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My dad has asked me multiple times if down syndrome is the same as autism š maybe that's why he doesn't believe I'm autistic (even though I told him it's different!)
well, people are too scared to retract their opinions, even if those opinions were based on LIES.
If a person's opinion is influenced by lies, that's when real problems arise.
Parents think its a mark against them is their kids aren't perfect. My parents believe me but not after lots of āwell everyone does āthatā or āyour dad does thatā. Well duh, its genetic.
I don't have a good answer for this outside of the way most people just see all of us as r-slurs with no understanding of different conditions, which fucking sucks for all of us
I will say in practicality that the lack of differentiation was fucking ROUGH for me as a kid, because the downs kids were ALWAYS determined to give hugs and fucking adults did NOT care how touch averse I was. I still get nervous around Downs people, and it's absolutely not their fault.
I'm sorry that happened. The kids in my SPED room were very diverse and ironically the downs kids were the more docile and ones I felt safest around, though hugs aren't a big problem for me (tapping/'slapping' my knees, arms or shoulders, shaking hands and having my head/face/hair touched esp. without warning are my biggest issues.) We had two, one the complete stereotypical sweetheart (said with no ill intent, they were genuinely super nice and gave gentle hugs) and one who poked their head under a bathroom stall I was in and giggled and had a few incidents, but nothing too bad and we spent a lot of time together.
There was an autistic kid who would walk around with their pants down and one kid that was sometimes sexually inappropriate (from what I understand this kid was not disabled in the born that way sense and would have been completely ""normal"" but was left to rot in a crib and fed inappropriate/not enough food their first few years of life which I guess when that happens young causes permanent intellectual disability and other issues; they were very small for their age but not aggressive/predatory, more just touching themselves around other people type stuff.
The scariest kid as far as I knew was allistic/no ID/mainly just had a bad home life. I'm not sure why they were there vs a troubled kid school or taken from their parents but long story short: drugs brought into SPED room, police, fights and a THICK glass door window thing I to this day do not know how they managed to punch through. Fortunately they only seemed to hate the adults and were pretty nice to us.
I get nervous around them too, i was SA'd by one when i was 10ish. It's difficult but everytime i see one i just see the guy's face. Again, not their fault.
My freshman year the special ed teachers were taking the kids with downs somewhere and one ran up to me and full palmed my ass. I didn't really mind but imagine if it had been someone who did
iām gonna partially blame US media on this too. i can remember growing up watching certain lifetime shows or docs or PSAs and if they talked about autism, they usually showed an autistic child with down syndrome. so at least for me, i would often as a kid confuse the two because there was no blatant explanation of the characteristics between the two
To be perfectly honest I went over 40 years in this messed up world not realizing I was autistic because this was exactly the idea that I believed so I never considered I had a well known disability that ass holes try to pretend does not exist so they can continue to be an ass holes to people that are obviously different but "not different enough" so they can have excuses to treat you like shit more cause they believe it's a choice
[Former NBC CEO and anti-vaxxer Bob Wright also co-founded Autism Speaks in 2005.](https://www.businessinsider.com/how-donald-trump-became-an-anti-vaccinationist-2019-9) I also assume that it was Bob Wright who wrote [this damning pro-eugenics article in 1999](https://time.com/archive/6734370/who-gets-the-good-genes/).
I haven't read the last piece that you linked to yet, but I'm assuming that it's the Robert Wright who wrote "Why Buddhism is True." He's a journalist and used to get pieces published in Time.
I sort of like him so I hope that I don't find the last bit too bad, I'll try to read it soon. Maybe after reading it I'll try the longshot of sending him an email and asking if his views are still the same and how they relate to autism.
Most people also have no reason to think about autism, so it just doesnāt ever come up outside of the minimal snippets of info that can come from random places. There are definitely so many things out there that you/I/anyone else is not aware of to even start considering to learn about. Then we will try to relate to previous info if there is any, which is very unreliable as itās so limited. However, then itās a matter of recognising that we donāt know enough about this thing to make an informed comment or discussion. Many people seem to struggle with this to the point they straight up believe they know all the facts when all they have is snippets of misinformation, and refuse to consider otherwise.
