The Autistic Me

I was in my late 30s. I still don't know if the diagnosis helped. Maybe it helps others. More often, it simply frustrates me to be so tense and anxious all the time. I would like the world to be quieter, calmer, more honest, more logical. Is that being "autistic" or simply being an intelligent introvert? What I want, more than anything else, is a steady and secure job. A career. And it seems that is what the adults in this article also want. 'All my life suddenly made sense': how it feels to be diagnosed with autism late in life | Society | The Guardian : I meet Baron-Cohen in a crowded Starbucks near St Paul’s Cathedral in London, where he wryly comments on the mixture of chatter, clattering cups and muzak – “For a lot of autistic people, this would probably be hell” – and casts his mind back over the 35 years he has been thinking about and researching autism. He started working with six autistic children in a special unit in Barnet, north London, in 1982. F...

My wife and I have long thought "autism" and "Asperger's Syndrome" were distinct, based on observing, meeting, and interviewing people with diagnoses within the various autism spectrum categories. There is research finding high-fucntioning autistics and Asperger's are distinct, as well, which I have cited in my own research of learning patterns and accommodation needs. Autism and Asperger's syndrome may be biologically different, study finds - Los Angeles LA | Examiner.com : There were some similarities in the brain patterns of the Asperger's and ASD participants, namely low connectivity in the region of the brain associated with language. However, the scientists noted stronger connectivity in regions of the brain than both the ASD and control groups. My diagnosis was high-fucntioning autism (HFA) which is not an official DSM-IV category, but is used by many clinicians and researchers. Often, the distinctions made by clinicians deal with language ...

From the "Ask a Question" in box: …I have been married for 12 years to a man I suspect has Aspergers. Whenever I suggest this to him he scoffs. I would really like for him to be assessed for [Asperger's Syndrome] as it may help me be more tolerant of some of his inappropriate reactions / statements. Do you have any suggestions to help him be more open to the idea? Your insight is much appreciated. [Note: I have taken the liberty of moving this question, allowing the visitor to remain anonymous.] There isn't one best, right answer for this question. For some autistics and their families, a formal diagnostic evaluation opens doors: school supports, occupational therapies, and insurance coverage. But, as you get older there is less measurable benefit to the autism diagnosis. The benefits for adults receiving a diagnosis rest in how they use the information. Though this visitor writes that a diagnosis of her husband would help her be tolerant, I've found that i...

The conclusion of this column makes a point I've stated repeatedly: we are getting better at diagnosing “autism” — while the criteria also keep changing. Autism Prevalence Is Now At 1 In 50 Children - Forbes : You will probably see a lot of headlines about the 1 in 50. Some organizations might even try to use those numbers to scare people, to talk about an “epidemic” or a “tsunami.” But if you look at the numbers and the report itself, you’ll see that overall, the numbers of people born with autism aren’t necessarily increasing dramatically. It’s just that we’re getting better and better at counting them. The next step is getting better at accepting autistic people, seeing their potential, and ensuring the supports and resources they need to fulfill that potential.

Over at  Just a 'Lil Blog  (a blog I recommend reading) there is the following: Interview with a Unicorn How did we come to be in front of the camera? Well, it started with the University of Pittsburgh. See, they're doing a study on the effects of environment on the prevalence or symptoms of autism in the surrounding area. Apparently Pittsburgh is quite a little hotspot for it, and so this study is geared toward…well…something about the environment...in their words, "The Research Study of Environmental Risk Factors for Childhood Autism is a multi-year study which began in 2010. It is being conducted in southwestern Pennsylvania (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland Counties) by the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health. The aim of the study is to help identify environmental and other factors that may put children at risk for developing conditions within the ASDs." — from http://blogginglily.blogspot.com/20...

Yes, the media are covering the news that autism rates are skyrocketing, often failing to distinguish the rates of diagnoses from the rates of incidence. Quite simply, we have no idea if "autism(s)" are increasing or not and we have a great deal of evidence that diagnostic practices are uneven, at best. You can read some of the stories at: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/29/health/autism/index.html http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/30/health/rate-of-autism-diagnoses-has-climbed-study-finds.html Notice this from the New York Times: C.D.C. researchers did not meet any of the children they judged to have an autism spectrum disorder. The team made the decisions based on evaluations of the children, drawn from 14 states. The estimated rates in those states varied widely, from one in 210 children in Alabama to one in 47 in Utah. Now, either Utah has something dangerous in their water and Alabama is the safest state in the nation, or there is something else at play. What else? It ...

