Adults don't have Asperger's Syndrome

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How can a doctor think that adults can't have AS, I mean really. Do they really thnik people grow out of it.

I agree!

at the time I went to school they would have put me into the SED-socially and emotionally disturbed class-because that is what they called it back then-I wouldn't have had a chance if it wasnt for one teacher who refused to put me there-adults that may have learned coping skills still have AS and things that affect us and bother us and weigh on us still affect us even if we dont show it in an outward fashion-there are adults still trying to understand and are confused and maybe hurting inside and still need help and assistance in coming to terms with certain aspects of their AS and may be bad at developing coping skills-its tough-I always wondered why ASD's were represented by puzzle pieces-I know very well now why.

I was in SED classes for a while in high school. That class was so unstructured that I thought I would lose my mind.

When I was little, people thought that it was possible to "grow out of" ADHD and that my dad actually had a particular type of ADHD where he did grow out of it. Now that I am in adulthood, I know very well that this is not the case--he and I just both learned coping skills that allowed us to function but still remain who we are.

But to suggest that a fundamental part of our brains has changed--no. I can't think how it would be any different for AS.

I think AS is fairly common in most adults but, I could be wrong..

The reason that some people think that you can grow out of AS is because they don't believe in it being a physiological problem.
They think it's "all in your head" and you can just "get over it" like you can get over a broken heart

It's a much smaller market and what little market there is is already dominated by a few experts.


Adults have more experience than kids, they have already made it through school and live with a milleu of expectations that children do not. Adults have either figured out how to cope with their lives, or, are in treatment, are dependent on family, the government, or are in prison, while children are busy with school, learning what they need to know to make it as adults. That's why you see so much information geared toward kids. There's a window that allows you to shape their brain. Adults aren't considered to be in that window. By the age of twenty-five, most people follow rigid patterns of adaptation, for better or worse.


Because parents and professionals are optimistic and hope they can teach children the right coping skills allowing them to make the most of their abilities when older. Adults are much harder to treat than children, the belief is.

If the market expands, you will see more books for adults with autism. There has to be a big enough demand, followed by experts supplying it.

The reason for this is simple. With children there is still time to teach coping and adaptation skills, while they are still in public schools. It has far more to do with increasing societal input from high school graduates that it does with illiciting sympathy for charities and causes. Government programs are designed with "benefit to society" in relation to cost in mind.

Very few experts have any idea how to treat an adult with AS. Programs for kids are experimental at best, though some are finally beginning to show some tangible, measurable results. In order for results to be measurable, populations have to be watched and tested for many years. Children are the best population to start with to get decent long term results. Children are also more impressionable, and have not yet developed life long habits, and are therefore easier to "mold." That's the theory anyway. I have my doubts as to the validity of that one when it comes to AS. I suspect there are a lot of AS kids that aren't any more "mold-able" at the age of ten than they are at the age of twenty, though I'm also just as sure there are exceptions.

The fact is, with almost any program, early intervention is almost always the rule of thumb. Start with the kids. See if we can affect improvement in them, and cause a long term measurable result, then see what we can do for the adults.

You're right. Services for adults is hard to find. I'm looking myself and having a hard time finding someone just to perform a DX on me and my wife. Tain't easy! But it's not because anyone believes that adults don't have AS. It's because services for adults just aren't as developed as they are for children. Uta Frith herself didn't believe that AS could be outgrown. She and Asperger both believed that you either have it, or you don't. I think you will find that in most cases, seeking a diagnosis as an adult will probably require that you pay for it yourself. I hear insurance companies and government programs are notorious for not helping in that area. Once you are determined to have it, there MAY be programs and services (through the government or private insurance) you can avail yourself of, but I wouldn't guarantee it.

Well it is in our head isn't it? Quite literally in fact.

Well, yes. That's exactly the problem - AS is literally in the head, while the general opinion is that it is figuratively in the head.

Well, let's look at this from a past to present perspective (taking some guesses, but based on stuff I've read):

Let's say, starting some several hundred years ago (Crusades Era), and we start seeing autism develop . . . course, the general populace thought they had no souls, were possessed, and most likely burned at the stake. Stepping up a few centuries, the numbers start to increase a little (say from 1/1000 to 1/9000), so its apparent these kids won't make it in that timeline so they become outcasts/hermits and die alone. Suddenly, one is discovered with an obsessive interest and he's pretty damn good at some skill, but still a lone outcast who doesnt reproduce (but leaves behind some art or craft thats viewed as useful). Progressing further, it's learned that people can communicate with those "Autists" using their interest as a medium . . . lo and behold, they do have souls, just not much need to interact/participate with outher, but . . . with the interest as said medium for conversation, some manage to marry (having children or not). Developing scientists confirm that if this scenario is controlled in the child stage of life, there would be more breeders possible when grown.

Basically, it boils down to, "How many more people do we want to have breeding in the name of <religion>." That's why we focus on children (granted, this is probably me going hyperrational with analytics, but it seems to be on the right track). What do you think?

I wondered this also when I first started in on my path of research. I came to this conclusion while reading Attwood.

I dont think theres just a problem for lack of resources with adults with aspergers. Its autism in general. You look up info about autism in general and 99% of the info and resources are just for children. Why? It doesnt make sense. Autism is a lifelong disorder. It just dosent heal itself once the person turns 18. There should be more resources and support out there so people can learn how to hold jobs, earn a living and live independently. So less of us are dependent on our parents, relatives or government disability money. Cause it might take many of us a little longer then NTs to gain skills of independency but it is possible for many high functioning autistics/aspies. So in the long run, we arent a strain to society.

because "treatment" largely = sanding edges of square peg to fit better into round hole so as to be less apt to disrupt social norms and be easier to manage behaviorally in an institutional setting.

although sometimes i think even those with AS diagnosis (who got it in childhood) don't believe in anyone who grew up pre-diagnosis era actually having it. we are pre-1985 Snuffleupaguses.