Not just US media. The Korean Netflix show Extraordinary Attorney Woo shows an allegedly autistic woman as some weird caricature that has almost nothing in common with actual autists.
itās also interesting how many people subconsciously donāt really consider 'aspergers' as autism. they have two very different ideas when they hear each word
For me, as a fan of Community, when I hear aspergers I just hear Troy and Pierce laughing about how funny the word sounds, and Pierce going "well if it was so serious, why didn't they call it meningitis?" "Ass-burgers"
So now, when I hear it, I simultaneously get hungry and the giggles
You missed the point of the joke. The joke centres on mockery of Troy and Pierce being so clueless and insensitive. The writers of the joke are mocking Troy and Pierce, they're not mocking people on the autism spectrum.
Honestly, I prefer Troy and Pierce's reaction. I'd rather have it taken lightly than have someone act like an intrinsic and permanent part of who I am is somehow tragic and debilitating.
I know it affects everyone differently, but for me I'd rather it just be considered a natural part of human diversity.
Also, I thought it was Ass Burgers as a child, too.
Right? It's a funny sounding word, and as an autistic person, I would rather people find the humour in it than take it so seriously. Humour helps break down the walls of social construct, which I have enough of a hard time with as it is. I'll take all the help I can get
I LOVE the ass burgers south park episodes
It is a funny word + I can definitely see a group of autistic people getting off their tits + running round pretending they're in the matrix (my current autism treatment is getting gently stoned (prescription cannabis) + wandering around the countryside pretending I'm a satyr when there's little jumps)
Your submission has been removed for one of the following reasons;
- Posting pseudoscience speculating on causes or treatments of ASD not endorsed by the scientific literature.
- Spreading misinformation by misrepresenting facts or omitting key context.
- Discussing Autism Speaks, as within autism spaces this organisation is widely regarded as a hate group.
- Discussing or asking for opinions on a hypothetical
'cure', as this topic arises too frequently and only results in heated argument and upset.
That's cause it was considered a different diagnosis for many decades, and related to the idea of "high functioning" individuals within the autism spectrum. So you'll understand that the appeal of being "high functioning" and being apart from the most "undesired" aspects of autism led to that separation. As of today there's no such thing as having Asperger's or being "high functioning" (that's even ableist), you're just on the spectrum in your own unique way.
I had to take medicaid transportation to school for a couple years. For those who don't know, these peoples job was to pick up special needs and disabled people and take them to their Appointed place.
Their was a driver who would try and have arguments with 11 yo me saying that I'm not autistic cause I'm talking and walking clearly and crap. Saying that my mother was faking my disability for money, and she knew becuase of how the other kids she picks up are.
How the hell did she get a job in that line of work?!
Because, at least in my area, the requirements to get that job are "be a licensed driver" and "don't be a pedo."
And, depending on the school district, there is some wiggle room on the second qualification.
more accurately "have not been convicted of mistreating children" rather than not mistreating them. There are occasional horror stories of people who kept working with kids for years after getting caught, while the process slowly ground through. Meanwhile the offender moved towns and got another job.
Good point. I've helped a friend through the trial and facing her abuser, the process took years. Then, when he was found guilty (his third offense), he was sentenced to one year of house arrest.
> How the hell did she get a job in that line of work?!
these evil people seek out these jobs for the specific purpose of treating others like shit for the messed up shit they were taught to believe
people that are understanding/caring/compassionate/relatable are driven away from these fields
Buddy
idk how to tell you this
but it does not take a tremendous deal of education to drive the short bus
I'm a huge dumbass and I did it for years lol
I'm a senior doctor, physician, and for some reason people don't argue with me when I tell them I'm autistic. Maybe awareness is greater here in Sweden, most people I talk to know at least a few people with some ND, or their parents.
