So sad about the ignorance surrounding ASD

[BandwagonsFull]

After reading yet another article regarding the increase in numbers of children diagnosed with developmental conditions such as ASD and ADHD, I just feel so sad about the ignorance surrounding these conditions.

Comment after comment from people saying it is due to poor parenting, caused by poor diet, too much tv or social media, because it's now fashionable to have ADHD, or parents desperate for a diagnosis for the child to excuse bad behaviour or to be able to claim benefits. The list goes on!

Why is it so hard for people to understand these conditions? The ignorance really is astounding. Why do people think a behavioural condition equals bad behaviour?

My son is 5 with diagnosed ASD and most likely ADHD too. We did not obtain a diagnosis to receive benefits or to make an excuse for his behaviour. Behaviourally he is actually good as gold! He just needs a lot of preparation going to places, especially unfamiliar places, and he really struggles socially, poor eye contact etc. And because he is non verbal with clear learning difficulties, he will require a lot of support at school. We are very fortunate he will be going to a special needs school in September, although we had to fight and fight for this place!

Why do people seem to think being diagnosed is so easy and parents would go through this gruelling process when it isn't necessary!? These last few years have been the hardest of my life and I'm so worried for the life long obstacles my son is going to face, mainly because so many neurotypical people lack so much understanding.

(I can't link the article but it was from the DM saying how '1 in 9 children are now disabled, with behavioural conditions such as ADHD and autism'. Every single comment was so negative 😓).

I just feel so sad for my son and our family, and all families like us who face so much prejudice 😢

I would avoid reading comment sections under such posts on social media. It's only going to frustrate you. I wouldn't bother trying to argue/reason with them either, they don't and won't understand so it would be a waste of time. Just know there's other parents out there who understand you ❤️

Thank you @Leah5678 you are right ❤️ I feel so isolated at times and it's hard not to feel like the whole world is against us!

The Times is now reporting this too. Only a few comments on Instagram so far but they are heading the same way.

My understanding of autism was very limited too until I had an autistic child.

Why do people think a behavioural condition equals bad behaviour?

Because often it does, even if that’s not the case for your child. ND children can exhibit challenging behaviour for all kinds of reasons and it’s these children who are more likely to be diagnosed because it presents a problem for the school. Parents of more compliant, under-the-radar, children often struggle to get a diagnosis.

Maybe the effect of the pandemic has exacerbated the issues that many ND children have, making their struggles more visible than they otherwise might have been, or maybe it’s just the impact of our changing and increasingly digital world that’s having the same impact. So it’s not that there are more ND people, just society is causing it to manifest differently.

These are very good points thank you @openupmyeagereyes

And I think this is just it, most people who don't need to understand autism never will. And of course every child will present so differently with their own individual challenges, so it's very hard to educate people. I'm still constantly learning myself! I just wish people online wouldn't comment on something they know absolutely nothing about, but I guess that unfortunately is the world we live in.

(I love the username by the way, one of my favourite songs! 🫶🏼)

The spectrum is so broad now, "autism" has lost its original meaning. Now seemingly regular adults with some quirks are being diagnosed as autistic or ADHD, and celebrities seem to be pushing these labels as if they are desirable. This is a real problem for parents who have severely autistic children as the term "autism" is being normalised and many don't even consider it a disability, and others just think it's a made-up condition to be used as an excuse for bad parenting. Very frustrating.

@klayton couldn’t agree more. People who have a learning disability alongside autism are being silenced more and more each day by those who would have one received an Asperger’s diagnosis.