To find this view re autism frustrating

[Pleasenomorespiders]

Somebody today tried to argue that autism is simply a 'gift' because people like Einstein supposedly had it, I suppose they're talking about people on the spectrum being more gifted and talented in some areas.
This person must surely realise it's a spectrum and has failed to mention how debilitating autism can be, how much people with it can struggle in every aspect of life and may never be able to have a 'normal' life.

Calling it a 'gift' is nice, they're only thinking about high-functioning individuals who as I say have heightened awareness and notice patterns, artistically or mathematically gifted, or whatever it may be. Autism is simply not 'just seeing the world differently'. Many individuals will never have a job or a relationship.

People with autism need social training, training in self recognition, training in self management and regulation techniques.

Careful, you will be accused of wanting to train their autism away!

Im sure I will. I dont care about that. These are the resources needed.

It cant be considered that a person has a debilitating disability but at the same time dismiss the routes to mitigating and managing some of that so that life is easier.

When people complain for example that 'CAMHS arent interested', this is the basis of therapy to some degree anyway so what is it people want exactly, for them to get better or not get better?

Well, it's definitely another interesting "challenge" regarding the words we use to describe things. As someone with what I'd consider moderate ADHD, which is disabling, it's definitely helpful to have a word that describes this type of disability and one that describes people who don't have one like it - and I have lived with plenty of people who definitely do not have either ADHD or autism. However, having also had some of the other things on the list and known others with these too, I can also see how they disable as well in a way that might be seen to make them neurologically atypical. Maybe neuro-disabled would be a better term vs nonneurodisabled? Obviously that disability comes in degrees.

I have seen some crazy online autism activists who accuse any therapy or teaching of trying to train out autism, including things like social stories or speech and language therapy. It is almost as if they think autistic children uniquely do not need support to learn or develop unlike all other children.

I know an activist late diagnosed autistic mum of an autistic child who has taken this approach with her child. Their child is now much more disabled than they would otherwise be as she believes it is entirely for society to change to fit her child. The child (now nearly adult) is autistic and would always have had difficulties. If they weren’t autistic you might refer to them as ‘spoilt’ through constant indulgence. Some people would hugely object to me saying that but being autistic doesn’t stop you from being harmed in that way too.

The terminology can be confusing.

Neurodiversity includes everyone, all types of brains. So everyone is neurodiverse in that sense.

People usually mean neurodivergent (rather than neurotypical) when they say neurodiverse, but it’s not actually the correct term.

I attended an online parenting seminar recently where the psychologist drummed that into us 😅

ETA I also hear what @Pairlesssocks is saying re neurodiversity. These concepts are all fairly recent constructs really.

Yes and yet if one suggested the child isnt disabled and autism isnt a disability because is a social issue/environmental issue and therefore autism doesnt really exist, Im sure she wouldnt like that

If it is solely for society to change and therefore her child would be 'ok' then her child doesnt have any condition do they.

Why doesn’t it exist though?

Autistic people are known to have an increased incidence of mental health issues.
OCD, the condition DS has, is more prevalent in autistic people than it is in people who don’t have autism.

Why are CAMHS or adult mental health services allowed to discriminate against autistic people in this way? The adult MH service literally said to him ‘we will not help you with your mental illness because you’re autistic’.

DS wasn’t looking for social training or training with regulation. He wants help with the hugely debilitating OCD that is ruining his life.

The mental health services should not be allowed to ignore people like him.
They should not be allowed to ignore him because he’s a more complicated case.

Surely it’s discrimination?

ABA therapy s very controversial
And whist we have never looked into it if it can help a non verbal child commnicate im not going to judge
But you get the very vocal on line advocates
Saying things the Autitistic coomunity dont agree with it
Like they have any say
And i have news for Autistic community
There is more than one Autistic community

Yes completely agree

I have no idea