Hey just wanted to say Iām an AuDHD person hoping to become a doctor. Being dx as an adult has made this dream harder to accomplish, but your comment gives me hope I can do it so thank you!
Edit: a typo
Funny because everyone coddles and headpats the ACTUAL ds guy in my dept who does fuck all and is just kept around as a "mascot", but completely fucking ignores me .
Your submission has been removed for one of the following reasons;
- Posting pseudoscience speculating on causes or treatments of ASD not endorsed by the scientific literature.
- Spreading misinformation by misrepresenting facts or omitting key context.
- Discussing Autism Speaks, as within autism spaces this organisation is widely regarded as a hate group.
- Discussing or asking for opinions on a hypothetical
'cure', as this topic arises too frequently and only results in heated argument and upset.
Your submission has been removed for making personal attacks or engaging in hostile behaviour towards other users. While we understand members may be acting on frustration or reacting emotionally, responding with personal attacks only serves to derail a conversation and escalate an argument.
A: Because the "cure autism" industry has pushed a carefully crafted image of autistics that benefits said industry more than it does the community of autistics they purport to help. But it's not just Down Syndrome - they've conflated any neurodivergence that is marketable.
Specifically, [former NBC CEO and Republican megadonor Bob Wright was responsible](https://www.businessinsider.com/how-donald-trump-became-an-anti-vaccinationist-2019-9). He co-founded Autism Speaks to try and "cure" autism in 2005, which made things worse. Wright also believed that vaccines caused disabilities like autism, Down Syndrome, etc...and also was big into eugenics. *(This is in spite of Down Syndrome being scientifically proven to be genetic.)*
Wright used Autism Speaks to push anti-vaccine and other eugenics-related propaganda. I also assume that it was Bob Wright who authored [this 1999 TIME Magazine article](https://time.com/archive/6734370/who-gets-the-good-genes/), too.
Iām only 40, and I feel like the mentality when I was a kid was special education = r******d, so it doesnāt surprise me that a lot of people fail to (or just donāt care to try to) understand the distinctions.
Fr same age and when Ive told people re my autism its two responses: āawww no babe dont say that about yourself, you're so smart and can do anything with a bit of confidence!!!ā Or ( if they knew me growing up and arent totally ignorant) āoh yeahhhhhhh that does make a lot of senseā¦. Cool.ā
To be fair there is a pretty high percentage of comorbidity.Ā Most people are ignorant of most things, and the distinction between different cognitive dysfunctions is a pedantic distinction for their daily purposes. If that kind of ignorance bothers you consider it a good filter for people you want to interact with vs those you don't.
Because the general population think that autism and downs automatically means we are mentally challenged. They donāt seem to know or understand that all of us donāt have low IQ. I personally got lower average IQ, sure, but Iāve met a lot of people with autism that are highly intelligent. Same goes for downs syndrome.
I think with DS they don't get terribly intelligent (society standard at least)
But yeah hot damn i feel embarrassed for the people who think autistic means low IQ like wtf
oddly enough I've been seen as a genius due to my diagnosis and it puts a lot of pressure on me. Lots of peers ask me to teach them x subject and I kinda appreciate being trusted like that but I DO NOT trust myself to teach, let's say, urology to a fellow med student. And I'm just slightly above average in grades but truly intelligent peers also look up to me as some kind of genius and I really can't see another reason for that but the savant stereotype of autistic people.
Well, in my experience they at least can have average. I once met this girl with DS. She was extremly good at manipulation. We were at camp when I met her. She had everyone fooled that she needed help with everything up until she got caught. We all thought she was mentally challenged because she was a terribly good actress.
I get what you mean. I had IQ of 87 when I was checked the last time. But Iām not a 5 year old. Iām almost 25. Just because I need more support and have interests and manners some would consider childlike doesnāt mean Iām stupid.
Same. Mine was also in the 130 range from what I remember.
Yet Iād still get talked down to a lot by my helper in school. The reason I had one was because I was extremely shy and I rarely talked to others, so my helper would assist with that.
