#early diagnosed autism

[zebulontheplanet]

I'm not that other anon asking about self diagnosis, and i'm here to ask about your opinions on formal diagnosis, early to late diagnosis?

My friend's diagnosed earlier and she hates that people online have been saying that's a privilege. I personally agree with her.

Hi! I believe that people online are taking things out of proportion.

Yes, getting diagnosed early in itself is a good thing because anything diagnosed early is good! But it’s not exactly a privilege, I don’t think that’s the right word that people should be using.

Kids cannot consent. They cannot consent to getting a diagnosis, to getting the possibly traumatic therapies that come with having an early autism diagnosis, the abuse, the neglect, the problems with medical staff when you have an early diagnosis, etc.

Privilege is not the right word. Yes, they can feel as if the person is “lucky” for getting a early diagnosis, but privilege isn’t the right word I think.

It’s hard. Cause you’re allowed to be jealous and I think a lot of people don’t realize that. You’re allowed to be jealous and upset you weren’t diagnosed early in life, you’re allowed to wonder and think and act upset, but taking away the experiences of people with early diagnosis because it’s a “privilege” isn’t good.

[defectivegembrain]

I think something people don't acknowledge enough though is that people getting diagnosed with autism as adults now are not experiencing what they would have when they were younger but just too late. The public image of autism has changed a lot. When you think oh I could've had this understanding and acceptance earlier on, chances are no you couldn't. Those of us who got diagnosed as kids really often didn't get that. Even in cases where people around us were well meaning. There was not the understanding. It's still lacking of course, but it's changed, in some ways for the better. It is in the same climate that missed lots of people's autism that others grew up with the highly stigmatised label. It hurt us all in different ways.

[weirdyn]

As another high needs person YES! A lot of my meltdowns are caused by difficulty with communication. Having complex communication needs is hard especially when those around you don’t know/understand your needs & you can’t explain them accurately (in a way they can understand). This is a problem with my mom & me. It becomes so frustrating and exhausting. I wish people would see me for me for my needs as opposed to what others say about my condition.

it okay need help not bad thing should not be shamed

but same time want talk about just how annoying am need help every day with basic thing how many times don’t want need help just want be able do by self no other people

me situation, for example:

many thing, so private. like physical help get dressed n shower. even for me who don’t have many sense of what private, it still annoying not able get be alone need be with people all time and cannot be stopped that they start talking.

in fact when need help many bADLs, people around all time. am have hard time communicate, and easily overwhelm by people especially if by people long time no time by self. people talk, ask questions am not able to answer (especially frustrate if obviously cannot communicate like an use AAC full time and if hands full hands dirty or AAC not with literally cannot answer, but others reasons like have hard time communicate even if AAC), or talk about self tell story vent about frustrate ask advice etc etc. (some these topic not appropriate for most hired carer to tell you when they work if you no say yes but some don’t care just do anyway and others get care by people like parents)

other times they judge they give advice that not asked for they limit what you allow do make decisions for you. they have power over you because you need them you can’t leave you force stay force listen.

then question. why so many frustrate noises why so many “tantrums” why so many behavioral problems why so many meltdowns.

even if no talk, just presence of people can make overwhelm can add cognitive load.

most people most interaction, overwhelm and cognitive load. everytime meet people, need days by self to slowly stop be overwhelm, but when live with people live with help need help most things, that never possible.

if caregiver not familiar with your need. create more frustrate.

most people no true concept of how disability work. (yes this include what disabled community here complain as “overrepresented disabilities” like paraplegic & SCI etc). don’t realize how many detail come with. from everyday people to people who “work in” disability fields. even disabled people, not have all disabilities, not know all disabilities.

so many little detail. no do not walk infront of me in wheelchair or else will run into you. but yes need follow behind you can’t navigate on own. no do not ask me open end questions when i hand full can’t use AAC. no your “how far is far” “how long is long” very different from my disabled versions.

and. am communication disabled. all these thoughts n needs, trapped inside. no one can read mind. hard time explain hard time even start communicate.

even well meaning caregivers genuine try ask what need and no need help with so they know when help when no help, not infantize you or see you as super crip can do everything, perfect person perfect scenario—even that get frustrate get tiring.

but more frequently, will meet the assume normal until otherwise “you can’t do that??” or opposite assume can’t do anything can’t understand anything get surprised at able do any little thing.

even if know everything about disability (which, gosh would avoid so much headache), every disabled person need different, still need explain.

the get to know phase. so exhausting.

everything about me need care, exhausting. this only fraction.

[autistic-rose]

A lot of people in the autistic and disabled community seems to think early diagnosis is privilege.

I was not privileged when i got diagnosed in an abusive psych ward just to get my needs denied because i needed to "be more autonom".

