Media: Autistic children this, and autistic children that

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As a fairly new member here (and diagnosed as being on the AS only a few weeks ago), I don't recall seeing this issue addressed. Does it frustrate anyone else that almost every single article about autism out there in the media focuses on kids with autism? Don't get me wrong - I think that's important to talk about. But it seems like most studies and reports on the latest trends in autism focus on kids exclusively. Adults might get a throwaway line in there somewhere, but even that's not guaranteed.

I just saw an article somewhere about the possible treatment of kids recently diagnosed whose synapses may be repaired chemically. A well-meaning friend just sent me an article about how kids might benefit from yoga. The list goes on and on; it's as if the reporters and researchers are blissfully unaware that one doesn't simply "grow out of" autism, even if we do learn to cope/ mask the more obvious signs.

Any thoughts on why autism is consistently portrayed primarily as a disorder afflicting the very young?

Well I think there is so much research and so many articles about how it affects children because there is now much more awareness of spotting autism of all degrees of severity at a young age, much more awareness and expertise than there was in, for example, my own generation. So it's understandable that new findings and new conversations in the media will circle around kids' issues regarding autism.

There is also the angle that the younger it is diagnosed the more awareness and comprehension of the child's challenges there can be in everyone from the parents to the teachers to other professional, and the more awareness, the more can be done to assist the child in achieving the best possible things that particular child can be and do.

So it's a hotter topic, in a way, because for a diagnosed child there is a lot of optimism and excitement over this or that method of teaching them, helping them, etc, to be happier adults later on. Thus more talk of it out there. It's not that nobody thinks adults have autism, as much as there is more enthusiastic speculation about children because more can be done at early stages to minimize negative downsides for them.

I understand how that makes sense -- but I agree with you that there isn't enough said about adults living with autism. I too find that area very lacking. And I feel it's important too, because it's the present-day adults who, many of them anyway, were overlooked or only just now being diagnosed, and some of them may have found their lives to be - and more importantly, STILL finding their lives to be more of a struggle than they might have been had they known from an earlier age. Knowing means you can at least understand what's going on when you experience the negative side of your neurology. There is not enough publicity, articles, or even research about adults living with autism and the unique set of issues that carries.

I totally get the emphasis on children, but in addition to lots of information for parents about their children, I'd like more out there about adults too.

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Kids get the sympathy and pity vote. "Aw look at him / her, we need to cure them." - I do not agree with this mentality and I think the media's trying to get people to cling on to an outdated medium via absurb stories.
Also I think this is in the wrong sub-section.
The media believes that everyone with autism is suffering and if you can prevent early suffering, the kid will be "fine" and grow up "healthy". I think they believe it's too late for adults.

I don't even think it's always about "lets cure the kid and he'll grow up fine." I think there is genuinely an improvement in potential if a child is diagnosed early -- as opposed to being diagnosed in later life -- because lack of knowledge and lack of understanding of someone displaying issues can only lead to damaging and inappropriate handling of that person's issues - and thus their life.

It's not about curing anyone if they're caught young enough -- it's about enlightenment in dealing with that child rather than benighted mistakes made that may hamper their ability to have a quality life, to whatever extent they may, even further.

However, I'm not here to defend all the coverage children with autism get, I still agree with the OP that there isn't enough being discussed out there about adult autism issues.

I'm just saying that I also understand why children are focused on more. Not condoning the imbalance though.


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I completely agree with this, as someone who was diagnosed fairly early in her life. I think that, if I were diagnosed much later, things would've gotten much worse within my life than they already were.

I do hold a bit of irritation at the lack of older teenage/adult resources, however, mostly because as I grow up and I realize that there's still flaws I need to work around, I can't find ways to work around them that don't assume I'm a young child and/or are talking to a parent/caretaker's PoV.

yes,there is a massive promotion of awareness in youngsters with autism and its no doubt also a throwback to the days it was actualy thought to be a childrens disorder and we all magicaly beamed off the planet when we hit eighteen.

another issue is the level of funding that goes towards helping children with autism compared to adult services and therapies, this gives the impression that its impossible to lessen severe symptoms as an adult so they concentrate their promotion of child services instead and write off everyone else.
only those of us with severe or profound autism get access to full specialist services as adults as its impossible to ignore our needs and difficulties,the rest are left in the shade,in the hope they will go away.

Because, as with kittens and puppies, children with any extraordinary condition will bring in more cash to any advocacy or research group than will an adult who most people would see as mostly adapted, mostly functional and seemingly only slightly more affected than most NTs. Normalcy bias and personal opinions can be groomed easily to help a fool and his money soon part ways. Slick marketing (the part of my former industry that I despised) can always be counted on to encourage joining (and financing) the bandwagon of the chic and trendy.

I agree.
I think this is part of the reason why people think you can "get over it" with time. People only see children and teens with it, but hardly ever adults, so they think that autism is something you completely grow out of once you're an adult.

Even the medical community seems like this. The doctors just half listen to me and move on to the next patient. They usually throw a script or two at me and that is the end of it. I am horrid at reading people (obviously) however I get the impression most doctors are uncomfortable dealing with us. My guess is they have had little to no training for it and yet are expected to help us in some way. I think the doctors probably feel as if they don't know how to deal with us and don't even know who to refer us to for help. I don't believe it is intentional, just that they are just as stuck as we are for lack of proper resources. In other words they are doing their best but know it is beyond their training and abilities with no where to turn except medicating us....

Where I live, it is VERY difficult for adults with autism to get a diagnosis. Many people in my generation, especially females, were passed over, as many people with slighter symptoms or "milder autism" like Asperger syndrome, or not quite severe enough appearing were not identified. I was lucky I had a doctor who went out of her way to 'fight' the local Regional Center to get them to listen, because they won't even consider or talk to anyone not diagnosed during childhood or teen years. (I and a good friend had tried to get through to the Regional Center but were turned down).

Also about the view that autism is a children's "disease" not something grown ups have, yes it seems that view is prevalent all over the internet, in books, magazines, and in the view of medical systems, families, communities. Plus that belief that a person "grows out" of their autism if they get the right "treatment" (drugs galore, aversive "therapy", electric shocks, whatever).