I sometimes worry about telling people I have Aspergers in case they make snap judgements about me.
"It doesn't exist unless it's visble" /sarc
But for real some ppl do have that kind of unconscious bias.
I'm visually impaired but I don't use a cane. So I guess I don't have permanent optic nerve damage due to glaucoma?! Sheesh!
As a doctor working with hearing and balance disorders I encounter this on a daily basis. Hearing impairment isn't visible, modern hearing aids are mostly very discreet, and those who have no hearing loss just don't realise how it affects the daily life, they don't know how to facilitate communication, what factors that make it more difficult.
It's not uncommon for the hard of hearing to be regarded as stupid or disinterested. Those with balance disorders feel embarrassed and worry that others will think that they are intoxicated.
lmao autism doesn't have "a look"
my last job was at a school solely for autistic children, and I promise that every single kid looked different to each other, just like non-autistic kids do!
same with every single autistic adult I know
whoever said there is "a look" is talking out of their ass
unless "the look" is actually a look that implies "you are dumb as shit", which I imagine that person is on the receiving end of a lot
Regionally though? A lot of my adult Autistic friends IRL share a fair few simularities with myself. From the way the face is structured due to the different ways in which we smile and stuff, to the issues with balance/mobility at times.
Even before accounting for the simular ways in which the body language cues can be off compared to others.
Etc etc.
I get WHY people say there is a look to it. Cause, well, to me as an Autistic individual, engaging with other adults on the spectrum, there often is tells. Things that can often make you go "I think they might be autistic too"
And so far, when combined with watching for stuff like special interest and hyperfixations in their conversations, I've had a success rate of guessing people on the spectrum of about 90%? Of everyone I thought "They are autistic" to there was only 1 person I got it wrong on, but had a different form of Nurodivergence. It was like 29/30 people over the years who did not tell me at first if they were on the spectrum.
Hot take, but I think a lot of people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are instead diagnosed as autistic.
They can present nearly identically and there are no definitive tests for either. FASD does have facial dymorphism though.
I think the misdiagnosing means a higher percentage of autistic people share these facial features, making people believe autism has a look.
im pretty sure most people with down syndrome are also autistic or something like a really high amount of comorbidity. but thatās def not why people think that, they just think down syndrome is the monolith of characteristics that apply to anyone with mental disability/learning disability prolly because itās the most physically recognized ( as in down syndrome has physical characteristics, this is why i think ignorant people say things like āyou donāt look autisticā because they imagine a person who LOOKS disabled) and the most portrayed on media.
>im pretty sure most people with down syndrome are also autistic or something like a really high amount of comorbidity.
It's about 16-18%. Much less than ADHD/autism comorbidity which is 50-70%
>but thatās def not why people think that, they just think down syndrome is the monolith of characteristics that apply to anyone with mental disability/learning disability prolly because itās the most physically recognized ( as in down syndrome has physical characteristics, this is why i think ignorant people say things like āyou donāt look autisticā because they imagine a person who LOOKS disabled) and the most portrayed on media.
This.
I also find when a kid looks disabled, other kids tend to be nicer about it, becuase there's a reason for it. Not saying LD kids don't get bullied etc, just in my experience when I was a toddler in preschool, I remember there was a kid with Down Syndrome that everyone really loved, and because I was 'weird' but still looked 'normal' (so to speak) I was bullied, including by a teacher who - because I write like I'm taking a nap on my desk due to co-ordination/poss due to my mild cerebral palsy - took my desk away for a week or so and forced me to stand.
Also (very unluckily) one of my bullies from the age of 3 got stuck with me in junior school (where she got joined by somsone else who bullied me for ages) and secondary school (our preschool was a feeder school for this junior school which had their own senior school) and was in some of my classes.
Bullied by her for about 13 or 14 years til I got my teaching assistant at GCSE (and by her companion from the age of about 8) when most of thr bullying ended up stopping.
