Too Many Auties/Aspies

[granolaturtle]

@granolaturtle , while I agree that the therapies were more primitive, one can still spot the LFAs of the time and there were significantly fewer.

Yes, because they didn't know as much about autism. People still diagnose nonverbal autistic people and those who have more autism related issues, it's not like that stopped. That doesn't have anything to do with legitimacy of those diagnosed today.

 

[Crossbreed]

People still diagnose nonverbal autistic people and those who have more autism related issues, it's not like that stopped.

That end of the spectrum is on the rise. HFAs have always (quietly?) been in the background.

 

[granolaturtle]

That end of the spectrum is on the rise. HFAs have always (quietly?) been in the background.

I don't know if quietly. I imagine people that are now diagnosed with HFA used to be diagnosed primarily with things like OCD, major depression, "manic depression" (as bipolar used to be called), I wouldn't be surprised if 1960s psychologists mistook some autistics with noticeble habits and issues (such as monotone, withdrawing from people and public, "odd gait", meltdowns, etc...) as schizophrenic or some similar label. Even today ASD women and girls are frequently misdiagnosed with things like BPD.

For example, I have noticeble issues (to the point where I do use the disability label and make use of accommodations). Now some of it would have been thought of as character flaws, but I think in a 1960s world I probably would have gotten some sort of diagnosis for something.

 

[Crossbreed]

..., but I think in a 1960s world I probably would have gotten some sort of diagnosis for something.

Nerds, geeks, eccentrics, weirdos.

 

[Forgotten Aspie]

I'm 59 and I'm going for a professional diagnoses for ASD in two weeks. Back when I was in 6th grade ( 1969ish) I was given the diagnoses of ADHD/ Dyslexia/ Cross-dominance / Minimal brain damage due to hypoxia at birth - I think what they were looking at was Asperger Syndrome or what is now Autism Spectrum Disorder, but it was not on their radar at the time... Asperger was added to the DSM-IV in 1994 - 25 years after I was diagnosed. So that factor alone, leads me to believe there are many others who were misdiagnosed too who, like me, are coming to realize they are on the spectrum.

 

[WereBear]

if 1960s psychologists mistook some autistics with noticeble habits and issues (such as monotone, withdrawing from people and public, "odd gait", meltdowns, etc...) as schizophrenic or some similar label.

I went into therapy for anxiety and perfectionism... and it did help. But despite a couple of years of therapy with a licensed professional with autism in her own family, no one ever figured it out.

Which is why I tracked down a highly qualified diagnostician experienced with women and adults. And endured six hours of testing.