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.

Also have people actually looked at the diagnostic criteria over time? It is undeniable that the criteria are broader now than they were. Far more children meet the definition now, with a lower level of impairment, than met older definitions.

I don't know why the default response to this is that its somehow better or means a better understanding of the condition. Its a bit like if we broadened the definition of pneumonia to a point where anyone with a bit of a cough was classified as having it.

I don't dispute for a minute what you are saying in your post but one (almost always overlooked fact) is the pathologizing of many perfectly normal biological responses to environments that are fundamentally overstimulating or unsafe. We are all living in massively over-stimulating environments (and unsafe because we are so frequently objectified or dehumanised) and the nervous system can only read so much input before it starts to feel overwhelmed by the constant bombardment. The DSM is constantly evolving, identifying new disorders; there will soon not be enough acronyms to keep up with the categories. Big pharma, their shareholders and many psychiatrists on the speakers circuit are doing incredibly well out of all of this.

Do you have any clue how hard it is to parent an autistic child. You have to plan things in minute detail, think about every possibility, be on constant high alert and then actually deal with meltdowns etc as well if things don’t go to plan. It is really hard, and then you have people like you come along and say it’s due to parenting. I’m on holiday this week and have seen far more nt children running riot while their parents ignore them and drink in the bars, obviously I don’t know they are all nt but I’m guessing so as parents of autistic children tend to watch their kids like hawks as they know things can go from calm to complete meltdown in about 10 seconds given the wrong circumstances

This x 1000

No, not at all.
These people (we) are receiving more support than ever before.
At my age, there's very little point to go the full monty and explore why I have Asperger's, but knowing helps to understand certain aspects.

I don’t think overstimulation should be a diagnosis, it’s a byproduct of many other factors that could lead to overstimulation. And a child who is very sensitive to overstimulation might be outside of ‘typical parameters’, and therefore might be ND. Co-regulation is also so, so important.

one (almost always overlooked fact) is the pathologizing of many perfectly normal biological responses to environments that are fundamentally overstimulating or unsafe. We are all living in massively over-stimulating environments (and unsafe because we are so frequently objectified or dehumanised) and the nervous system can only read so much input before it starts to feel overwhelmed by the constant bombardment. The DSM is constantly evolving, identifying new disorders; there will soon not be enough acronyms to keep up with the categories. Big pharma, their shareholders and many psychiatrists on the speakers circuit are doing incredibly well out of all of this.

This.

Purplebiscuitwithsprinkles · Today 05:38

A friend works in a Primary school and it appears every person and its dog wants a diagnosis for something.

@Purplebiscuitwithsprinkles, so a friend of yours works in a primary school. Wow!

You really did lay out your expertise and experience of these complex issues from the start.

I haven't said that at all.

I sympathise with you, because no one wins in this climate - neither the erroneously diagnosed nor the appropriately diagnosed.

I will put my neck on the line and say that the word masking is problematic.
If two people have different ways of processing things, there does need to be a consensus on what is the socially acceptable way to respond to an event.

I grew up in a family of neurodiverse people, as the non neurodiverse one. Or at least, more on the adhd side than the asd one. Let me just leave it here that it was incredibly difficult and there was absolutely no effort to understand the impact of their requirements on me.
From extreme structure to ridiculing of emotions and the expectation of never verbalising any feeling etc....
The family was very high functioning so some things did not apply but I think that certain things that are considered masking are actually things that are a moral duty for all, regardless of our neurological structure. Harder to achieve for some than for others, but still a duty.

Self regulation is important and while greater understanding helps us come up with better strategies to cope, it shouldn't be at the expense of everyone else.

We have also become so obsessed with checkboxes and plans that we take away opportunities for self regulation. I remember frequently requesting toilet breaks in school, where I would run around the grounds a few times to burn off pent up frustration and energy. I did really well academically.
This would not be allowed today. Instead I would need a stupid pass and go wait in a designated area or something. If I didn't check the boxes for a condition, it wouldn't be allowed full stop.

That “support” thread isn’t about individuals seeking advice/solidarity for personal situations. It’s page after page of slurs, stereotypes and misinformation about autism in general. It’s basically a long-running thread with the sole purpose of agreeing that autistic people are a scourge on society and how we’re awful to be around.

Replace autism with any other condition or characteristic and it wouldn’t be acceptable to make such generalised and widespread false claims about an entire group of people.

Im not surprised you’re defending it though based on what you’ve written here. In your post you’ve managed to also not only point out that your DD’s autistic friend is a nasty little person who lies and expects forgiveness for her autism while also mentioning that you think some autistic people are entitled and expect the world to revolve around them.

Even IF that is true, IF, maybe consider for a moment that is has nothing to do with their autism. I know plenty of neurotypical people who are entitled and think the world revolves around them. All these unpleasant characteristics that you and others conveniently attribute to neurodivergence are often nothing to do with it. News flash: neurodivergent people have personalities which go beyond simply being autistic. We are all individuals in the same way as neurotypical people are. We have individual strengths and weaknesses. Always allocating personality flaws to the neurodivergence is a lazy and insulting trope but plus ca change.

Yeah. You’re exactly the kind of person that OP meant. Perfectly demonstrated too.

