NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman is a book I didn’t plan to read until I had a lot of free time — and only then if I found a discounted copy. Now, I have time and the book was only $1.99 for the Kindle…
Tag: diagnoses
Podcast 0004; Season 01, Episode 04; April 17, 2018 Daniel Sansing, MEd., specializes in literacy and second language studies. He is an Adjunct Instructor of English and a Writing/Study Skill Tutor at the University of Cincinnati, Blue Ash College. Daniel is also a husband, father, and an autistic individual. I am honored…
If a test emerges that can screen for some forms of autism with 80 percent or better accuracy, parents will seek out the test. I expect such screening to be possible within the next decade. We should consider the implications of accurate tests for forms autism, especially if medical researchers…
When did I ‘become’ the autistic me? That’s a complex question and one that raises questions about the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders from the American Psychiatric Association. This post, however, does not engage in a debate over the DSM-IV and DSM5 criteria for autism. Instead, I wanted to…
I was in my late 30s when my diagnoses were altered to include autism. 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,…
As a creative writer, I find that a handful of autism advocates dismiss the creativity of HFA/AS individuals as evidence that artists are not really autistic. These critics suggest that the savants with autism are genuine, but not those of us with careers. Yesterday, I ran across yet another mention…
A reader asks, “If you don’t think about the autistic traits, what about your wife? They tend to notice what husbands fail to see in the mirror.” Is my wife more aware of my autistic traits than I am? Probably. I suppose the above is true of all friends and…
Every few months, online or in real (physical) life, I hear the skeptical, questioning, puzzled phrase, “You’re not autistic. You can’t be.” I’ve addressed the question here many times, and I still lack a single good response. The “positive” versions: Because you are successful, self-expressive, driven, and have a career,…
Scientists are seeking what makes people different, at least genetically. What is done with this information is the realm of ethics and morality, not genetics. I’m autistic or a person with autism or whatever. I don’t care what the label is. I was what I am before the label even…
I am quite open that I support genetic-based theories of autism etiology, while also open to the notion of triggers. Genetic predisposition is only that: predisposition. Many genetic conditions respond to triggers, so the two are not exclusionary. Today, there is a bit more on the genetics of autism. But…