What's your opinion about the hidden disability lanyard?

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I have one my stepdaughter got me . My keys are on it. I'm not aware of masking very much, but I know some here mask quite a lot. I think for those people wearing a lanyard would be contraindicated .

It's a really good idea. The number of times you need to explain to people in a shop that the reason for this and that is because of autism. It's not even sure people have a clue what that is to begin with. At times I just tell them my boys are deaf...

I hope it will raise awareness, perhaps it comes with some basic education for people in shops? I also understand there's a risk with it such as not receiving the same reception as everybody else.

And if you are really good masking, when would you need the lanyard?

I think they are a good idea as long as people know what they mean. I mask quite a lot, but when stressed I can become non verbal and can't communicate very well which has lead to some regrettable situations so it may be useful and not necessarily contraindicated.

^^ ^ Thank you both. Good points made.

What is a lanyard?

Here you go, Mountain Goat

https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/

A "lanyard" is a ribbon thing you wear around your neck to hold something...like a name badge.

Or in this case:to hold a plastic card that explains how you're disabled by having autism.

I wouldnt have known what a "lanyard" was either if I hadnt worked as a temp in a warehouse a couple of years ago. We had to pack boxes of supplies for a convention - that including hundreds of "lanyards" for the conventioneers to hang their name tags around their necks.

I would have guessed that a "lanyard" was "some kind of medeaval weapon that you stab folks with, like a lance" based on what the word sounds like.

I used to make lanyard wristbands when I was younger.

I don't think I've ever seen one out and about in the US, but I kind of like the idea as long as it is up to the individual to make the choice to wear one. I maybe would wear one but more likely for my seizure disorder.

Also, I don't think legally employees at stores and in businesses can ask why you are wearing one. I could be wrong, but I know when I was training for my old job at K-Mart, I learned that you cannot legally ask why an individual has a service animal.

It seems like a good idea. I dont feel the need for it myself, but I can imagine how folks who have one of any number of disabilities could benifit from having a badge describing the disability - and a badge that is suspended from their neck out in plain sight.

And that last apart - about being in plain sight matters -when you're dealing with the cops.

Doesn't sound like it's for me. I usually prefer to wing it and pretend I have no disability. And I think it would get in my way physically, one way or another. I can see the attraction of displaying an ASD label under certain circumstances, but they don't come up much in my life. I don't feel like I'm surrounded by people who would make adjustments for my disability if they knew about it. I declared it to my employer in writing, which got me some important adjustments (grudgingly on their part, I felt), but I don't think a physical label would have helped. The only other time was for a plane flight, which didn't really work out. They just kept me hanging about till they could find somebody to escort me to the gate (I'd have preferred to get there by myself), and asked me if I needed a wheelchair. Obviously they didn't have a clue what to do so they just guessed, and guessed wrong. I get the feeling most people just wouldn't understand, so I don't usually say anything. Luckily I don't think my behaviour is likely to arouse police suspicion particularly. I've had plenty of practice getting past security guards at airports. It's just a matter of looking calm and appearing to know what you're doing and where you're going, just blending in with the other passengers, and (the hardest part for me) doing as you're told.

I used the lanyard when I flew to the UK about 4 years ago. I think it worked great. I have actually sent an email to my university asking if hey would join in on the scheme.

Probably it would be a good thing for me, because no matter how hard I may try to pretend otherwise, people can tell right away that something's up with me, and due to selective mutism and sometimes going nonverbal (which are two separate things to me, although they both have the same result), I can't always explain what. Of course, now I usually have a standard poodle with me, with "autism service dog" in big letters on his vest - I'm pretty sure that gets the message across

I don't see the need for that type of lanyard, but I do have a small collection of lanyards because I keep my work badge on one, and my keys on another as it's a handy way to keep them, especially if it's put in a purse or my pocket. At my job, everyone is required to have the badge visible while on company property, and lanyards are the easiest way to do that.