Misinformation (I believe) about autism/Asperger's

[Janet]

I was just looking for info that connects the idea of highly sensitive persons (HSPs) to autism and Asperger's. I found this article and was really annoyed at what seems to be a great deal of misinformation.

I am new to this myself, but I've learned a lot n the past 1.5 weeks.

Here are some of the things she states (this might be Elaine Aron, who literally wrote the book on HSPs, or it seems to be related to her in some way).

She says that there is no connection whatsoever between HSPs and autism/Asperger's. Yet being highly sensitive seems to be one of the main symptoms.

She says there is no way to diagnose this, so you should just read up on it and make up your mind. I won't tell that to the neuropsych testing facility I'm visiting on Monday!

Here is the article. I wouldn't mind hearing from those who have more knowledge than I. I have taken quizzes for HSPs and found I qualified as an HSP long before I realized that I am likely on the spectrum.

Comfort Zone - August 2009 - Your Questions Answered

 

[tree]

Blanket statements can be irritating, for sure.
Example>>>>>

QUOTE from article:
even if a person is said to be "high functioning," there is always severe, sustained, pervasive impairment in social functioning, plus highly restricted interests or repetitive activities.
END QUOTE

 

[Catana]

I didn't read the whole thing, but the simple fact that the information in the third paragraph is way out of date and no longer applicable should tell you something. The article was written in 2009 and a lot has changed since then. Including the main topic -- sensitivities, which are now one of the diagnostic measures for autism.

I'll probably read the whole article when I can spare the time, but here are some thoughts at this moment. The "highly sensitive person" has become a both a profitable business and a source of identity for people who relate to the concept in their personal lives. It makes them special. I think it's natural that most people who identify as highly sensitive wouldn't want to be associated with autism, so denial is going to be a large part of any discussion about a relationship between the two. Not having read the article, I don't want to go any further, but I'll stand by what I said above.

 

[Catana]

Blanket statements can be irritating, for sure.
Example>>>>>

QUOTE from article:
even if a person is said to be "high functioning," there is always severe, sustained, pervasive impairment in social functioning, plus highly restricted interests or repetitive activities.
END QUOTE

It's more than irritating. It's completely inaccurate.

 

[Tom]

2009 is practically Neolithic when it comes to Autism studies.

 

[Janet]

Yeah, I realized it was from 2009 right after I made this post. At first, I though the writer just did a terrible job of checking her facts, but I guess I can cut her some slack because of that. I'm only beginning to learn about this subject myself.

 

[Tom]

Yeah, I realized it was from 2009 right after I made this post. At first, I though the writer just did a terrible job of checking her facts, but I guess I can cut her some slack because of that. I'm only beginning to learn about this subject myself.

Yeah, I gave up on it when I saw this:

"An astounding 3.4 children out of a 1000 have an ASD."

That would be about 1 out of 300 children. But the actual recognized rate in 2008 was already 1 in 88.

Data and Statistics | Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) | NCBDDD | CDC

 

[Janet]

Thanks for checking. So yeah, I really think she should have done her research before posting what appears to be her thoughts and opinions, which might be largely based on her one experience with that dad she went hiking with. As though everyone with ASD fits that profile exactly.

 

[Peter Morrison]

There are a lot of articles about Autism available through the Internet, and you have to be aware that not all articles are written by "experts". As a matter of fact, I don't believe in experts. There are people who are more knowledgable than others, but nobody has the one, right, true answer to anything. Even testing, samplings, averages, and commonalities can be misinterpreted quite easily by people working in the field. Though we are looking for medical explanations for Autism, we find it hard to measure the role of the environment in our development. That, alone, skews test results. Each of us finds coping mechanisms and develop a certain tolerance to an innate feeling that just isn't appropriate for complete and participatory functioning. We change, we adapt, or we struggle to fit in. The fundamentals are still there, but we don't know precisely why. We know it because we feel it, and each one of us acts accordingly.

