Aspies For Freedom

Lulu, you don't have to meet every single one of the criteria, in the DSM is says something like 'showing 4 out of 6 of the following'

http://www.aspiesforfreedom.com/phpBB2/v...3209#23209

I posted the criteria, which does say '2 out of 4' etc.

So far as I can see from the International Classification of Diseases 10th edition (ICD-10) the description and diagnosis of autism in categrory F.84 relates to childhood autism only, with some of the signs and symptoms being expected to change with increasing age.

"The specific manifestation of deficits characteristic of autism change as the children grow older"

So those of us who are adults should not expect to see our present state reflected in the diagnostic criteria for childhood autism - which are, by and large, all we ever hear about!  Adults with ASD are all but invisible in England, with little or no support being offered outside residential care homes.

Stella

I suppose that collecting information on people could simply mean learning facts about a film star, hero/heroine, or learning every deatil of Marie Curie's life, for instance.

She boiled up big saucepans full of pitchblende in her kitchen at home

there's no doubt that cute little kids under the spell of some mysterious "enigma" or "riddle" in their own enchanted world (as the marketing literature has it) sell much better than socially misfitting adults with "odd" ideas, who become a charge on the state.

Think it's tough living with autism? Imagine what it would be like to be autistic and have a lithp:

"Mother dear, my special interwest in wailways is all part of the multifaceted widdle of autism...."

Stella

One trait I don't have is the repetitive body movements, nor do I have any major obsessions. I have a hobby of historical re-enactment, only done on the weekends or after 7pm on an occasional weeknight.

Other than that, I do have the social issues, especially when it comes to job interviews. Because of my social problems, I've never made it past the interview part of getting a job. Once I get hired, I can blend in enough to become a productive employee.

That is very poor indeed, its a denial of services for adults, there can't be any real justification for it, apart from saving money

Excellent, if you need any help publicising it, let us know.

ana, is that 700 pounds a week or month? If its a week, someone with that high a wage would never get any help in the UK, if its per month, then she would still get help with childcare.

Though a few years ago there was zero help for childcare here at all, its relatively new.

"In Ontario nondisabled single mothers on income assistance have to go out to look for work when their youngest child reaches age 6 months. Here in British Columbia a single mom can stay home until her youngest child reaches 3 years of age."

In the UK its five years of age currently. Though I wouldn't be surprised if that was gradually lowered.
The problem too is that childcare provision is very hard to get here, unless you are in a city and can drive.

There isnt a childminder at all in my local area for instance.

In the UK it has to be an officially registered person to qualify. And there is a great shortage of these. Schools sometimes have programs where a child can stay for an extra hour or so, for payment, but these are always over-stretched and its very hard to get a place.

They make it very hard to get to be a registered childminder here.

I think this is because of cases where children have been injured or killed, or had sex offenders working as childminders.

I have 'selective clumsiness', meaning that I'm not universally clumsy in every situation. Perhaps that has something to do with having invested much time in my dance obsession in high school. I'm really quite graceful when I want to be, but put me in an unfamiliar situation and the results are terrible. Oh, and my ball-catching/throwing skills are completely non-existent. I'm totally phobic of participating in any sort of ball game (slight exaggeration, but it is still quite scary).

Sounds familiar...  Nobody ever picked me for anything, and not just for my lack of coordination.  One lunch time in high school I tried to throw a tennis ball at someone, and my aim was off by about 45 degrees, prompting about 20 boys to erupt into laughter at me. :oops:

I actually used to be quite a good hockey player, but using a stick seems to make all the difference.  Using my hands and feet I'm quite pathetic at making some ball fly off in a certain direction.

I had the nicest GP though, he'd always write me notes excusing me from compulsory sporting events for extremely minor physical problems, because he knew how much they upset me psychologically.
:smile: