How common is autism among close family and friends?

My son and half brother are diagnosed. Me, my sister and my dad suspect we are, but due to age and gender haven’t been.

Crocheting attracts many autistic women.

My DD is diagnosed. I have since realised her Dad is but undiagnosed. Doing research I have noticed a lot of traits in myself. Then I started noticing a lot of traits in friends and colleagues. I am starting to wonder who is actually neurotypical at this point.

@JLou08 ah thanks, so out of date rather than actually wrong. That makes sense.

The 1% is a very dated statistic. There hasn't been a count of diagnosed autistic people for years.

How do you know what's happening when you're not with them?

When they meet the diagnostic criteria as listed in the ICD 11 (or 10? Can't remember which is the most recent) and/or the DSM-V

London. Waiting list is about 2 years, bit less maybe. I refer probably 5-8 children a year, some start school with a diagnosis or on the pathway.

Ute Frith been discredited as she seems to think it’s ok to deny women and girls an autism diagnosis.

https://www.autism.org.uk/blog/challenging-misinformation-about-autism-using-evidence-to-correct-false-claims

@Ponderingwindow may I ask what hobbies these are? It would be so nice for dd to find her tribe.

I don't think you'll get a very representative sample on this thread because it will attract people who do have autistic friends/family.

Pretty much everyone I know would know a number of people with a diagnosis.
Over 30 friends with it were often diagnosed more recently. In the 90s, the only people I knew who were diagnosed tended to be non-verbal/some used nappies, and the term Aspergers tended to be used in the noughties for people who had autism but without what some called "profound" traits.
Professor Ute Frith argues that the term now is used very differently, so depending in the age group you ask, you are likely to get a range of answers.

@momtoboys asd effects about 4% of the general population and often runs in families.
Unfortunately many people self diagnose or get diagnosed by useful idiots on the Internet because they have a few traits or think that they or their family members are displaying traits. The big problem with this is its perfectly possible to be neurotypical and still display some asd traits and most people either dont realise this or are so desperate for a label that they ignore it.
Basically there's an artificial over representation of people claiming to be autistic (who aren't autistic) usually shouting over actually autistic people, taking over asd support groups and often spouting nonsense about it being a super power.
Hint asd is not a super power its a bloody difficult disability to live with that causes life long difficulties

The 1% thing is wildly inaccurate. Im a teacher and just thinking of my last few classes, there's can be 3-6 per 30 diagnosed with Autism.

I have Autism too, and I'm astounded it wasn't picked up in school. I was alone almost the entire time. I dont know anyone outside my family with it (in my family there is some recently diagnosed level 1 types plus profoundly autistic diagnosed 25+ years ago) because I keep to myself and don't have any friends!

The criteria is way too wide. Even the 1-3 levels aren't great. Im more disabled than level 1 but don't quite meet everything on level 2. I also think the 'impact on life' is way too subjective. Will people consider themselves disabled socially if they don't have a big group of friends?

Where are you op? Do you know anyone who's autistic? I'm guessing not, and that your question was rhetorical and intended as a "gotcha" ("why, op, you're right, we don't know anyone who's autistic in real life, so they must all be pretending"). FFS!

I am (tiptoe walking, speech issues, relationship issues) but have managed to work full time for 40 years, and one sister. One niece. Both also working professionally.

An aunt who was labelled the family's black sheep. Going back further, a distant great aunt who was sent to an institution for being "unmanageable"

Ds and all the other boys in the family seem to have avoided it.

Autism runs in one side of my family, probably through generations. Luckily (as I have seen the struggles of people in my family) I (and my DC) did not inherit it

My children (3) all have ND diagnosis. It probably comes from both me and my Ex. A Niece is also diagnosed, and I can see traits in grandparents. I also work for an organisation (very Mathsy) which attracts a lot of ND people.
And then my children in their own way have made a lot of ND friends.
I was dyspraxic (obviously although it wasn’t really a diagnosis then) as a child. 1 of my children was diagnosed at 9 (but had already diagnosed herself), another was diagnosed as dyslexic at 6/7.

It's a whole spectrum - some people live with it - and live WITH people with it - others cannot live without support - or would be safe being independant. I do think it is over-diagnosed and misdiagnoses - or ignored by schools and parents- (I have an autistic son)

Not diagnosed but we have a friend we suspect is autistic. His partner is positive he is.

I have a colleague with an autistic son. Severely so, he is 23 but can’t live independently. Sadly, he can’t live with her as he’s violent.

What has happened is social media.
And as a result you get lots of people advising someone they don’t really know.

Autism and ADHD run in both mine and DH's families. I suspect it's a case of "like attracts like" which is why it seems so prevalent in some groups and is almost non-existent in others.

I have autism, as do my dad and his sister. Their dad would undoubtedly have been diagnosed too. Sisters' eldest is also autistic. Another sister is ADHD as are her children.

DH has ADHD and I suspect both parents are/were ND - dad definitely autistic and I suspect mum was too. DH is probably also autistic but undiagnosed and I would say the same for at least one of his siblings.

I also have several friends who are autistic.

I convinced a significant amount of my family have undiagnosed autism

I don't have any close family or friends who are autistic. However I do have a work colleague who is probably autistic but not formally diagnosed. They have worked for many years in the same organisation and although no formal adjustments have been made over time other staff have changed their approach in he way in which they interact with him. He is very focused and pays a lot of attention to detail but isn't able to multi task and struggles if there is more than a minimal amount of noise.

My son is autistic. Would likely have received an Asperger’s diagnosis when that was still given, but struggles enough that he requires specialist schooling.

I don’t think DH or I are autistic, but I think my brother definitely is (he agrees) and my FIL probably is too. I also see traits in family members on my mum’s side.