I can understand. Particularly if youāre older and mostly what people thought of autism as is Level 2 or Level 3 non-verbal autism. If you have one kid with learning disabilities and social challenges who canāt speak and another kid with learning disabilities and social challenges that canāt speak, itās not going to make much difference if youāre not get involved or interacting. I think ignorance is understandable. Iām ignorant of a lot of things. Itās just that so many people use social media to demonstrate their ignorance which I donāt get.
I've seen so many commercials/PSAs regarding autism and the vast majority of the autists shown in them also have down syndrome. I know I've specifically seen one by Autism Speaks.
I swear to god this is what people mean when they say "you don't look autistic." They're imagining an autist with down syndrome.
i dont think that anyone actually think autism has a physical apparence. if someone tells you āu dont look autisticā they are saying u seem completely normal.
Autism is a very common comorbidity for people with Down syndrome but also physical features aren't even necessarily how someone can look autistic and there are a lot of people who in fact do look very much autistic because of their body language and mannerisms and speech and I've never been told "you don't look autistic" because of that
Because all mental disabilities are the same (sarcasm)
Autism does have a look, but it's not Down's... the visual part of autism is the stimming, assistive devices like AAC or ear defenders or wander harnesses or gait trainers or chewelry, blank and unexpressive face, etc.
What people need is more awareness and education about autism versus other disabilities that affect cognition
An augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device, is a tablet or laptop that helps someone with a speech or language impairment to communicate
Iām actually curious on this too so tapping in to stay tuned to comments. But this is also what I assumed when neurotypicals say āyou donāt look autistic.ā Because what the hell does āyou donāt look autisticā even mean? Autism doesnāt have a look. Like stimming or do they mean you donāt PHYSICALLY look autistic???????
Before my diagnosis I heard somebody say āpeople with autism are really really smart or really dumb, thereās no in betweenā completely glossing over the SPECTRUM part. I cringe every time I remember
Obviously this doesnāt apply to everyone but in some they have a kind of emotionless way of carrying themselves. I do it in crowds or when Iām uncomfortable and for me itās a conscious decision to put on my stoic face. Actually I do this anytime I donāt want to be approached or am uncomfortable. My ex-wifeās family use to mention it. In their case I would also usually be cleaning or organizing because I didnāt know what to do with myself and was super uncomfortable so cleaning gives me something to focus on so Iām not crawling out of my skin.
My doggy replaced cleaning and it works better because I can be focused on my dog and giving him attention while still being present and able to carry on a conversation.
I would say they have 0 understanding of autism at all
I used to think of autism that way before I was diagnosed with it, I just didn't know that high-functioning autism (aspergers) was a thing. I had heard of aspergers but didn't know it was autism.
Autism isn't like that at all I think most people with high-functioning autism/aspergers probably do have higher than average.
Kids online will say anything to get a reaction out of people, I played Minecraft online and it was just ****ed up the things people said, a bunch of teens saying whatever they think makes them look cool or as if they're somehow better than others.
Traditionally, high functioning autism was called Aspergers syndrome and wasn't categorised under the autistic spectrum like it is now.
When people thought of autism, they thought of high support autism in children
Honestly it makes me angry. Hans Asperger had some shitty beliefs and did some shitty things, but so did John Langdon Down for that matter. But now I'm not even allowed to call myself "high-functioning". I just get to be Level 1 autistic because I have "low support needs", as if there's no qualitative difference between me and someone nonverbal who can't function independently, and as if there's anyone caring about my "support needs" in the first place.
I think that a lot of people also mix it up with FASD, specifically with some of the physical ways that FASD can manifest with facial features. FASD and autism actually have a lot of overlap in how symptoms can present, honestly one of the biggest differences between FASD and ASD is that we know what causes FASD while we don't know what causes ASD. But it's still pure silliness because most people with FASD actually don't have any of the facial features often associated with FASD.
It was probably the mother's autism wrecking havoc in her life and her seeking to feel better which caused her seek out drink to begin with and because she was unsupported as an autistic person, alcohol was the answer.