There is no medication for asd, you are basically diagnosed and discharged by nhs. Obviously there are medications for co morbid conditions but not asd itself. if anything the big Pharma companies,if it was purely down to profit, would want to be lowering asd diagnoses so that children were diagnosed with something else instead for which they could sell medication.

I am also tired of people thinking autism isn't that bad. Stories ab autistic children doing well in mainstream, coming out of university with a 2:1, leading full lives.
Why don't we hear about the kids who will never leave home? Struggle in specialist school? Get zero support?
Is that why people are so hostile, because they think it'd not that bad. There was someone on another thread saying their child has severe autism ( no such term) but is doing well in mainstream secondary. In that case he must actually be pretty high functioning.
I have two autistic children. One is high functioning. Completed GCSEs at mainstream this year (admittedly it was a small school but mainstream). As for my youngest every primary school we've seen has told us they can't meet his needs.
I just wonder if we hear too much about the children who do wei (which is great) and not enough about those who struggle every day and this leads to people thinking it's not too bad or deciding they had it but outgrew it 😞

Yes the SENDCO can go home at night and cry uncontrollably and at times feel suicidal because she only has so many resources, places at the school who after a child has gone through the process and should have a 121 TA allocated can't because there is no money allocated or the school physically doesn't have the space but must accommodate.

Parents barking at her, SLT her own family suffering because of the daily high stress of the job!! My friend is horrifically in the middle of a worsening situation that she has no control over. Systems are different everywhere which is a massive contributing factor and parents never seem to understand that what works in one local authority is completely different to another that is very under funded so please don't think the SENDCo has an easy time of it they really don't!

I wonder if this coincides with, as a previous poster mentioned, neuro diverse attributes being grouped in to one category, not a spectrum. "autism is a superpower" is one quote which seems popular but perhaps not applicable to all?

It's a fair point. As a society we're very fond of euphemisms, health care is awash with them. Labels that the speaker feels comfortable with, but that tell us nothing about individual challenges.

I completely agree. In any post of any social media platform if someone mentions their child is untidy or has bad time keeping etc someone will always ask if they are ND. The diagnostic criteria has changed, it’s not just that we are better at diagnosing or better at noticing it in girls blah blah. When my son was diagnosed at 3 years old we were told autism was a social and communication disorder and to have an autism diagnosis he would need to be severely impacted in both areas to be diagnosed.

Neurodiversity is never a get out clause for being horrible. I have an ex friend who blamed her shocking, bullying behaviour- both personally and professionally- on her ADHD. It just doesn't wash- I am autistic and don't behave like that, neither do those of her victims who happen to have ADHD themselves.

It's entirely possible to be ND and also a nasty person- whoever said all disabled people are saints?- but it's not the cause.

? Nope not me I'm afraid...after seeing what that role has done to her not a chance would I do that role for any amount of money offered!! I have no expertise in SEND and nor have I claimed to, just going off what a very very stressed friend has gone through over the last 10 years in particularly the last 4 years. Gutted as she is amazing at her job and has helped many families but has been grounded down to nothing like many working in the education system and simply can take no more.

Also have people actually looked at the diagnostic criteria over time? It is undeniable* that the criteria are broader now than they were. Far more children meet the definition now, with a lower level of impairment, than met older definitions.

I don't know why the default response to this is that its somehow better or means a better understanding of the condition. Its a bit like if we broadened the definition of pneumonia to a point where anyone with a bit of a cough was classified as having it.*

I kinda noticed that overtime, the criteria of "neurotypical" has shrunk to a very rigid set of rules. Anytime a kid acts somewhat quirky, outside of those nonsensical "norms", you'll get a comment that you should get them diagnosed. Like for real?

@Eadfrith

DP looked into an ed psych PhD however it would have to be self-funded. So that’s why there’s a shortage of them!

I think your dp has not done his research. It's a doctorate not a PhD. The doctorate (3 years) is funded, though there are sometimes self funding routes but many providers don't allow this. It's incredibly competitive. The reason there's a shortage is because the government are not funding enough training places.

Yes, I see what you mean OP! Prime example right here

Wasn't there was a group of researchers from a cross university team a while back, who warned that their research showed that within a decade, the difference between members of the public with and without the ASD diagnosis would be hard to tell apart, due to the ongoing broadening of the ASD diagnosis?

It's honestly not unusual for me these days, to read about people who have ASD who are much more outgoing than me, often with a successful career and lots more social relationships than I have, or would be able to manage.

No , I don't hate autism, or people with autism. Half my family have it. I suspect I may have it or at least traits of it.

I do dislike it being used as a justification for plain nasty behaviour (like prolifically lying to a friend.). As you say, that's just bad behaviour whoever does it. Autism cant be thrown about by the child or parent as an excuse or justification for it, my child doesn't have to stay friends with a child who treats her like that, irrespective of their diagnosis

@Whatafustercluck

Ed Psychs don't 'diagnose' asd, adhd or any neurodevelopmental condition other than dyslexia.

Depends where EP's work. We don't all work for LA's where our role is predominantly with schools. I work in a neurodevelopmental team so as part of a multidisciplinary team I do diagnose ASD, adhd etc