Who says autistic people are a-social?

I think it is part of the myth about autism that all autistic people are asocial and that that’s a necessity for the dx. I know autistic people who are rather asocial. But I would say it is not even the majority. Maybe Kanner or Bettleheim said it.

Autistic people have trouble in social areas— understanding body language; eye contact (not for the reasons you might think— most say it is too intense); carrying on small talk; knowing what to say when; making friends; etc. Many autistic people love to talk esp (or sometimes only) if it is their subject which they are fixated on. Many high functioning autistic people, like myself, love the internet. We can interact with people without worrying about some of the things above. Sometimes autistic people find social things easier as they get older, I’d say that was true of me. I learned how to do things in my 40s that would have been impossible for me earlier. You should see a bunch of high functioning autistic people relate. I have been to a few conferences with large contingences of autistic people, it is a very neat thing for us and there is a kind of electricity about it.

I have heard of people who’s kids were not dxed autistic because they had eye contact or were too social. The parents often go thru several dxs (like MR, ADD, etc.) before they get to autism. It is often quite frustrating when the parent is pretty sure the kid is autistic.

“Dad” you might enjoy: www.picturepage.net (it’s a good page, and besides I am on it. :-)) It busts some myths in a great sort of way.

—des

Dad, I loved the article — as usual. DES! I loved the page…I will go back to that one until I’ve seen it all. Are you ‘DES’ on that site, or???

Our scout group (at all levels, beavers up) seems to be ‘attracting’ special needs kids, or maybe it’s just this way everywhere and I notice it now that I have more awareness. ADHD / Tourettes is prominent at Cubs right now, but the Auties rule at Beavers (aged 4-7) so I am interested in learning all I can. Regardless, I believe in the limitless potential of every human — that’s our task, to push ourselves to the very heights the soul can reach…and to help those who struggle more than we do, just because it’s the RIGHT thing to do. Anyway, I LOVE seeing stuff that agrees with my own philosophy!

Thanks for sharing…

> DES! I loved the page…I will go back to that one until I’ve seen it all. Are you ‘DES’ on that site, or???

Nope. Unfortunately, I don’t give my real name out on the net. I would have preferred not having my real name on the page. Hint, I am on the first page, top pic.

>the RIGHT thing to do. Anyway, I LOVE seeing stuff that agrees with my own philosophy!

You might also like this:
http://web.syr.edu/~jisincla/dontmourn.htm

Note some people have seen this as anti-parent. Jim works with many parents and is not. It is strongly on the acceptance of autism which some people do not like.

—des