Anyone else noticing the uptick in open hostility towards people with ASD?

[FFSakeDrinkSake]

As the title says. It feels like it's open season recently. In the last few weeks alone I've seen many threads questioning the validity of Asd, the credentials of those diagnosing the condition, the 'explosion' of diagnosis', the 'fact' that you qualify for extra benefits if you are autistic and/or have ADHD, the apparent drain on resources kids with ASD have on the educational sector depriving others and most recently the idea that someone (self diagnosed) can 'outgrow' autism. Most of which contain the worst misinformation about what we're trying to deal with on a daily basis and making it sound like we're just trying to .. i dont even know tbh.. scam our way through life?

Disclaimer NATAAT.

We could instantly save money by building some extra schools. Small-class state schools for ND pupils with mainstream academic potential but additional needs.

Currently many parents are forced to secure expensive private provision via EHCPs.

Hopefully Keir will drop the fixation on mainstream and encourage state provision. That would really ease LA SN budgets.

Very true. I'm another woman who sought an ADHD dx but gave up due to long NHS waiting lists but Psychologist told me she thought I'd meet criteria. Not sure whether to persist but my life has always been difficult and my school years were hell (I feel lucky to have survived frankly).

Why are you looking for external causes when you can see the genetic tendency? Don't you think associative mating (aspies attract aspies) and better recognition explain everything between them?

You do know there have been large increases in the last 10 years. Medical treatment has not improved that much, and in terms of maternity care has in some areas got worse.

I actually think making the distinction between ND and NT is incredibly unhelpful, especially when the science isn't strong enough yet to substantiate taking such a black and white approach.

You often hear how ND people have brains that are 'wired differently' but actually it currently isn't possible to diagnose ADHD or ASD with a brain scan. Diagnosis relies on subjective assessments of behaviour, which in the case of ADHD in particular is often self reported. Of course there is are 'objective' tests undertaken by professionals but these rely on observed behaviour and reported experiences (which are notoriously unreliable). There is a arbitrary cut off point where you can qualify for a diagnosis and therefore be declared ND. If you fall below this threshold then you will be denied a diagnosis and be declared as simply having 'traits'.

I think this whole area is unfortunately subject to a high degree of false certainty and fuzzy science. We simply don't know enough about the brain and how it functions to emphatically define what Neurotypical and Neurodivergent actually are, let alone to begin to sort people into each category.

I think this whole area is unfortunately subject to a high degree of false certainty and fuzzy science. We simply don't know enough about the brain and how it functions to emphatically define what Neurotypical and Neurodivergent actually are, let alone to begin to sort people into each category.

Do you mean neurologically? We can define ND conditions clinically/behaviourally. I'm not sure why physical findings would matter much.

These people tend to have a differing opinion because they are insecure. They are not well educated and therefore will argue against anything they do not understand, to make themselves feel more secure and intelligent.

It's just that - An opinion. Just like dog shit on the floor: Annoying, it's there, just gotta walk around it and walk away.

Do any of those commenting about diagnoses have any idea how hard it actually is to get a child an actual autism diagnosis? They really don’t hand them out Willy nilly the way you seem to think they do.
yes of course there will be some who claim their child is autistic or has ADHD to explain poor behaviour, but if you’re actually claiming those with actual formal written diagnoses have made them up…..no. Doesn’t work like that. my son is very clearly autistic/ADHD and we were on the diagnostic pathway for almost 2 years before he received his diagnosis. This involved multiple assessments, reports, observations from multiple professionals. It really isn’t as simple as me one day saying to someone “I think my child is autistic” and then hey presto he has a diagnosis.
One thing I find awfully upsetting and frustrating is how people often preach inclusivity, until it means they themselves are affected or need to be inclusive.
how would they feel if that was their poor child that was disabled?

We have a niece recently diagnosed with ODD. SIL said when she was a few hours old that she looked odd and not right. She was a perfect little baby. 10 years later, a severe lack of parenting and the SIL constantly mentioning her daughter looks odd, something is wrong with her brain and being excluded from school all we’ve heard is ‘it’s her autism’. We’ve seen the way she has been brought up. No consequences for anything and the entire family held to ransom most weekends because niece refused to leave the house and to appease her, they allowed it and stayed home. MIL comes round to my house and is trying to label my kids. I have a very loud and bouncy 9 year old who is into sports, very clever at school. Causes no issues at school or home but MIL thinks he’s got ADHD, he’s a normal child! Brother of niece came to ours last weekend wearing ear defenders. He’s autistic now (no formal diagnosis) and sensitive to sound. Probably from all the screaming his sister does. MIL and SIL believe both kids have faulty genes and niece has been brought up as such since birth and had this put on her. DH and I don’t believe there is anything wrong with any of them and it is a direct result of a really crappy upbringing. Bitterly disappointed when niece only got ODD diagnosed and not ODD with Anxiety and Social Disorder and ADHD. Niece as a result isn’t medicated, feral and doesn’t qualify for disability which would have helped towards getting a new carpet and fund their yearly trip to Centreparcs, this was stated over Christmas.

