Reply to Washington Post on identification of distinct autism subtypes

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The only people that seem to care are the parents of kids who have more difficult symptoms/experiences. [/quote]

I’m not sure that’s quite true. I got diagnosed recently as an adult… I’m very high functioning (have a doctorate, high paying career, etc) but have struggled socially forever and sought a diagnosis after pretty much realizing it for myself a few years back. My mother refuse to accept I have autism because her vision of autism is the very high needs, low functioning type… [/quote]

What symptoms did/do you have?

I’m asking because I believe my 18yo DD might be on the spectrum. She’s never really completely fit in with other girls her age. She’d try and like the same things but it wouldn’t come natural to her, at 13/14 when other girls were experimenting with makeup/fashion, she felt too young and wasn’t as interested, and now regularly says she still feels 12 and can’t imagine having the independence to do adult things like drive, work, etc.[/quote]

I’m fiercely independent so not like your daughter in that way. I have always, always been perceived as weird by the people around me and was severely bullied pretty much my whole life. In high school I had a girl pretty much tell me to my face that she didn’t want me to come to a social gathering because I was weird. I never understood social cues and would end up trying to mimic things I saw on tv shows to try to fit in which just made me weirder. In my adult life I don’t have many friends. I am married (my husband is also neurodivergent and accepts my weirdness). I also get really easily frustrated at things. Oh and I never realize how loud I am especially when I get excited about what I’m talking about… my husband always has to shush me, lol.

But as I said besides socially I’m prettt successful… I’ve always been smart and excelled academically and in my career. Professionally I’m able to mask and fake my way through being collegial and I supervise a ton of folks who have all raved about me as a manager, so it doesn’t manifest there… [/quote]

My story is very similar to yours.

I was honestly extremely shocked to recently find out that I’m autistic and it is still hard to accept. But a lot of things about how I was clicked — sensory issues, overstimulation, rigid thinking, needing routine. I just thought these things were apart of my personality.

I’m a fully functioning adult: I’m a mom of four kids 10 & under, graduated from a top school, earned a graduate degree, and now work as a lawyer. To most people, I’ve always appeared “normal,” and I still do. But looking back at my childhood, it’s striking to me now. Before Pre-K, I very obviously showed autistic traits and appeared autistic. As I got older—by around age 8—I learned to mask extremely well. I don’t remember learning how to mask, but as I got older it was just something that I subconsciously did. I was a very mature, intelligent child, and those strengths helped me adapt so no one including myself noticed.

I do think we can acknowledge both Level 1 ASD and profound autism at the same time. Both are real, and both deserve recognition. I strongly believe research and resources should be primarily focused on profound autism and high support needs, and should not ignored. Autism can be incredibly hard, and that reality shouldn’t be minimized.

At the same time, being “high functioning” doesn’t mean being unaffected. Even those of us who are outwardly successful still experience real challenges. There’s room for nuance here, and recognizing the full spectrum matters.[/quote]

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