just appear normal to society. Therefore, nobody assumes any different.

Still, it's a big problem. Like I said, eyes need to open.

 

[SDRSpark]

I've posted here for years now, pointing out the obvious that continues to elude much of the Neurotypical world.

That autistic children grow up to be autistic adults.

It's almost as if there's the perception that with enough therapy, we simply outgrow autism. It simply ain't so.

Though there remains one dynamic that continues to stand in the way of progress. That there aren't many of us on the spectrum who are cut out to be effective communicators or "ambassadors" to the Neurotypical world.

Wait, I was supposed to outgrow it? I thought I was just supposed to disappear in a puff of unicorn glitter.

Darn, I've been going about this all wrong. *grin*

 

[Ken S.]

I personally have told everyone I consider a friend I have ASD.
Have I lost friends over it?
No, because if they are truly friends they will overlook your shortcomings.
Have people quit communication with me because of it?
Yes, because they are shallow and not worth my time anyway.

 

[Judge]

Wait, I was supposed to outgrow it? I thought I was just supposed to disappear in a puff of unicorn glitter.

Darn, I've been going about this all wrong. *grin*

You have to wonder at times over policies that allow government to terminate existing support for autistic children who inevitably reach the age of 18.

Especially when there are other entitlements that are not so age-specific.

 

[Ylva]

The Policeman lets the autistic kid sit in the car and turn the siren on.

Sounds cruel.

Whatever NTs do, there is a meme behind it.

 

[Joel's Hear]

Reminds me of the lyrics from an old Jim Croce song, "You say you love the baby, but you crucify the man." A commentary on the fact that as soon as something isn't cute, or doesn't work for them, they drop it. "Oh how cute he is!" they say about my low-functioning autistic son. But I know as soon as he's grown they'll try to blame him for everything he can't help. They'll take the kid gloves off and bring out the nine-inch nails. I'll be there for him then.

So many people live their entire existence trying to LOOK good, while avoiding any and every possibility to actually BE good. And that's a fact. "Crusaders" who will look for any ol' BS to make a deal about, though they don't care it about it at all, and wouldn't put any effort into it if it really mattered.

There, I said it.