High-functioning autism isn't a disability?

[EnterWittyNicknameHere]

Hello everyone. This is my first post (new member!) so hope i'm doing it right...

My daughter attends a language unit nursery, and will be receiving 2 hours per week of additional support when she starts mainstream school this year. She was officially diagnosed with ASD last year as being on the high-functioning end of the spectrum. But even with this diagnosis, my friends and family still don't believe it! They think i'm wrong to have 'forced a label on her' and believe high-functioning autism isn't a real disability - just a way to label kids who are a bit 'quirky'.

I have a friend whose son has ASD (he has a more severe case of it though) so of course my friends are going to make comparisons between this boy and my daughter. But i feel like i'm talking to a brick wall when i tell them that autism is a spectrum disorder. It affects each individual differently.

To me, my daughter's autism is clear, but because she has an imagination, can talk, can play, is well-behaved, rarely tantrums etc - people don't believe she has it! I think it's terrible that people only believe someone has autism if they're non-verbal and are violent.

It's got to the stage where i can't even talk to friends/family about my daughter and her ASD-related problems, as they just dismiss them with 'Oh, all children are like that', or 'Oh, she'll grow out of it.' And when i reply, 'No, you can't grow out of autism', they go silent and give a funny look as if to say, 'She doesn't have autism though.'

Aaaaaaarggggghhhhh! Does anyone else feel like this? She has a diagnosis for goodness sake, what further proof do they need?

ooh thanks silk

Thanks silk, I've just e-mailed that to all the grandparents, it's perfect!

Thats a fantastic article. I work with a child with aspergers and it was a very interesting read. Thank you for posting it. :)

thank you silk .... there are more than just the GP's to need this one...going to start with DS's dad

Sounds very familiar. Our DS1 is five years old and at the high functioning end of the spectrum. We are currently awaiting dx but I am already convinced as he displays so many classic traits. I suspected something from early childhood because of certain behaviours but people kept telling me "he'll grow out of it" but he still hasn't grown out of it! I think people don't understand the condition and assume autism means children are not capable of communication, affection, imagination etc. Sometimes people are also trying to be kind and reassure you that your child is "normal" but as a parent you just know and, as you say, we see the whole range of behaviours. I think in the end all you can do is the best for your child and try to ignore all the disbelievers. There are believers out here too!