How common is ASD

[glowyjuice]

Hi I'm posting this as just to see what other peoples opinions are, I've read that about 1% of people have a diagnosis of ASD, I'm wondering do you think taking into account those who are undiagnosed would this figure be much higher? I do sometimes wonder how many undiagnosed adults or even children there are out there.

@Popsicle438

If you believe mumsnet, almost everyone This 100%. I so often wonder why every other poster has a child with ASD and/ or SEN. Is it that these posters are more likely to ask for advice?

Well yes, having DC with ASC brought me to mumsnet because the SN boards were actually full of solid information rather than sentimental crap about special children for special parents.

I'm a teacher and every class I have ever taught has had at least one child diagnosed with autism. There is usually another 2 children in each class that I would highly suspect are autistic and have communicated this to the parents but they have chosen not to pursue a diagnosis.

I have wondered similarly sheiselectric. I wonder if the "1 in a 100" statistic is because anyone 40+ was far less likely to be diagnosed. So as time goes on this might increase.

I've read figures that vary between 1/100 and 1/70 people.

@PickAChew

Absolutely agree. Same here. The best advice and info I've had has been from other SEND parents, and Mumsnet is bloody useful for that.

whistlers

It all depends to what extent it affects your daily life. If you're happy as you are at home and at work, then do nothing. If you're affected and need reasonable adjustments, then seek an assessment, preferably by someone who understands female presentation.

Don't forget, many of us have traits, but it's the traits since childhood and the intensity of their presentation in each individual which determines whether they have a diagnosis.

This is one of the best threads I've read regarding living with neurodiversity in adulthood.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/a4309176-To-ask-what-its-like-to-be-neurodiverse?msgid=109547930

Having ASD I find I don't have in depth conversations with a lot of people in RL so I rely on online environments for understanding certain situations better. Generally I also like reading the variety of views that there are over different situations. I can sometimes fall into lazy thinking that there's always a "right" answer. I have 2 children also with asd. I had an adult dx as I know there's a lot of the population that will conclude I shouldn't have had children knowing my problems always fun to get told that

@Popsicle438

If you believe mumsnet, almost everyone This 100%. I so often wonder why every other poster has a child with ASD and/ or SEN. Is it that these posters are more likely to ask for advice?

I originally joined MN on 2008 for the SN support board as my eldest was on the waiting list for an ASD assessment. I then recommended it to others on the parenting forum I was on (now Dunnington iVillage) as it was crap for SEND support.

I think it's quite probable DH and I are ND but I'd never pursue an assessment. As I think it would just be used against us by certain professionals, particularly as I believe the SEND reforms is going to be detrimental for our DC.

[quote BlankTimes]whistlers

It all depends to what extent it affects your daily life. If you're happy as you are at home and at work, then do nothing. If you're affected and need reasonable adjustments, then seek an assessment, preferably by someone who understands female presentation.

Don't forget, many of us have traits, but it's the traits since childhood and the intensity of their presentation in each individual which determines whether they have a diagnosis.

This is one of the best threads I've read regarding living with neurodiversity in adulthood.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/a4309176-To-ask-what-its-like-to-be-neurodiverse?msgid=109547930[/quote]
I think it's probably too late for me.

If I was secondary school age it would be absolutely beneficial for friendships, understating my social anxiety and why I feel so alien

@XDownwiththissortofthingX

If you believe mumsnet, almost everyone

This.

Between 1 in 60 and 1 in 70 of the general population, which is why I've always found the apparent 98% incidence in Mumsnet DC's a bit

Exactly this. When my son was diagnosed nearly 20 years ago the figure we were given was 1 in 10,000 . It sees every other kid on her has asd.

and when my son was diagnosed 13 years ago. it was 1 in 10. My son was 3 at the time the paediatrician also said he wouldn't have been diagnosed until 7 or later 10 years previously but the assessment process was able to pick up kids like him earlier.
He's nearly 16 and no one doubts his diagnosis in real life

@sheiselectric

I'm a teacher and every class I have ever taught has had at least one child diagnosed with autism. There is usually another 2 children in each class that I would highly suspect are autistic and have communicated this to the parents but they have chosen not to pursue a diagnosis.