I know this topic is a minefield, but I happen to agree with two recent column in the New York Times. "Autism" as a label and diagnosis is being applied to too many people, especially the diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome. My experiences are purely anecdotal, but when I speak to groups about autism it is common that one or two young adults and/or their parents approach me to tell me that they have self-diagnosed Asperger's Syndrome. Self-diagnoses are not official diagnoses. You should always work with a clinician to determine something like an autism diagnosis. What if the individual actually has a social anxiety disorder and not an ASD? What if the individual has mild depression? There are so many "what-ifs" that I must always recommend a professional evaluation. Teachers even come to me and say, "I believe I have students with Asperger's in my class." In general, these teachers end up describing what we might call "geeks" or ...

What if you aren't autistic anymore? The question was asked by a friend who had read the latest stories on the DSM-V and the criteria changes for autism spectrum disorders.  See this New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/health/research/new-autism-definition-would-exclude-many-study-suggests.html I've written a great deal about defining autism so you might assume I care a great deal, personally. But, as I have written several times, "autistic" to me is a description of some traits  but not the entire me. My doctoral thesis included a long section on definitions of autism and the challenges of labels. My Ph.D does include the word "rhetoric" and a part of me does ponder the nature of labels. But, caring intellectually is not the same as passionately identifying with a label. Autism is a definitional issue.  1980: DSM-III adds "autism" 1989: First criteria for Asperger's published 1991: IDEA adds autism categ...

Okay, here's the last bit I'm going to share online from my 2006 "re-assessment" that was requested for the University of Minnesota Graduate School. Remember you are reading an excerpt from my upcoming book, not the full chapter. However, your questions and suggestions will help me craft a better book. And yes, I am still reminding visitors that my book A Spectrum of Relationships is available from the two biggest online bookstores for $2.99. I appreciate how supportive readers of this blog have been. Dealing with the Assessment (and Some Denial) The Doctors Conclude…  Neuropsychologically, S. presents with a complex history, driven by significant physical trauma at birth. He does have a seizure disorder (which is treated medically). Imaging reveals specific left frontal and temporal lobe injury. A progressive neurological disorder is not ruled out. Characteristics of high-functioning autism, resulting from the brain trauma, are apparent.    I’ve had a few sca...

Yes, more from the formal autism assessment report prepared in 2006. This is from a chapter in my next book, due in early fall. Please feel free to ask questions or offer suggestions. This book is still being written. Your input can help make it a better book! If you would like to support this blog and my other projects, you can download my current eBook for Kindle or Nook. A Spectrum of Relationships  is only $2.99 on both Amazon and BN.com and I would appreciate questions, suggestions, and reviews while I consider preparing a revised "second edition" next year. Now, on with the current book excerpts. Quantifying Personality Traits Recall that I mentioned the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) are similar evaluation instruments. It isn’t surprising that the evaluation I received at the age of 37 would be similar to the one performed at the age of eight. The instruments have been revised several times, and ...

Working on my autobiographical book this weekend, I reread emails and notes from my four years as a doctoral student at the University of Minnesota. It was a horrible time and the challenge of writing about those experiences might be too much for me to tackle on some days. Sometimes events and people manage to leave deep scars. I loathe the University of Minnesota. Despise isn't a strong enough word. My department closed after we moved here. I was mocked by peers. I was bullied by faculty. If it were not for the efforts of a handful of individuals, I would not have graduated. Yes, there were good people within a lousy setting. It amazes me that some people can fight the system year after year and not surrender. I will write the text, though it will be emotionally draining to relive those years. They are recent, and they haunt me some nights. More text on my 2006 evaluation is coming this week. By the end of August, I might also post on the 2008 assessment nightmare. Yes, I had asse...

If you have wondered what a formal evaluation for autism is like, now you can read one. From my current book project, this my reflection on the formal assessment I received in 2006. The assessment is eleven pages, so there will be several posts including my comments. A reminder that my overview of social connections and the autistic experience, A Spectrum of Relationships , is available on Amazon's Kindle store and the BN.com Nook store. What follows below is from my next project . On Monday, December 4, 2006, my wife and I returned to the psychologists’ offices for the results of my assessment. My wife was already certain of the assessment results, while I was unsure of what to hope for. If something was “wrong” with me, would it be something horrible? If nothing was “wrong” then did that imply a different issue? It would be as disconcerting to have nothing diagnosed as to have something diagnosed.  We were led into the lead psychologist’s office. Near her desk, relaxing ...