ASPartOfMe wrote:
Peter A. wrote:
Yes, we need to reintroduce the old categories, like 'Asperger's Syndrome'. I don't like being called "autistic" at all; I'm not my condition, I'm not mentally handicapped, but the word "autism" has all of those very negative connotations attached to it.
Aspergers was too broad of an Autism subtype. I would name the subtypes for the most prominent traits a person has. That should clarify things for the individual and all who care for the individual.
I agree. Levels of support labels are good, but specifics are needed. People can have high support needs for totally different reasons but be treated the same. There is also a big problem with assuming a diagnosis of Asperger's or autism always means certain things. Non-Asperger autistics (like me) are seen really differently than people with Asperger's when there is very little difference. I had a speech delay and don't always think in words. Sometimes I struggle to verbalize my thoughts. This is the only difference between me and Aspies. Yet, from early ages people diminish the struggles of Aspies and assume the rest of us will never accomplish anything or learn to speak. I've seen people who should know better claim Einstein had Asperger's. Einstein would likely have met diagnostic criteria for AUTISM, but not Asperger's. He didn't speak until he was 3 and had speech problems until 9. As an adult, he reported rarely thinking in words. People assume autistic means intellectually disabled and only Aspies can be successful. Non-Asperger autistic people often have speech issues because we don't think verbally as much as those with Asperger's or NTs. Of course, some autistic verbal thinkers still have speech issues for other reasons. These people have much more similar brains to Aspies but have high support needs, something rarely acknowledged. I think attempts at finding out whether a person is a visual, verbal, or logical thinker (or a mix) should always be made. Temple Grandin writes about the different autistic ways of thinking in
Thinking in Pictures. I think she is definitely on to something.
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she/her pronouns. I'm interested in reading, robotics, chess, drawing, and birds. I am always learning more about autism and anything I share is just my experience.
13 Aug 2022, 5:56 pm
