So many posts about ASD recently

amother

Dahlia

Wed, May 22 2024, 2:59 pm

amother OP wrote:

Is it really happening so much more frequently?
Is it being over diagnosed so kids can get therapy covered by insurance?

The mothers who are posting about extremely challenging behavior are obviously dealing with kids who meet the criteria.

amother

Caramel

Wed, May 22 2024, 3:00 pm

There is more awareness. I know people who just suffered through life not understanding why basic things were difficult for them.

I don’t see so many posts. Also keep in mind people can post multiple posts so you don’t know if it’s someone’s 10th post or if it’s someone who never posted before.

amother

Azalea

Wed, May 22 2024, 3:01 pm

amother Chicory wrote:

Also the criteria for ASD has been made wider. So many things that did not used to be classified as ASD are now given that diagnosis.

Thats a good thing. I wasn't elligable for an asperges diagnosis because I was" too high functioning", learned to make eye contact, and masked a bit. I was given the term PDD-NOS which basically meant "something is wrong with you but it doesn't fit a caterogry we made so here's a label for anyone and everyone."

amother

Navyblue

Wed, May 22 2024, 11:31 pm

It's risen dramatically. I went to public school 30 years ago. There were 3 profoundly [crazy] kids in my grade (didn't speak, pushed around in wheelchairs, special ed program only). They could have had severe ASD but could have been any other severe mental retardation as well, I wasn't privy to their diagnosises. No one in my grade has DS though. I would have recognized that when I was older because of the distinct facial features.

Then there were the kids who were a little bit weird, but at the same time mostly normal. Maybe some had Autism, but I find it absurd to suggest everyone is who socially off or "weird" has Autism.

Now 5 of my cousins have 15 kids between them. 2 have moderate Autism, which I did not see anyone in my class have. Not severly [crazy], but severly disruptive behavior, never play with other kids, need to be dressed at age 9, 9 year old can't write his name, etc. Another little girl is diagnosed with ASD, but seems pretty normal to me, I would have counted her as normal if she had gone to my school. Then there is a boy who is 18 now and I never met him, my Dad met him many times and says he "might" have ASD, bit he hasn't been diagnosed.

So definitely part of it is diagnosing now where they wouldn't have 30 years ago, but those 2 out of 15 of my cousins' kids having something no one in my class of 120 had... something is different, in a bad way. I wish scientists would spend more time trying to find out what IS causing it, not just telling us what doesn't cause it and telling us to relax.

amother

Navyblue

Wed, May 22 2024, 11:33 pm

Ooh, so imamother automatically changes a certain word to "crazy" and it's kinda offensive. Wasn't me who said "crazy". I think the PC term is "profound intellectual disability". I used what was the PC term 30 years ago, which still sounds way nicer than "crazy".

amother

Bottlebrush

Thu, May 23 2024, 12:48 am

amother Navyblue wrote:

Now 5 of my cousins have 15 kids between them. 2 have moderate Autism, which I did not see anyone in my class have. Not severly [crazy], but severly disruptive behavior, never play with other kids, need to be dressed at age 9, 9 year old can't write his name, etc. Another little girl is diagnosed with ASD, but seems pretty normal to me, I would have counted her as normal if she had gone to my school. Then there is a boy who is 18 now and I never met him, my Dad met him many times and says he "might" have ASD, bit he hasn't been diagnosed.

Boys or girls?

If you went to a girls school you may not be familiar with how HFASD boys present.

HFASD girls you definitely had in your class and likely would've classed them as normal.