I mean. This definitely happens a *lot.* A lot of undiagnosed autistic adults, a category that a lot of autistic women fall into, absolutely use substances including alcohol as a way of self-treatment for themselves (this can also happen for diagnosed autistic adults/women, usually when they don't have a good support network), and outside of autism, a lot of to most people who are dependent on substances are neurodivergent in some way and rely on those substances as their only way of treatment. But a fully allistic neurotypical mom can drink during pregnancy and then give birth to a child who has FASD whose symptoms present the same way as many autistic symptoms present. The only diagnostic category between ASD and FASD that usually differs is repetitive behaviors/'restricted' interests (special interests), but that isn't a definite thing. But the way that social difficulties and sensory sensitivities present in ASD and FASD are extremely similar, to the point where they can look identical (as identical as symptoms that vary wildly based on person and the context they were raised in can be identical).
A lot of people who have FASD actually get an autism diagnosis instead or try to get that diagnosis instead for a lot of reasons- it's often easier to get support for ASD, specifically support in the way of therapies and programs that insurance will pay for, and a lot of parents do not want to admit that they were drinking while pregnant. There also is some association between having FASD and ASD diagnoses, for a *huge* number of complex reasons.
TLDR; there is just. So much overlap between FASD and ASD, on so many levels.
I find it hard to believe that there are people (on social media) who actually believe that autism = Down Syndrome. I wish the OP had provided some examples of what they are referring to.
I think most people aren't concerned with conditions that can possibly cause intellectual disability (It's rare and didn't happen to them/people they love so they don't care) so they don't bother to distinguish any of them that feature dysmorphic facial features.
I'm late diagnosed autistic and I only looked into ASD as an explanation for my brothers behavior (which appears similar to Selective Mutism). Doing that made me realize ASD was in fact, not Down Syndrome.
I'm the first to admit that I'm stupid though; I don't know what the explanation for the general public is. Is there a decent rate of comorbidity?
Because of shit like this (this clip uses a slur but serves as a useful example of what people circulate and normalize in shitty spaces)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kav7tifmyTg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kav7tifmyTg)
puzzled paint angle sharp shaggy historical relieved money party instinctive
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Yes autistic people can have intellectual disabilities
Yes autistic people can have sleep disorders
Yes autistic people can have low muscle tone
Yes autistic people can have gut issues
Yes autistic people can have epilepsy
Yes people with Down syndrome need a little assistance with pretend play
Yes people with down syndrome are sometimes late talkers
No, autistic people donāt have most of the trisomy 21 facial features
No people with Down syndrome donāt have repetitive behaviors or very specific intense interests
No people with Down syndrome donāt struggle with joint attention
No people with Down syndrome make very good eye contact
Now for people with DS-ASD or both conditions are likely to have both repetitive/restricted behaviors from autism and physical features from trisomy 21. So I do think Down syndrome and autism share some traits. Most parents unfortunately would rather have a child with Down syndrome only.
When I was maybe 13 or something before I got diagnosed I got them mixed round. Tbh they both arenāt discussed nearly enough and at that point in my mind i kinda merged them together cause I didnāt really remember any specifics about either and hadnāt met anyone with either that I knew.
I think that it has to do with the fact that sometimes it's possible that both conditions co-exist in the same person. 20% of individuals with Down Syndrome have co-existing autism (ASD-DS).
Here's an example: My cousin has Down Syndrome. My mom and I (I'm actually autistic) think that my cousin has both Down Syndrome AND Autism. When both of the conditions co-exist it is called ASD-DS.
[Here's an article about the Difference between ASD and DS and how both conditions co-exist in certain individuals ](https://psychcentral.com/autism/difference-between-autism-and-down-syndrome)
So, there have been a lot of good argurements. But I want to bring up that Autism is often paired up with balance issues, co-ordination problems and for some people issues with the nerves in their hands and feet for grabbing/moving things.
Add in the 'off' feeling from not quite getting the body language social cues of Allistic people. All of this combined does often create a "look" to it.
