Could I have lost my Autism?

Post Reply New Topic

I was diagnosed with severe Autism when I was one and a half, and I began therapy right away. Now doctors don't even believe I have Aspergers, which doesn't make sense. You can't cure Autism, right?
I go to a main stream school, and although I do have a resource period, it's for my extreme anixety, not Aspergers. I do sometimes struggle with social cues, but nobody who knows me would have ever guessed I have Autism because I look so normal. Do I still have Aspergers?

Very few people outgrow autism.

It's there, you've just been able to make accommodations. CONGRATULATIONS!! Sincerely, it's a hard thing to do, and you should be glad that you have. Struggling with social cues is probably just one trait you still display, but others may be masked. Severe anxiety is probably coming from not understanding others instinctively the way NT's do, I know that's where mine came from when I was younger. My oldest son was certainly displaying a HUGE number of the "warning signs" before he was in an early intervention group. Now at 16, he's much more social and better acclimated to the NT world than I was at his age, and much better than his brother is, who didn't have access to that intervention program. He's still an Aspie, but he's dealing with it better than I was able to at his age.

Accept that you've made a difficult transition and learn what your strengths are. We get those too, it's not ALL bad.

I don't think it matters much if what you've got is Aspergers or Autism or whatever. You know you've got something, and you seem to be doing okay with it, right? It's likely that you were misdiagnosed, which is easy to do at one and a half since you're probably not really able to explain your symptoms. But you may have some PDD or something - who knows? Maybe you should pursue another diagnosis, but I think all that matters is that you've got the accommodations you need.

You were diagnosed very young. I think that "severe" is just a label and that it doesn't mean you were more autistic than you are now, but people saw you that way.
Words are tricky things and I don't think labels should be used to describe developing kids. My son was 2 1/2 when he was labelled "severely" autistic as well. No language, no eye contact, acted like people were objects, demanded strict routine and sameness, stopped eating foods with undesirable textures, etc.
He's fully included in 2nd grade now and many people don't know he's autistic. It's a struggle because it's hard to keep accomodations for him. He's still autistic, with allergies, anxiety and miscommunications galore. I have found that the biggest challenge in autism is the communication barrier. If you're able to communicate and understand it, then you're likely going to be very successful.

My husband had all the developmental delays of autism with no intervention and seemed to "snap" out of it in his teens. He still has social anxiety but is able to communicate well (better than most NTs) and is very successful. The anxiety and the sensory integration issues don't seem to go away.

I am in the same position . . . I have had people tell me that I could not possibly be Asperger's because I don't fit the stereotype. One of them is a father of an autistic boy. He refuses to believe that I have Aspergers simply because we work together. Yet he continually worries about his son's future, can he ever hold a good job, live on his own, that sort of thing.

On the flip side, there are people who may not know anything about Asperger's and/or autism, but they do know that I am somehow different--and I don't need to spell out what that means! So no, you can never really "outgrow" it, you can mask it or accomodate to some extent, some better than others, but it is always there. Lest you forget, there is always some kind, thoughtful soul who considers it their duty to go out of their way to let you know who you are and where you stand. You see, once you turn 18 or 20, you have no right to go around in society like everyone else. You are supposed to "disappear".

I don't know about anyone else, but it took a great deal of courage to seek out this site and admit that yes, this is what I am after all these years of trying to pass for normal.

Some of the most dismissive people are other parents of autistic kids. They see their kids in terms of a checklist of deficits and possibly freak talents. It's a way of objectifying. So, when they deal with someone who doesn't seem "as bad" as their kid or is able to participate in the "real world" (ie hold a job, conversation, make a joke) they can't believe they are also autistic.

having autism and Asperger's and have the PTSD to prove it, I will give you a trade secret.

you can ADAPT to anything that won't outright kill ya'


so if you see 'autism' as being a detriment to adapting you can now see what wonders learning to adapt can do for your self esteem, your ability to cope well and your own peace of mind.

so I don't think your 'autism' is any less, it's your coping abilities that have excelled!

Congratulations! you're awesome!

Merle

if there was a simple, hard and fast rule, it would be an autistic wavelength, instead of a spectrum..

You've managed to learn to cope. Don't worry about losing AS, because I found it.. I'll keep it warm for ya..

Wow you sound like me, exactly like me haha. No talking, no communication, non-verbal, nasty, no emotions, no smiles, rarely at that, only lined up toys, loved closing doors, loved spinning things, hated ppl, no affection what so ever...typical severely autistic. I still have soooooooo many problems with affection, ppl still no interest, very verbal haha, have emotions, now i have smile tics haha, still love closing doors, and love spinning things, and lining up things, but I'm very much more high functioning now.

My nt bf of 2years is moving in. I'm very independant, well somewhat haha, i drive, i take care of my animals, i volunteer everywhere. I was even labelled mentally ret*d growing up, now even tho i tic and still stim, you can't tell i'm autistic unless you really know that much about autism. Its not that you outgrow your autism, you outgrow a lot of your symptoms, you learn to adapt, and you grow up to a point that your autism doesn't keep you from doing what you want to do in life!

_________________
Being Normal Is Vastly Overrated

I can see that. It has taken a lot of forced socialization and work with me from a patient parent but i have grown out of mine a little. Its still there, but with more grown up childish wisdom.

Recognizing aspergers in my life helped that. It helped me to understand how far i have come and accept myself more. I also know some of my limitations. I realize that i am perfectly fine as i am, i just have a little more to learn about social cues and NTs. Let it be an advantage in as many areas as you can.

We are a smart bunch. Behaviors can be learned, and copied even if not completely understood. It does get easier as you get older and you will see that.