I was not privileged when my mother/carer said horrible things to me because of my autism diagnosis.

I was not privileged every time allistic people used my disability to make me suffer, i was not privileged everytime i was neglected despite officially needing a carer.

All the early diagnosed autistics who were abused, or even literally died because of ableism and abusive carers were not privileged.

Early diagnosis isn't a privilege, many early diagnosed autistics are also HrSN, and that makes them not privileged at all.

Diagnosis isn't a privilege.

What is a privilege :

- having access to good/safe care and support

- having access to good/safe therapy

- having understanding and safe carers or family

And a lot of early diagnosed people do not have all these privileges.

[frobby]

yukio: nissan i know you're autistic which gives you some leeway but you have to commit to your studies and work hard even though im normal i still-

Rin: i thought that stuff was genetic

Yukio: .......

[cattistic]

Early Diagnosed Autistics are the Minority in the Main Autism Community Online

I've just noticed that there are barely any early diagnosed autistics online, well, except for me and a few other people on Twitter.

And i've just realized that this is a problem, as we're being pushed out from the community at large and we barely, once again, see or talk to one another. This is real bad and we feel like we're alone in a community, where we thought we'd be accepted or respected in the community at large.

So, i have resolved this problen with a rather temp solution by creating a subreddit on here that's only for the early diagnosed autistics. The main voice is the early diagnosed.

[caligvlasaqvarivm]

wanna ask how you feel about the eridan bpd headcanon/theory(?? not sure what to call it!) you're so good at your character analysis and i'd love to see your outlook on it

Since I don't have a degree or any formal training in psychology, I feel deeply uncomfortable diagnosing characters. I've made an autism joke before but only because I'm on the spectrum. He's definitely traumatized and anxious, but I mean those as descriptors of his behavior rather than capital-D Diagnoses. I try to focus on those when I can - the cause and effect of cognition, self-image, and behavior - and those factors may very well match up with DSM criteria, but I try not to touch an actual diagnosis with a ten foot pole unless the author has explicitly stated that X character has Y condition.

[youdontlookautistic]

Don't let age be the excuse you stop growing. The moment you accept that, you ded.

[kindest-little-fella-in-town]

i want to clarify that when i say autistic morris i dont mean like “stimmy socially-inept infodumper” autistic morris. i mean like “too paranoid to get too close with anyone without cutting them off, starts thinking about suicide if the jojamart layout is changed and starts drafting a plan if the schedule changes, would drink an entire bucket of small needles in one gulp if it made him appear normal and would refuse to see a doctor afterwards” morris.

[zebulontheplanet]

hi! may i ask what the difference is between late diagnosed autistic people and ones who were diagnosed earlier? i was diagnosed when i was five and im just curious as to what the difference is between the groups since i've seen you talk about late diagnosed people in general

Hey anon! Sorry for the late response. I’ve been taking a small break from asks. Anyways!

All in all, Late diagnosed folks and Early diagnosed folks have things in common, the big one being that they’re both autistic.

Experiences are different, however I want people to realize that even late diagnosed folks have a different experience from other late diagnosed folks. You can be any support needs and be late diagnosed. I know late diagnosed folks who are low, medium, and high support needs. I know early diagnosed folks who are low, medium, and high support needs.

Is it more common for high support needs folks to be diagnosed early? Yes! But that isn’t a universal experience. There are multiple reasons someone might be late diagnosed.

From being someone who lives in a country that doesn’t know much about autism, to neglect, to lack of funds and insurance for a diagnosis, to being not white or able bodied, to so many things!

The experiences of late and early diagnosed folks are different, but being early diagnosed doesn’t automatically mean that someone got the support they needed. Tons of early diagnosed folks are early diagnosed, slapped with the autism diagnosis, and sent on their way without any support towards their families. This could be for multiple reasons, and I won’t get into that now.

The main group that dominates social media is late diagnosed, usually white, very low support needs people. Yes, any autism awareness is good! But sometimes, too much of awareness of one thing makes it so the awareness and understanding of something is overshadowed and overlooked. This is why a lot of higher support needs, early diagnosed folks have been screaming out for their experiences to be more centered. However, that doesn’t mean that low support needs, late diagnosed folk don’t have a place within the community. They absolutely do! A very important place.

In all, the divide within the community is huge, and while divide in the community is ok, it shouldn’t be so big in my opinion. We need to be on each others side, and that’s hard right now due to the huge divide. However, the divide is happening within the house. And that’s a BIG problem. Although, more people have to realize that late diagnosed and early diagnosed folk have a lot more in common than they realize.

I hope this explains some and if you have any specific questions then let me know! Have a lovely day anon!