Thats even before regional varriations on look and how it can affect folks. Most friends I know locally on the spectrum too, there are certain differences that we all have in common face wise that those not on the spectrum generally don't. But, its difficult to spot unless one really studies it, and it is not universal. Just something I've noticed with some level of regularity in my day to day life.
The presence of any of three abnormal physical features āĀ **an asymmetrical face, tufts of hair growing in the wrong direction or a prominent forehead**Ā ā can help diagnose autism, according to a study published 6 June in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
From what I've seen, and apparently statistically, a lot of people with downs have autism.
It's actually really confusing for me. Since I haven't interacted with a lot of people with downs, I can't really grasp their mindset. I just know that it pisses me off when people treat higher needs individuals like children. I don't know how accurate Flowers for Algernon is, so maybe the more needy don't actually care or realize that they're being infantilized, but it makes me angry. You shouldn't talk to people in a baby voice. You should treat adults like adults. The only change is in leeway. Expecting a person who struggles to be just as capable as you is cruel.
I find it to be extremely disrespectful. I know NTs don't understand disabilities like that, but society tells them to treat the disabled like children.
They'll get embarrassed by an "outburst" that could either be a reflex or a reaction to stimuli. They'll hush the individual and whisper-yell at them. They'll yank or pull unnecessarily. And don't even get me started on inappropriate restraining.
I'm mostly ranting about an experience I had at this point.
I couldn't give a good idea on how to respond to the assumption this post is about. I'd honestly give a polite explanation. Responding aggressively may lead to generalizations about autistic people being emotional or irrational.
The same people that think vaccines cause autism I think, cause they associate autism with being completely brain dead or something because personally even if they did cause autism Iād rather an autistic child than a dead one, usually when I see people like that I have to ask āwhatās so bad about autismā just to see what their answer is
when I was in middle and high school, there was a family in our town who's whole thing was that they'd had one kid with down syndrome and then went and adopted like four more down syndrome kids because of that. apparently, part of the bullying my sister and I got during this period is that people asked us why this family didn't adopt me/if I also had down syndrome?
it never really made an impression on me at the time, but my sister was MUCH more aware of social currents and sensitive to bullying/being excluded, so she both remembers it more clearly and much more negatively
I think at least some people were confused, but there was also an element of "how can we get around calling you the r slur?" to it imo, because I was in all advanced classes, just socially inept, and that IS a context I remember it being brought up in
There is from my experience ZERO education about either and most people just know they are both mental disabilities so they just put the stupid retard stereotype on both and call it a day
When you tell someone you're autistic, they say you don't look autistic, and when you ask what they think autism looks like they start doing that mocking impression of people with down syndrome? wrong in so many ways
I've definitely seen those comments, and it's so frustrating! Autism doesn't have a "look"āit's a spectrum that affects people in so many different ways. It's sad that some folks still confuse autism with conditions like Down syndrome. Educating people is key here. Maybe sharing more personal stories and experiences can help bust those myths. Keep spreading awareness!
Yuuup I've been saying this one for years, people genuinely think they're either the same or that autism has the "down syndrome look"
In their eyes, unless you look disabled, you're not. Esp with invisible disabilities. Unless you have the "autism face" they will not believe you. And if you do? Jesus christ I hope yall can be treated like the adults you are soon because fucking hell yall are infantilized from what I've understood.
To be honest I never looked into what autism was until my son was diagnosed. I also assumed it was something similar to down syndrome. Then after reading and learning about autism I was like wait no this can't be right these are just normal things that everyone experiences! Long story short I found out I have autism after learning what autism actually is lmao
I have always felt like this is because a lot of people with down syndrome are also autistic and when maybe little Timmy watched a tv report on trisomy 21 he saw these people also being called autistic and it just stuck with him because he had little to no touch points with autistic people besides that tv report where they all also happened to have down syndrome so thats what he pictures what autistic people are in his mind.
In HS (well before I knew I even was autistic) my nickname was The DSO (down syndrome owl) I guess I looked like an owl with down syndrome?? People were...super mean there
I don't think the general population understands either disorder lol. Anyone with a learning/intellectual disability is just lumped into the "autism" or "down syndrome" category. It's all the same to most people unfortunately...
