BBC4 tonight Monday 13th August. Documentary on Autism. Growing Children.

[LottieJenkins]

My mum is away but rang me to tell me it is on! Looks interesting!!!

lisa

i think although it's a sad message to have to convey, it needs to be said because women on the autistic spectrum often have their needs overlooked as they are deemed to be coping.

the list you give is frightening, but many evolve as a symptom of not having individual needs met. many women have no recognition never mind dx until they are well into their teens or even mature adults, it's very sad.

there needs to be a wake-up call on this, autism is not a 'male condition' - on the whole 'we' are failing these women on a regular basis.

While I understand it had to be said and was fully aware of most of it, BUT most of the people attending were mothers of younger children who had a dx, so not many slipped though the net. Felt better targeted at proffessionals

Hothead

i agree about the appalling stereotypes bandied about in some of the publications TA has put his name to 'Aspergers and Girls' had me in a frothing rage when i read the chapter that recommended using female artists on MTV as positive role models on how to become popular and sociable

lisa that is really sad about the conference, but perhaps that was also a symptom of the lack of understanding of how women are affected - one conference in a sea of how many would attract everyone, there is such a dearth of information, it's leapt on as a glimmer of hope and recognition?

Doesn't Daryl Hannah have Aspergers? And I've often suspected Margaret Thatcher (sleeps v little, doesn't get jokes) but could just be the drive and work needed for a woman to get where she did. Next time there's a documentary about her, have a watch with an ear open to Aspie traits.

The singer Ladyhawke has aspergers and talks openly about it. She is young and very cool, much preferable to the role models TA was suggesting.

If we want positive role models, there's plenty out there. Famous people like Dr Temple Grandin and Donna Williams, but also people like me. Not at the mild end of the spectrum. Married, son about to go to Uni, running a business and advising the Government and a vast array of other places these days. I managed all of that because of my aspieness, and despite it. It gives me the sort of persistence you wouldn't believe, a desperate need to see social justice changes happen, an ability to spot errors and inaccuracies that means I can see things about to go wrong...there are many things that compensate for some of the challenges.

I spent so many years staring at maps and collecting them - but I used that skill and now run a surveying company. And that's from having started life with no clue that people were people until I was aged 10. All the usual early autistic behaviours - rocking/stimming, no clue about conversation, obsessions, terrified of gatherings of people, would run away from ballet, parties etc. I'm trying to get autism charities to focus on the positives far more, because we need employers to see us as assets, not charity cases. Otherwise that bleak future we all imagined for our children will be a reality of our own collective making - because if we only allow charities to focus on what our children can't do, no-one will ever give them a chance to show what they can do.

Hi Lottie (or any of you helpful mums, infact!),

Gutted! I missed this programme. Could you please tell me who 'this lady' is? I need to help a friend who is having bad luck getting her son a diagnosis from someone with a good 'bedside manner'. I could really do with a recommendation before term starts and he goes tp secondary school. Wutting as this lady from an agency called Cutting Edge? I searched on Google and it only came up as in Los Angeles... Any help gratefully received.

Thank you...

Steadings