It's official: Me and my kids are diagnosed autistic

[Ella Spell]

Congrats, Zozie!!

I've been following from afar and hoping you'd get another assessment.

I'm really proud of you for persevering to help your family and your own sense of self.

Bravo!

 

[Joshua the Writer]

Congrats on your diagnosis!

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

A lot of us go through life never being diagnosed I come from a family of 6, 4 brothers and a sister suspect 4 of us are on the spectrum, fortunately were all high functioning. Don't get obsessed with labels, most of us survive just fine.

 

[MuiDylan]

A lot of us go through life never being diagnosed I come from a family of 6, 4 brothers and a sister suspect 4 of us are on the spectrum, fortunately were all high functioning. Don't get obsessed with labels, most of us survive just fine.

Cool

 

[Streetwise]

That is excellent news to receive. It is important people do this in order to have legal protection and access to benefits if needed. I am almost ready to find a psychologist. It will be a bit more challenging for myself than most as a 50+ aged undiagnosed Aspie, but if and when it happens, I'll share the story.

nope what is called very high \ high functioning Autism\Aspergers syndrome is diagnosed the most in the over 50s there appears to be a backlog of people needing help oldest person 83 in the uk,Lord Cavendish born in the 1720s was thought to be high functioning, never diagnosed died age 67 .

 

[zozie]

Don't get obsessed with labels, most of us survive just fine.

It's true for some folks, but I sought this diagnosis because it hasn't been true for me. Though I guess it depends on what you mean by "survive just fine." I've been on welfare since 2009, can't seem to hold down a job, and had to go back to voc rehab after my first round because I couldn't manage the career I'd chosen. I know there are those who are employed and do well enough. I'm just not one of them, and this label helps contextualize the challenge.

On the other hand, maybe "survive just fine" means "still living", and if that's the case, then you're correct, me and my kids are still living.

Also, when your kids aren't doing well in school and are terrified of "adulting", you want to do what's best to help them. I gather I would have a very different perspective if I myself could maintain steady work and not have to rely on public assistance. The label is an important step forward, and will take on different meaning as all of us grow into it.

That said, I know that the autistic community has varying opinions on whether or not autism is an identity or a condition. I welcome discussion about that. For my part, I find it to be more of an identity, but this is a view that sort of crept up on me, I guess, the one that seemed to "fit" the best.

When my oldest came out as trans, all things trans dominated the conversation for a while. It's a similar situation here. Same when my ex got diagnosed with cancer. There's a period of letting it "sink in" where the label seems to dominate the conversation before it dies down a bit, settles. I doubt I'll have the urge to assert my identity constantly to everyone all the time forever. No, that's just one stage of accepting the label. Later, it'll sort of blend into the background, I expect, coming forward occasionally as the situation warrants.

 

[Alexej]

No, that's just one stage of accepting the label.

I was not keen on going for a diagnosis since I did not want to have a label. However, my wife pointed out that I already had a label - that of being uncaring. So have the label of autism meant that the evidence regarding "uncaring" could be put into a different light.

My 2 cents worth, is that ASC is part of my identity. (I use ASC deliberately here as opposed to ASD)

 

[zozie]

I'm going to add this news article to the mix — it came out yesterday from our local newspaper.

Provo to Get Housing for Low-Income Seniors and Autistic Residents

It would be a dream come true for one or both of my kids to be able to live in a space that took sensory needs into consideration. I did some digging and I think there are only 30 units, and it's not entirely clear if the units for autists are low-income or not. But still. It's a step in the right direction.

 

[Magna]

I'm going to add this news article to the mix — it came out yesterday from our local newspaper.

Provo to Get Housing for Low-Income Seniors and Autistic Residents

It would be a dream come true for one or both of my kids to be able to live in a space that took sensory needs into consideration. I did some digging and I think there are only 30 units, and it's not entirely clear if the units for autists are low-income or not. But still. It's a step in the right direction.

What a great idea. I hope that catches on all over the U.S. Thanks for posting.

 

[Streetwise]

I'm going to add this news article to the mix — it came out yesterday from our local newspaper.

Provo to Get Housing for Low-Income Seniors and Autistic Residents

It would be a dream come true for one or both of my kids to be able to live in a space that took sensory needs into consideration. I did some digging and I think there are only 30 units, and it's not entirely clear if the units for autists are low-income or not. But still. It's a step in the right direction.

It's probably based around the habitat for humanity model obviously knowing they can't produce a large income

 

[Tokyo Shemp]

nope what is called very high \ high functioning Autism\Aspergers syndrome is diagnosed the most in the over 50s there appears to be a backlog of people needing help oldest person 83 in the uk,Lord Cavendish born in the 1720s was thought to be high functioning, never diagnosed died age 67 .

In America, there's no such thing as asperger's for anyone over 30. They think it's a kid's thing. There's no big move here to identify the undiagnosed.

 

[Tokyo Shemp]

It's both disability and skills. It's one of those it is what it is thingies.

 

[Tokyo Shemp]

Yes, it must look good for parents of autistic children to help prove it for themselves. Older Aspies have to jump through more hoops to backtrack for info.

 

[Isadoorian]

I got diagnosed myself this past Wednesday! Not sure what "level" I'd be considered, but when my parents recieve the report then I'll know.

I always knew I was ND, having been described as having a Cognitive Delay and figured it was in part of my being born Prematurely (and weighing 1 pound 12 ounces).

I even asked my mom several years ago and she said (and I'm paraphrasing here) that because ASD and my-then-percieved Cognitive Delay overlapped, it was hard to say.