Every documentary shows children throwing tantrum and parents complaining. They never talk about high-functioning autistics. And they always show children. NEVER adults. Because a LOT of LFA children grow up to be high-functioning. And the number for that would be higher if the "doctors" wouldn't restrict stims and put the autistic in ABA for 40 hours a week. It's a coverup.

Fascinating topic, and I have little intelligent input except to say that I am glad I was never labeled "LFA" even though I might be.  Less would have been expected of me, and I would never have accomplished any of the good things I accomplished.  Hats off to those of the "LFA" persuasion, of which I might be a part, who overcame low expectations and accomplished.

In any case, carry on folks because this is a fascinating topic than bears exploration.

What are you trying to get at with this topic?

Just something that bothers me.

Society tends to focus more on who has it worse so they ignore the ones who don't have it as bad.

I think a lot of people don't realize that there are people on the spectrum who are HFA.  Since we don't usually stand out, particularly we older ones who have worked hard to blend in with the majority NT population.  Like the old saying, "It's the squeaky wheel that gets the oil."

For docos and the like, there wouldn't be much mileage to show a HFA just going about their business quietly, doing the right thing and following the rules.  There's not enough drama in that to make good viewing.

Alison

This post was last modified: 02-07-2012 02:55 AM by Alison.

On the other hand, LFA's have legitimate aspirations also.  I am not sure which side of that divide I am on, so I had better hedge my bets!

I was probably very lucky, as well, not to get stuck with the "LFA" label. Actually, when I was assessed (in 1971) to see if I belonged in a "special school", there was only "Autism". And since I could speak and interact with people I wasn't "Autistic". And, since I scored well above average on the intelligence tests they gave me, I wasn't getting on the short bus either.

I fell through the cracks, and... I'm proud of it.

Well... save for that one time at age 5.

Very similar to my experience, except that as a female I never got assessed until I was in my 40's.  
Alison

I don't think it's being covered up, I think that's what the media shows because most people's idea of autism is LFA.  That's all I thought it was until shortly before I got my dx.  I had no idea anything else existed.  I was in my 40s too Alison.  

Most people who know nothing about the spectrum would probably just dismiss a portrayal of someone with AS/HFA as not "real" autism, and they may feel that they can't get their point across without showing the LFA kid that most people's minds conjure up when they hear "autism".

More information about AS/HFA needs to be out there.  When people start understand it, and getting used to the idea, then maybe they will use other characterization.

it's like i've always said HFA is not easily seen from the outside like down's, spina bifida in fact we look very much like our NT counterparts normal in appearance on the outside even if our ability to learn at a quick enough pace to please everyone is impaired this is why we don't get the same attention or credit we deserve.. also why the aspergers syndrome label is at risk at disappearing because its not a disability that can be proven definitively <-- but thats a different post

That was true for me, but then again, I'm female so it wasn't until my late 20's that I was diagnosed with Asperger's. I actually went to preschool at a school for special needs kids, but once I started scoring well above average on intelligence tests, I was able to go to a typical school starting with elementary school.

Amen I guess I would probably be called high functioning because I am Aspergers and very verbal/good at reading but that doesn't mean I don't have Aspergers pretty severely  Though through the K-12 years I was known to have some kinda "learning disability" I avoided being on the short bus, I just had to talk the school counselor a lot, you know the type some ultra friendly hippyish women who has a frog puppet who she pretends talks. I didn't get diagnosed with Aspergers until I was 21 and so I have been able to stand on my own two feet, fall down sometimes get back up and learn a lot of my own coping mechanisms to be able to do stuff were not supposed to be good at.  As for showing Austistic kids throwing tantrums don't non Autistic kids throw tantrums too?  My neurotypical little brother sure did and he still has a worse temper than me.  It seems they show Autistic kids doing a lot of things kids their age or slightly younger also do.  They never show Autistic adults nicely dressed with combed hair acting like "normal" people.  For that matter they never show Autistic kids acting sweet and friendly like so many of them do.  Us Aspies can be kinda arrogant sometimes I know I am lol.  I remember when I was in school and saw the Autistic kids in the hall(thinking I wasn't one of them lol) they were always saying hi how are you, same with Autistic people I see in that program where they take them places on the bus a lot of them have manners that seem from another time in an American society that has become increasingly rude crude and unfriendly.