WE went a rough time a few years back when dd was 3 and she was diagnosed autistic. Non verbal and angry child, looked like everyone's steroyyype of autism.
Fast forward and she's done so well on behaviour and learning and we are delighted. However she still struggles and we work so hard to support her to be her best. Still some things are hard, but we're in a way better place.
Some people who've heard now go out their way to acost me to tell me she therefore can't be autistic. Reasons this week:
-she can now answer a simple question or two with one word answers
- she has a personality, she's not (mimic duh face here)
- autistic children are babies forever
-autistic children don't have personalities / think
- I just heard her talk
-she can count to five now (at five, with prompting)
-she's not aggressive (unless distressed she is pretty calm)
- she's just shy/ sensitive, anyone can see that
I spent ages coming to terms with it, did support groups etc to understand and get to where we are. The last thing I bloody need is people persistently telling me she isn't to try and go back to the crappy limbo stage and also end up being drawn into rehashing difficulties.
She can talk to adults yes, but she struggles with peers. Yes she talks, but like a child years younger which makes reception hard. She hurts herself. She doesn't sleep. Noise scares her. She has trouble with food/ toiletting. She runs in ththe road if not held onto at times. She gets focused on spinning and things in public and attracts attention... I could go on.
Aibu to ask people to stop and think before they do this? Fair enough if you're asked a question, but I can't understand why some people return to it over and over to discuss and disagree with a diagnosis that was a bloody long process to go through?