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Mild vs Moderate vs Severe Autism.

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EzraS
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11 May 2018, 2:12 am

Dylanperr wrote:
EzraS wrote:
Dylanperr wrote:
Do you think most people with Autism are mild, moderate, or severe?


I think the majority are mild.

Why do you say that? I think the majority is mild-moderate.


I think aspergers / level 1 mild autism is diagnosed the most. And most of the people on Wrong Planet are level 1 mild autism aspies.



Glflegolas
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11 May 2018, 7:02 pm

As with many posters here, I'm not entirely sure how useful rating ASD as mild, moderate, or serious really is, when you consider the conditions as a whole. Here's what I mean.

Let's say George has a somewhat decent ability to socialise, albeit somewhat awkwardly, and doesn't show much of repeditive behaviour, but is so clumsy that he falls over frequently when he goes walking, and can't drive a car at all, and is so poor at math he can't make change. For reasons that I don't fully understand, autism trumps all other diagnoses (or so it seems). Even though he has great trouble in math and coordination, he'd probably get an autism diagnosis level 1.

On the other hand we have Sarah, who finds socialising so difficult she can barely speak, and shows all the stimming and whatnot associated with ASD, and is scared to death whenever she gets touched lightly. She'd probably get a Level 2 diagnosis.

But is Sarah's condition really more debilitating than George's? I'm not sure about that. The whole concept of severity isn't something that I fully understand.


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kraftiekortie
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11 May 2018, 7:43 pm

We'd have to be around George or Sarah for an extended period in time in order to determine who is "more severe."



EzraS
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11 May 2018, 8:08 pm

Glflegolas wrote:
As with many posters here, I'm not entirely sure how useful rating ASD as mild, moderate, or serious really is, when you consider the conditions as a whole. Here's what I mean.

Let's say George has a somewhat decent ability to socialise, albeit somewhat awkwardly, and doesn't show much of repeditive behaviour, but is so clumsy that he falls over frequently when he goes walking, and can't drive a car at all, and is so poor at math he can't make change. For reasons that I don't fully understand, autism trumps all other diagnoses (or so it seems). Even though he has great trouble in math and coordination, he'd probably get an autism diagnosis level 1.

On the other hand we have Sarah, who finds socialising so difficult she can barely speak, and shows all the stimming and whatnot associated with ASD, and is scared to death whenever she gets touched lightly. She'd probably get a Level 2 diagnosis.

But is Sarah's condition really more debilitating than George's? I'm not sure about that. The whole concept of severity isn't something that I fully understand.


No one really fully understands autism.
But in my experience level 2 has to do with need of support. How much I'm unable to do on my own. Lack of or limited independence. To what extent I need someone to look after me.



livingwithautism
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11 May 2018, 10:47 pm

I have moderate classic autism.



Dylanperr
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14 May 2018, 11:15 am

Level 1 would be no support.
Level 2 would be a little support.
Level 3 would be a lot of support.



kraftiekortie
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14 May 2018, 11:23 am

Actually:

Level One would require "some support."

Level Two would require "substantial support.'

Level Three would require "very substantial support."



Dylanperr
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14 May 2018, 11:35 am

kraftiekortie wrote:
Actually:

Level One would require "some support."

Level Two would require "substantial support.'

Level Three would require "very substantial support."

I find that quite inaccurate though.



kraftiekortie
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14 May 2018, 11:41 am

Why don't you think that's accurate?

When "support" is mentioned, it doesn't necessarily mean "direct support"---as by a social worker.

There are times, I feel, when Level One people need support---usually under stressful situations. But not always.

A Level Two person would probably need much more consistent support than a Level One person.



Dylanperr
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14 May 2018, 11:44 am

kraftiekortie wrote:
Why don't you think that's accurate?

When "support" is mentioned, it doesn't necessarily mean "direct support"---as by a social worker.

There are times, I feel, when Level One people need support---usually under stressful situations. But not always.

A Level Two person would probably need much more consistent support than a Level One person.

I get you. Thanks for telling me.



EzraS
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14 May 2018, 11:56 am

kraftiekortie wrote:
Why don't you think that's accurate?

When "support" is mentioned, it doesn't necessarily mean "direct support"---as by a social worker.

There are times, I feel, when Level One people need support---usually under stressful situations. But not always.

A Level Two person would probably need much more consistent support than a Level One person.


Someone needs to be with me all the time. I can be doing fine by myself while whoever is in another part of the house, but someone needs to be there. And then there's direct support I need here and there throughout the day.



Biscuitman
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14 May 2018, 12:56 pm

Mild aspie. Left alone to get on with my daily stuff i dont think you would suspect me as aspie, just quiet and i keep myself to myself.



livingwithautism
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14 May 2018, 2:36 pm

EzraS wrote:
kraftiekortie wrote:
Why don't you think that's accurate?

When "support" is mentioned, it doesn't necessarily mean "direct support"---as by a social worker.

There are times, I feel, when Level One people need support---usually under stressful situations. But not always.

A Level Two person would probably need much more consistent support than a Level One person.


Someone needs to be with me all the time. I can be doing fine by myself while whoever is in another part of the house, but someone needs to be there. And then there's direct support I need here and there throughout the day.


Yes I require 24-hour support. I can be left alone at home for up to 2 hours, but it's very stressful and difficult if I need something.



Dylanperr
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14 May 2018, 9:30 pm

What types of support are there other than direct support?



livingwithautism
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14 May 2018, 9:38 pm

Dylanperr wrote:
What types of support are there other than direct support?


There can be supervision from another room, like what EzraS was talking about. I need that too. I need 24/7 support, direct support with some activities of daily living, paratransit or people to drive me places, caregivers to watch me when my parents go out and to take me places, I go to a day program for people with autism, I need 1:1 support in the community, I have no concept of time or money, my mom makes all of my appointments and manages my disability checks as my representative payee. She got me my medicaid card and my food stamps card. Stuff like this that I can't do for myself. Just for example.



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14 May 2018, 10:15 pm

Dylanperr wrote:
What types of support are there other than direct support?

As far as I'm concerned, any time anyone makes any form of accommodation for your ASD, even if they don't know it's because you have ASD, that's a form of "support".

So, if people at work give me a small number of bigger tasks instead of a large number of small tasks because because they see that I tend to get really stressed out and don't do very whell when when I've got too many things to look at at the same time, that's support. If people go out of their way to include me in a social setting because they see I'm standing around being bored, that's also support.


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