 

[Crossbreed]

"An astounding 3.4 children out of a 1000 have an ASD."

That was back when they were only counting ASD2s & 3s (which were on the rise*). Those figures I've heard, even recently, were 0.4-0.5% [1 in 200-250].

1 in 88 includes ASD1s (who have always been present). Gifteds with asynchronous development have very similar qualities. That is why there is some overlap between the two.

*These figures reflect an epidemic of pronounced-to-severe co-morbid conditions, not in the base presence of ASDs.

 

[Janet]

I never heard of ASD1s, ASD2s, or ASD3s.

 

[Crossbreed]

In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM] 5, all levels of autism are given the diagnosis Autism Spectrum Disorder and a level [1-3] indicating high-functioning, mid-functioning or low-functioning.

 

[Janet]

Thanks for explaining, Crossbreed!

 

[tducey]

I'm high functioning but have my issues. I have anxiety from time to time. I can't drive and am poor at playing sports.

 

[Janet]

Yeah, I'm high functioning enough to have never known I had this until this month. But it explains so many of the difficulties in my life. So I know high functioning doesn't mean that there are no problems!

 

[Progster]

I have a theory that many adults who are diagnosed later in life are actually more severly affected by ASD than some of those diagnosed as children today. Older adults on the spectrum start from the same place, with the symptoms but not diagnosed. Some manage to adapt and cope in adulthood, but some struggle a lot more, and those are the ones who are more likely to get a diagnosis.

 

[Janet]

Oh yes. Had I known before I started college, I sure wouldn't have majored in music! Well - if I also had the support I needed. Over the decades, when I made a blunder I would not have felt so ashamed, because I would at least know there was a neurological reason. I'd feel regret, but I wouldn't be so baffled about how I could have been so awful. Most of all, with proper support, I'd have found a way to make a living that took this into account. The stress in trying to make a living and seeing my less-educated siblings succeed while I floundered for decades, and the guilt and embarrassment in having so much trouble taking care of myself financially - and in other ways. Being the person who takes the crappiest thing to the potlucks because I'm both the slowest and worst cook in the world. Yes, being diagnosed will hopefully mean I get support around these things or at minimum, understand that it's not because I'm a loser or lazy. In terms of making a living, this is essential info and I hope I can finally find a way to make a living where I use my strengths and understand my weaknesses.

 

[Joshua the Writer]

I also hate how some people think it is okay to stereotype people with autism as unreasonable, violent, and irrational, too emotional, or even not being able to have emotion.

For example: "All autistic people or everybody else on the autism spectrum is violent and aggressive." (Completely untrue. None of us are always aggro all of the time. In fact, I consider myself a pretty passive and peaceful person.)

Or, "Autistic people and aspies and too emotional and need to grow up." (I only know one other person with autism IRL who would fit under their category, and he's my best friend.)

"You can't trust an autistic person with a gun, you could never know what they might do with it./Autistic people shouldn't be allowed to have firearms." (This is obviously false, since we are able to follow rules very closely, especially firearms safety rules. I even went out shooting with my family with firearms, and I paid attention and listened to their instructions on how to operate them closely.)

I REALLY hate blanket statements. They just damage the reputation of an entire group that say you're wanting to advocate for. Blanket statements are completely stupid and hurtful.

 

[Janet]

Joshua, where did you hear these crazy ideas? The first one in particular seems ridiculous and out of the blue, and so does the third. As for being "too emotional," the idea that someone can be too anything not dangerous is subjective.

 

[Joshua the Writer]

Joshua, where did you hear these crazy ideas? The first one in particular seems ridiculous and out of the blue, and so does the third. As for being "too emotional," the idea that someone can be too anything not dangerous is subjective.

Oh, yeah. I've been on the internet to hear it all. The last one refers to somebody saying that the Florida shooter had autism, and there were occurrences before that of people saying that previous shooters had autism, as well.