[petrow1tch]

They weren't lying, this psychological recovery journey got hands

[starstruckautisic]

i hate being autistic. like wdym one day you’re obsessed over HTTYD then the next you’re now obsessing over Tokyo Revengers? What do you mean you don’t even read or watch the stuff?? Wdym that you stumbled upon a fandom then forgot about for like a year then came back to it to obsess STILL WITHOUT WATCHING OR READING IT!?! What do you mean that you thought you were going through a normal new fandom but it’s now been ur life for 8 months?? Wdym you’re obsessed with Harry Potter and his dead parents??

list of my fandoms for the past 3 months :)

The Owl House

Divergent

Countryhumans

Miraculous

Dream SMP

Modern Family

Harry Potter

All For The Game

How To Train Your Dragon

Song of Achilles

Circe

Amphibia

Percy Jackson And The Olympian’s

Our Walk Home

Heartstopper

A Good Girls Guide to Murder

Grey’s Anatomy

Omori

The Black Phone

School Bus Graveyard

Encanto

Out of my Mind

Camp Camp

Manifest

Five Night at Freddy’s

Wednesday

Haikyuu

Once Upon a Time

All of us are Dead

Squid Game

Tokyo Revengers

Camp Cretaceous

The Walking Dead

Avengers

Stranger Things

Red White and Royal Blue

[energon-keeper]

There is not enough early diagnosed autistic girls on the internet so here I am.

I was never a gifted student, I was probably called an old soul in high school, I never learned how to mask, I had meltdowns in school, and I wore ear protectors.

If anything I was probably that freak who drew in the classroom and cried a lot because I had no friends (I’m fixing that right now, but I might be aplatonic)

I was diagnosed at 10 but didn’t know about autism until 8th grade but I always knew I was different and it was scary, I fit into a few stereotypes but that doesn’t matter.

Sometimes I wished I was never born autistic but if I can’t cure it I might as well deal with it.

[gentle-menace]

"autistics actually have such high empathy it hurts!" Please. Please shut the fuck up.

- an autist with low/0 empathy

[saltybadgers]

Hey Early Diagnosed Autistics

I wanna know if this experience is common/relatable in any way. But specifically to those of us diagnosed at a young age. No shade to late diagnosed autistics ofc, I just feel late diagnosed folk feeling this is a given. But please let me know your thoughts either way, along with what age you were diagnosed. I'm curious.

Do you ever question what your special interest is?

Like I've been diagnosed twice, once when I was 5 and again when the criteria changed. I always thought my special interest was dragons. But now I'm thinking is it more broad than that? I had a lot of hyperfixations growing up. Evolution, spore, greek mythos, werewolves, lilo & stitch, and of course a myriad of other media. I know your hyperfixations don't always align with your special interest. Special interest is something you never get tired of, from what I've seen. And I never get tired of dragons. But it's so broad.

I've loved all the HTTYD movies, but never watched the show, despite it having my special interest as a center-point. Never read Wings of Fire. As I mentioned I liked greek mythos, but only recently as an adult have I started reading the Percy Jackson series.

I'm just wondering, was the special interest dragons, or just the broad concept of fantasy & storytelling?

None of y'all know me, a stranger on the internet. So I'm not asking anyone to answer these questions about myself. I'm just asking if this is a relatable experience for those of us that knew we're autistic most of our lives.

[bigmammallama5]

Hello, you recently reblogged that post about autism in media v reality and commented that it overlaps with adhd.

If you don't mind, could you elaborate on this?

Here is a small article from ADDitude magazine from this January that briefly touches on this, and one from last year that also breaks it down without little anecdotes (a little easier imo). This publication is one that my behavioral therapist's office often will send useful articles from, they feel almost too simple to read but i've noticed that they seem to be formatted for people with ADHD. But they do work with board-certified medical professionals and are consistently fact-checking and updating their articles to contain accurate information and research. There are plenty of articles connected to these so I thought it was a good place to begin, as I'm still learning too. Doctors are thankfully doing more research on both of these diagnosis, and I was hesitant to include links from doctor-i-run-a-blog-and-got-diagnosed.

But just on the surface from what I remember from visits with my doctor, both diagnosis have shared comorbidities (such as anxiety, depression, OCD, bipolar, EDs) and shared symptoms ( such as sensory issues, impulse control issues, emotional regulation difficulties, executive functioning difficulties, rejection-sensitivity, special interests, higher risk of substance abuse, other ND communication patterns, and even stimming). It is not uncommon for a child to be misdiagnosed with ADHD when they really should receive treatment for ASD, or vice versa. Sometimes they go hand in hand. It's all very interconnected.

Again, I'm no doctor and this is just what I've learned from mine! I would encourage you to contact your healthcare provider for more information, or ask them to help you connect with a behavioral therapist that specializes in ADHD treatment.