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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I understand that treatments for each level might be different, but based on my experiences with autistic people it really does seem like a spectrum. I know one kid who will close his eyes and rock back and forth as far as physically possible. He can hardly have a back and forth conversation, and laughs and talks to himself loudly at inappropriate times. He cannot come up with his own answers to assignments that require original sentences. Another autistic kid I know has back and forth conversations in some context, but not others (he can ask for clarification when receiving instructions, but in casual conversation either doesn't respond or responds with something completely off topic). He rocks back and forth in a less exaggerated manner with his eyes glazed over, and blurts out comments. Other kids just talk at me but can have reciprocal conversations with friends, just in a really off manner and don't ask follow-up questions, and they flap their hands at random moments.

Maybe these are just all level 1, but the first kid and the last kids I mentioned seem to have different levels of support needs. [/quote]

The traits you are describing sound significantly more severe than the many, many parents who post on here about their HFA ASD kids - whose only "symptoms", for example, are sensitivity in large crowds, can make eye contact (but prefer not to), and have difficulty navigating social norms in casual chit chat.  You are describing three kids with pretty clear autism symptoms, and in fact they all share symptoms with each other - but have varying levels of severity.  You describe them as level 1, but given what my own level 1 kid looks like (and the other HFA ASD kids i see described here), i thought for sure you were describing Level 2 , if not level 3.  The HFA ASD kids i see frequently described on this site are much milder than your descriptions, and share NO traits with the buckets you describe above.

That is the issue.  [/quote]

So just my own personal story. I was talking to my kids therapist and she mentioned that he has likely ADHD but that the lines between ADHD and autism can be blurred. I have never once thought my kid was autistic but sometimes he gets overwhelmed and will shut down (not communicate). When he was younger his shutdowns would happen for 30 plus minutes. Now he is older and he recovers in under 2 minutes. I Personally think these are ADHD related (they often happen when he has to make a quick rushed decision).

He doesn't have any repetitive movements, he doesn't have any communication issues when (outside these incidents, which occur maybe 2 times a month, maybe less). But he doesn't have any issue with back and forth conversations He doesn't seem to have issues making friends although he is not an extrovert. No hand flapping. No difficulty switching activities. With new activities he will take a bit to warm up but then usually jumps right in.  As for sensory issues he sometimes says certain pairs of socks feel weird, but that is about it. No issues with eye contact and has a very high emotional IQ.

BUT that is apparently enough for a "it is probably ADHD but he could be masking ASD" diagnosis. Obviously hugely different than my nephew that is almost 30 and unable to speak/communicate, continues to elope (now breaking into neighbors homes) and will never live independently. And it is also different from my other nephew who had one time was diagnosed with Aspberger's and has hand flapping and the communication/eye contact issues

Anyway, I don't know how that wide range of differences really impacts the world. I will say there within social media there are a lot of parents whose kids have severe autism that are struggling w/in the community right now because they are being pushed aside by creators with Level 1 Autism. They are even accused of abusing their children because they are speaking for their kids and not letting their child be their own advocate. They are bullied if they ever express desire that their kids didn't struggle with autism. Because to a lot of people Autism is just some quirky way the brain works "autism is my super power" and those with severe symptoms who need significant support are ignored and swept aside.

Do I think this is the DSM's fault? No, probably not. At least not entirely. But i Hitnk there are a lot of people right now who feel ignored. [/quote]

You’re making a bunch of different points here.
The central point is not about the feelings of anyone - honestly. The central point is that someone speculating that your kid ‘might’ have autism is indicative of the fact that the criteria for dx the dsm gives are too broad and too subjective.
If the dsm gave an option for ‘traits’ of autism to guide practitioners and did not require an all or nothing approach - yes you would still have a spectrum but to qualify for a full dx you’d need significant impairment (that community would feel seen) and the traits people could also be more easily dx and understood like your child [/quote]

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