We live up the road from a young boy who is non verbal and literally cannot cope with life outside of his house due to his sensory and processing issues. His poor mum has fought tooth and nail to get him the support he needs and getting nowhere. This boy is autistic! There is a huge blurring of the lines here and those genuine cases are going unnoticed. Poor parenting isn’t addressed properly and parents struggling aren’t getting the support they need either or made responsible. It really does anger me that children like the boy in my street face a huge uphill battle when my niece is just the product of a very dysfunctional household.

@BooBooDoodle there has always been some poor parenting. Why would the numbers have increased?

I've caught up with you now. You are concerned about what appears to be a significant rise of one type of need within the 20%.

I was only trying to highlight that it has always been expected there will be up to 20% with SEN.

I think there are lots of reasons we are seeing more of that type of need. But I dont think its being ignored as such. There seems to lots of reports to parliament and university studied trying to find out.

You only have to speak to teachers to tell you that shit parenting is on the increase. Look at behaviour in schools.

But most of that early intervention disappeared with the Children's centres.

@Frowningprovidence I am glad there is research into this.

I haven't noticed an increase, however as someone who works with children, I have to agree that there is an increase in parents wanting a diagnosis for all and sundry, under the misguided idea that a label will 'cure' a child who actually may just be shy/intoverted/not want to listen/high level of anxiety. Neuro diversity is very complex.
On the other hand I suspect theres lots of high functioning neuro diverse children who dont get a look in.

I know and I want early intervention. But my point is that before the Children's Centres there was little early intervention, and yet there were less children with profound neurodiversity. The issue is obviously more complex.

The lead professional who actually diagnosed my DD was an educational psychologist.

I suggest brain scans and other physical tests along with a more in depth review of their home life and recordings of behaviour for autism testing, that would rule out other causes. For example developmental delay in a number of cases may be caused by smartphone use or mental health issues etc from parents and lack of interaction with their kids, or emotional dis regulation caused by not teaching kids ways to regulate their emotions. I also suggest that the government pay for home education or tutors for special kids who can’t cope in mainstream or even changes to policies in main stream that enable special kids to go

It's such a minefield. My adult daughter was diagnosed in infant school, but already had good TA support in place due to her cerebral palsy. Full support all the way through school, nearly went to special school at 11 (we fought against, rightly), then special disabled youngsters employment project aged 18. Been in same good job for 13 years, in a supportive environment and with some help at first from Access to Work. In other words, confounded all expectations, and done far better than anyone expected. But ONLY with massive support and supportive parents all along. Still struggles with most aspects of everyday living, very childlike, no sense of direction so needs support with journeys, very vulnerable indeed (suffered serious SA as a child because of that), needs help with understanding basic finance, cooking, reminder to wash hair, etc. Lives separately but not at all independent. Gets full PIP (after I battle every time)

So whilst I do understand about the "undiagnosed" issue, especially for women, it's clear that mostly their story is very different, and is one of people who find many aspects of everyday life challenging but for the most part do function independently, both at home and work. Many on Twitter are very aggressive and hostile re parents/ mothers or any hint of "disability" or advocacy or anything. Almost a political movement. And I just feel like saying "you really don't have a clue what this condition can be". Sometimes it's clear they have self diagnosed, and it can come over as "look, me, I am different". And that is quite hard to empathise with, after decades of managing disability in a family.

I don't know what the answer is. Perhaps it was better when we could distinguish between Asperger's and autism, though I understand the reasons for dropping it. But if you've had your 21 year old daughter get off the bus at the wrong stop at 6.00 pm on a winter's eve, sobbing down the phone that she's lost, and the question "where are you? What can you see?" is answered with "some trees and some railings" when you know she must be near houses, shops and named streets on that city route, it's a bit hard to feel masses of empathy with so very many people claiming "I'm autistic, nobody realised".

Yes I mean neurophysiological measurements rather than relying on the cognitive/behavioural. This would be helpful in many ways. Most obviously, it would be a better scientific basis to underpin the very binary way of viewing people as ND/NT. Relying on behavioural and cognitive markers is obviously always going to be much more subjective and difficult to accurately assess. It would also be helpful to understand the role of trauma and to differentiate between different conditions that can mimic each other.

Fundamentally though, I think we need to add more actual science to a concept that has arisen from social science. The idea that you can be ND or NT is rooted in social justice but unlike race, sex or other forms of disability, the science around what distinguishes one group from another is much less clear.

Probably because of how the schools treat parents who start the process!

I live on a large council estate. Every other parent I meet has a child with ADHD. Some of them undoubtedly have but many of them are disruptive little fuckers. The parents have read about the condition online and now demand a diagnosis, special interventions etc. That's my experience anyway.

I agree with you I don’t think these “neurotypicals” exist

I agree that many people and children are over stimulated.

You don't get DLA for a diagnosis so that wouldn't affect wether she would get it. It is needs based.