MNHQ please can you clamp down on anti autism threads?

[Notreallyarsed]

For weeks now autism and autistic people have been targeted by thread after thread using inflammatory language, negative stereotypes and connotations and just general ignorance. Why is this allowed to happen? Autism is a recognised disability and as such is covered by discrimination laws. Why is it that people, despite education being widely available and offered on here by parents, are allowed to dismiss/deny/minimise autism in a way that would never be considered acceptable for any other disability? @MNHQ

The one in Newbie's Corner is simply an attempt to resolve conflicting needs.

Hear hear OP

I was struck by the same thought earlier today.

@Bertrand I’ve possibly overreacted to the language used in that one, I was already irritated before I went on it and haven’t been back.

@Bertrand, it's the sheer VOLUME of them.

It wasn’t a bizarre thing to say at all, it was another thread where someone expected a child with autism to be able to control tics/stimming/noise levels because it was bothering them. When will people understand that in some cases this is a physical impossibility?

Sorry that was in reply to what @Bertrand said on the other thread to me.

There was a there ad where the op said that parents were seeking a diagnosis so they could claim dla for their child. I couldn't believe it when I read it as if you would want this label for your child.

I hadn’t seen that one. Was someone meaning you’d only seek diagnosis to gain DLA???

"It wasn’t a bizarre thing to say at all, it was another thread where someone expected a child with autism to be able to control tics/stimming/noise levels because it was bothering them. When will people understand that in some cases this is a physical impossibility?"

No. it was a thread where the needs of a very elderly frail man conflicted with the needs of the child with autism. People were trying to think of solutions which did not mean said frail elderly man having to move. How you interpreted this as anyone saying "all people with autism are cunts and should be got rid of" is beyond me. If anything some people seemed to be saying "tough shit, old man- you should be in a home anyway"

I think I remember that one, and it was pointed out that don't actually need a diagnosis to claim DLA.

I think it's a pretty common assumption though to think that is crap parents want a diagnosis for the financial benefits.

OP definitely expected the child to just stop Bertrand I didn’t imagine that. There was another comment about him “deciding” to run and jump, like he could help it. The tone of the OP (if not the other posters) was that the child was an inconvenience who was deliberately causing her grandfather stress.

I think it's a pretty common assumption though to think that is crap parents want a diagnosis for the financial benefits.

I’ve come across that attitude all too often too!

Very tough to have child or children with autism. Also tough for unsupported, underfunded teachers. Also tough for NT kids particularly young ones who are all about things being transparent and fair.

I was reading a zombie thread on the Primary Education board (thread was resurrected today) and one of the posts had this gem.

But the school does have a lovely atmosphere and they will take siblings as long as they don't have learning difficulties such as autism or down syndrome.

I agree about underfunded and unsupported teachers, but I’m not sure how NT kids are affected? Surely by teaching them about disabilities that is transparency and realising that some people have different needs and they all need to be met is fair?

Yep, what the OP said.

Lola it’s not often I’m lost for words, but that comment!!!

Unbelievable.

Funny how it's easy to teach NT children of any age about what is fair and how to make adjustments for physically disabled children, but when it comes to invisibly disabled children it's sooo hard

Children are well able to understand autism, it depends entirely on the way they are taught, and the consistency of those in the setting supporting and advocating for them.

God that’s awful Cloud, it must have taken a lot of courage for your DD to stand up in class. Horrible.

Notreally. I think some younger kids have a very black and white way of seeing things. They are really into what's fair. How often do we hear them wail things like "it's not fair" "it's mine. I got it first" quite demanding for teachers to get some of them to embrace the idea of diversity. I'm sure it is a good thing if we'll handled and properly resourced.

i actually had a so called professional involved with my kids tell me how "we are all on the spectrum really..."

Well, aren't we? A spectrum is a band from one extreme point to another - so from neurotypical to classic autism? I have Asperger's and one of my DCs has autism and I've heard that a lot. I don't disagree with it, there are forms of mild autism and more severe, and relatives who just have aspects.

Personally I don't think it's anti-autism AT ALL to complain that you can't sleep because a neighbour's disabled child is screaming all night. Perhaps she could have got some decent suggestions on how to cope, or how to move? As Temple Grandin says, it's important to try and adapt to our society as much as possible, because society will never fully bend to our needs, however strong the online voices are.

Actually Temple Grandin didn't say exactly that, I paraphrased.

randomer I agree that it’s hard to explain the concepts of diversity to young children. It’s why all of us should model it to our children, it’s why we should explain it to them, so it’s not “new” when they hit school, or meet someone who isn’t NT.