I was about to post the exact same thing. The 1% figure really does not fit with my experiences in the classroom

So what's the consensus from old timers then?

Anyone newly diagnosed doesn't count?

Or anyone newly diagnosed is just doing it to be cool?

@XDownwiththissortofthingX

If you believe mumsnet, almost everyone

This.

Between 1 in 60 and 1 in 70 of the general population, which is why I've always found the apparent 98% incidence in Mumsnet DC's a bit

Or it could be that people with children with ASD are more likely to seek out support on an online forum, as there isn’t all that much support in real life?

I mean, fuck me, what kudos which people are supposedly claiming here when they talk about it? It's a disability.

Exactly this. When my son was diagnosed nearly 20 years ago the figure we were given was 1 in 10,000 . It sees every other kid on her has asd

So you think posters are making it up? Why would they do that?

I actually have 2 children with ASD dx . And one of those also has an ADHD dx

My brother has as and most of our family share so many defining traits but don't acknowledge them. From meeting other families with as this is so common and people get so offended if you mention a genetic link. I don't know about percentage of the population but I'd say those actually diagnosed- that number isn't even close which is a pity

My GP decided that I couldn't possibly be on the autism spectrum as I can maintain eye contact. I couldn't face going back again with my AQ test results (41). Luckily I work in a field where being an odd duck isn't too unusual though if I'm put in some situations I can crack.

I think it's probably too late for me.If I was secondary school age it would be absolutely beneficial for friendships, understating my social anxiety and why I feel so alien
Never ever ever too late, I've met tons of people in 50s and 60s diagnosed only in the last 5 or 10 years

We suspect our DD11 is autistic, we are on the beginning of a very long road to getting a diagnosis. I think it's less of a stigma to have an ASD diagnosis and parents and schools are more likely to spot it and get the help needed so it seems 'more' people have it. It's more thats it's been accepted.
My dd has masked incredibly well and I think it's only started slipping now due to lockdown and the uncertainty of the world. I'm glad we know now though and however hard it is she doesn't have to feel like she has to hide who she is anymore.

Oh and to the outside world my dd I'm sure comes across as and incredible kind caring girls, has lots of friends, is sociable, empathetic you know all the things that someone who is autistic can't be! So I'm sure people thinking I'm talking bullshit when I tell them! But they don't have to deal with the daily meltdowns when she comes home as she finds the social interactions so hard. She wants to be that girl and is but is exhausted after. I wish people could stop judging what they can't see and presume people would make something like this up about their own child. I mean what benefits are there for your child being autistic? You don't get freebies and stuff

It's around one in 30 by my estimation and observations.

I was diagnosed autistic at 45 and adhd at 50 after a lifetime of struggling and depression.

Ds1 has adhd and ds2 has autism. I tried to access help for ds1 for donkeys years, but just got fobbed off because he's very intelligent. He's only got help as an adult. We couldn't face asking for help for ds2 because the process is so humiliating and difficult.

There are a lot of ND people out there who are struggling terribly, but who try hard to hide it because it's shameful being different. We have a high incidence of mental illness and suicide. Many people in the prison system have adhd and are being failed. Lots of lives wasted.

We don't seek diagnosis to show off or something. It helps us to understand ourselves and perhaps access a few adjustments in school or work.

@ArianaDumbledore

and when my son was diagnosed 13 years ago. it was 1 in 10. My son was 3 at the time the paediatrician also said he wouldn't have been diagnosed until 7 or later 10 years previously but the assessment process was able to pick up kids like him earlier. He's nearly 16 and no one doubts his diagnosis in real life

My son was diagnosed in 2000. He was just 3. He’s at the severe end of the spectrum but even then they weren’t sure it was actual autism so his original diagnosis is communication disorder/autism. He also has severe learning disabilities. We had a very thorough assessment , it was 2 hours a week for 11 weeks at an assessment centre. At the end a multi disciplinary meeting where all HCP’s involved agreed on the diagnosis. I’ve no idea what the assessment process is like now but school wanted my youngest assessed when he was 6. I said no. He’s a perfectly typical teenager now. He has quirks but definitely nothing that would suggest he’s autistic.