[moonlight7]

sherrinaz fouad
if a child is diagnosed as autistic , how can they proceed into adulthood, and is there any chance they grow up as normal individuals ?

[Hellion]

I suppose that depends on what one defines as 'normal' I am thinking probably not normal in the sense this society would define it. Also how they proceed into adulthood probably depends on the individual and their specific circumstances there isn't a single outcome.

[Junerain]

Growing out of autism is a real possibility! In this study, 20% were functioning adults.

Can People Really Grow Out Of Autism? - Forbes

[Junerain]

Natalie Merchant wrote a song about a child who overcomes autism, I have heard many children who grew into healthy adults have made her song, 'Their song'

[Hellion]

Originally Posted by Junerain

Growing out of autism is a real possibility! In this study, 20% were functioning adults.

Can People Really Grow Out Of Autism? - Forbes

Growing out of autism?

See the problem with that having autism isn't a lack of growing up or whatever, its a neurological difference with some disabling aspects....and it's a lifelong thing there are ways to manage it and work with it as well as potential accommodations to help people with the disorder but I am skeptical of anyone entirely 'growing out of it' also just not sure how its something one grows out of do people grow out of having ADHD or Epilepsy?

I am diagnosed myself and yeah its not something that goes away, its something you have to kind of try to figure out how to work with...though can't say I am doing amazingly I am on SSI but that is also because of other disorders, mainly PTSD. It is possible to grow into a healthy autistic adult, but probably not a healthy non-autistic adult but for a lot I feel it could be too late for that...

[ifst5]

Why would a person even need to grow out of autism? Are we saying that people are incapable of coming to terms with something that depending on the right sort of help is actually rather manageable in a lot of cases?

Speaking as someone actually with Autism i've seen the variations in attitudes over the years; the fear over us being sociopaths (i in fact have a personality disorder on the other end of the spectrum to psychopathy so work that one out), the rise in popularity of an emotionally distant and calculating personality (how many of your favourite TV shows can list at least one character who fits this description?) the misconception that we're all overly intelligent yet almost completely socially inept (i have average intelligence and functioning, though at times difficult personal relationships like most people).

Please don't lump us all into the same wastepaper basket - we all have different difficulties that depending on our personalities require the appropriate consideration and management.

As long as care is person centered and there is an avoidance of heavily stereo-typed thinking, there should be every chance of a workable life for the person involved.

[Hellion]

hmmm would seem it makes people uncomfortable when autistic people have an opinion about autism...guess I helped kill the thread.

[healingme4me]

The article did go onto say, that a person who has diabetes under control and managed, isn't without diabetes.
It also went onto question the desired outcome measures.
Seems, the author was questioning the study. A sample of 34 people, seems skeptical on a scientific level.

I am very much like the stereotype - quite intelligent, socially almost a complete moron, and no real feeling for anything (mildly psychopathic) . I have a total of three emotions - love (more obsession than anything else), pleasure/satisfaction (skin deep) and an almost constant miserableness mixed in with spikes of aggression. What a lovely person I must be to be around, huh? No wonder I have no friends.

[-jimi-]

I grew into autism the second the diagnosis was widened. So there is that too.

I'm functional in areas most are not. I'm not very good at stuff people take for granted.

Who gets to judge?

Originally Posted by -jimi-

I'm not very good at stuff people take for granted.

That's the best way to describe it!!! That's exactly how I feel too. Especially social situations.

[-jimi-]

Since I'm an adult on disability and would probably be even without autism, I'm given a bigger choice in how I socialize. I function better than when I was a kid in school. I think basically I am the same, but the demands on me have changed.

That makes me think of the older generation men in my family. Some have autistic traits and they made it fine. Why? They didn't need to learn messy things like cleaning and cooking, their wives did that, they didn't need to really raise kids, same there... They only needed to learn their line of work and the jobs back then were plentiful and usually not complicated. It was rather requested that you were calm and somewhat withdrawn, loud and overly sociable people were frowned upon since they "lacked self control". That said, labor was of course often dreadfully harsh. But probably much more autism friendly than today where chaos, multitasking and socializing is the norm.

Now I'm glad life isn't that unequal anymore, still it hints to that issues are not solely within ourselves.

[Lexi232]

i thought from the title that you might be asking if someone wasnt diagnosed, how could they know as an adult..
i was thinking if you have photographs from childhood, look into them. because the likelyhood of it showing up in photos is very high when you have autism. because your more in "your own world", and if you havent been diagnosed, then its likely that you lack the "early intervientions" that they do now.. and autism isnt just something that can be turned off during photographs and such when a small kid.

as for the actual question, i think the others are right. it depends on the individual and how it affects that person. we all physically age, but sometimes are stuck in a certain functional abilities level. i think if the individual is content in where they are and what is going on, then that could signal that they are a "normal" person... but in reality "normal" is in the eye of the beholder.. so... "normal" isnt really a set thing either, its indvidualized as well.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

By "normal" do you mean neurotypical? Well, NTs aren't normal to me, and my vote counts right? I may live a different life than them but it's my life, and for me it works. Both adults and children can make improvements and learn new skills, but the part of us that has Autism, that's just the way we are. I can do most things NTs can, but I di them differently. NTs have many struggles that I do not.

Life is your own perception. For you, being born NT, it appears to be the best life possible, the "normal" life. I have thought the way I think from the beginning, so I can't imagine being any different.

Life is hard for everyone, you can either accept yourself or not.

To answer your question, we were born normal human beings.

[-jimi-]

Your vote counts and is noted.

I believe in a quite neurodiverse world, I think we wouldn't be here with only spectrum people or only NT people. I think we always needed each other and the variety was of good.

What I see is a world that marginalizes spectrum people and give free disability help to NT's without calling it help, it's built into the system. In the past, people in general had to solve tasks hard for NT's but easy for spectrum people and the other way round. Now NT's don't really have to practice much on the things hard for them.

Yea, of course I'm making a general statement and many NT people struggle too. But some examples, in the past you could end up in situations where "teamwork" was not available. Also in the past, extremely outgoing behaviors was frowned upon. We sort of changed that to make life for the NT easier.