Lack of representation of non-white people w/ autism

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I'm interested to know if lower class minorities on the spectrum (especially Black Americans and immigrants with accents) are being misdiagnosed in schools as learning disabled or having ADHD.

I've noticed that ASDs seem to be thought of as something belonging to the middle and upper classes. Did anyone here grow up poor in the school system? I would like to know what kind of treatment you received growing up.

Also, I'm studying how autism is constructed in African and Asian countries to see if autistic traits carry with them positive or negative stereotypes when you de-Westernize them. I haven't gotten to research this yet, so I will post on this when I have some answers.

Voted "not quite sure". I don't watch TV and never really formed an opinion. I don't think the media portrays autism very accurately in general. It does seem, from what I've seen, that autism is portrayed as a white (as well as mostly male) thing, and it stands to reason it would be a hindrance to any aspie who doesn't fit the stereotypes trying to get a diagnosis/accommodation/understanding from people around them. Yeah, most likely true.

Learning disabled and ADHD symptoms are co-morbid symptoms associated with autism spectrum diagnoses. According to the CDC statistics quoted on the second page of this thread, in some states African Americans are diagnosed at a slightly higher rate than White Non-Hispanic Americans, and in some areas Hispanic Americans are diagnosed at higher rates. It can depend on the area of the country, where in some areas the demographics favor higher percentage numbers of individuals whom are African Americans or Hispanic Americans along with higher diagnostic rates, that are likely in part associated with a greater awareness effect among these individuals that comprise a greater percentage of the population

Higher levels of education in the upper-class socioeconomic group is correlated with greater awareness of what symptoms to look for which is correlated with higher levels of diagnoses.

According to the NAMI organization any thing associated with seeing a psychologist, is still more of a stigma among minority Asian, African American, and Hispanic groups, that could very well particularly be part of why we see the lowest numbers diagnosed among Asian families, in the recent CDC study, detailed on the second page of this thread.

The more severe symptoms though, regardless of income level, are usually caught in the school system without regard to social class or color of skin. It has already been suggested that the CDC study is limited in it's potential ability to capture diagnoses among cases of autism spectrum disorders outside of 8 year old children receiving supports in classes for the developmentally disabled in the school systems.

Autism Speaks has funded close to a 825K three year study, to fully determine the statistics for autism in the full population with the most comprehensive prevalence study done anywhere in the world to date. Then there will be detailed answers, that no one has any answers to at this point. Particularly, the real prevalence of milder forms of autism in both children and adults.

In South Korea there is significant stigma associated with an actual autism spectrum diagnosis, however the fairly recent prevalence scan found the 1 in 38 number there that is not reflective of much lower actual diagnoses, for those severely impacted enough to require professional services.

Autism is not accepted well in African countries with stigma associated there as well, and at times considered to be of supernatural or preternatural forces, with the milder cases treated by spiritual advisers in some cases.

The research is still extremely limited in African Countries, as detailed in the link below from the Simons Foundation on Autism Research Initiatives:

http://sfari.org/news-and-opinion/blog/2011/out-of-africa

It's poor information dissemination plus discrimination plus capitalism, as usual.

I think we all know that the media sucks in regard to ASDs. And, true to form, it marginalizes non-whites in the US. Therefore, the average American thinks that the spectrum doesn't include non-whites--or females.

Along with the media, researchers are not focused on lower class or non-white neighborhoods. And doctors' practices are located in middle to upper class neighborhoods.

The cost of diagnosis and treatment is prohibitive without the help of either some sort of understanding therapist or health insurance.

For being known as such a great country, we sure are effed up.

In my own personal dealings I've come across a small number of of non-white autistics yet, I'll admit that I'm sure there are many other autistic persons out there whom are neither male, nor caucasian but, I suppose this does not get noticed as much.Actually, I recall seeing a documentary about the autistic spectrum many years ago and it spread the light that the entire autistic spectrum is not merely bound to either the North American continent nor UK either for in fact, there are autistic people to be found in Africa,Asia,Middle East asia but, often is the case people and socities deal with it in differenty ways therefore, often ethnic or inter-national autistics go un-seen..

This is my thoughts on such..