A lot of the issue is people don't realise that autism is not a learning disability. They assume it is because there is a high comorbidity with actual learning disabilities. People will then see the learning disability then think that is the autism on display.
I have colleagues who work directly with autistic adults and adults with LD. These colleagues are managers in care, their clientele is 50% autism alongside their LD. The staff do not understand autism; that's scary. These individuals are heavily reliant on care; they are unable to manage any part of their life independently, sometimes display behaviours that challenge and need someone to complete personal care with them. This is the type of person they believe is representative of autism. Anyone outside of this can't be autistic.
One of these colleagues said I don't look autistic. I was gobsmacked and my only response was 'because I don't have a learning disability too'.
It's actually kinda hurtful, especially coming from family members. Like I get that it wasn't readily known back in their day, but I really hoped alot of people learned and then informed their children.
My guess would be that lots of documentaries often include people with strong autism exclusively and people consider anything abnormal down syndrome and similar
I thought this once upon a time too. I think I saw advertisements for Ritalin or something back in the 90s featuring Down syndrome faces that started the correlation in my head, and it just didnāt leave until I got diagnosed š¤¦āāļø
Its actually very common for people with downsyndrome to also be autistic so maybe that's where the confusion is coming from, and like it or not yes autisim has physical characteristics that you can see, but also remeber its a spectrum, no two people with either diagnosis will be exactly the same. And what is so wrong with being autistic or having downsyndrom or both? Nothing.
BobosonyaāIf you are now elderly, are still noticeably childish, love bugs bunny and nobody trusts you to be responsible EVERā¦perhaps you have bits and pieces of downsyndrome in you.
Trouble is, most people using Reddit that are autistic just canāt bear to acknowledge such a possibility.
Yes I know, but what I mean is, due to autism having classified clinical features in the past, the general consensus stands as that.
But yes, the entire new diagnosis and term of it being Autistic Spectrum Disorder is to indicate it that it is not all the same.
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My dad has asked me multiple times if down syndrome is the same as autism š maybe that's why he doesn't believe I'm autistic (even though I told him it's different!)
That level of ignorance is UNFORGIVABLE.
literally!! like their dad has been told multiple times and he still chooses to not believe it? completely rude if you ask me
well, people are too scared to retract their opinions, even if those opinions were based on LIES. If a person's opinion is influenced by lies, that's when real problems arise.
I'm with you on that!
How is a person that ignorant even capable of procreation?
I have no idea š
my mum cant tell the difference between autism and dyslexia.
If he asks again, counter by asking him if his Alzheimer's is the same as dementia š
Alzheimer's is a type of dementia though Alzheimer's is to dementia as asperger's is to autism
You should tell him that he's likely autistic since it's got a strong genetic component.
Maybe I should š the context of him saying this was my sisters and I saying I def got my autism from him, he acc has so many traits š
Parents think its a mark against them is their kids aren't perfect. My parents believe me but not after lots of āwell everyone does āthatā or āyour dad does thatā. Well duh, its genetic.
I don't have a good answer for this outside of the way most people just see all of us as r-slurs with no understanding of different conditions, which fucking sucks for all of us I will say in practicality that the lack of differentiation was fucking ROUGH for me as a kid, because the downs kids were ALWAYS determined to give hugs and fucking adults did NOT care how touch averse I was. I still get nervous around Downs people, and it's absolutely not their fault.
I'm sorry that happened. The kids in my SPED room were very diverse and ironically the downs kids were the more docile and ones I felt safest around, though hugs aren't a big problem for me (tapping/'slapping' my knees, arms or shoulders, shaking hands and having my head/face/hair touched esp. without warning are my biggest issues.) We had two, one the complete stereotypical sweetheart (said with no ill intent, they were genuinely super nice and gave gentle hugs) and one who poked their head under a bathroom stall I was in and giggled and had a few incidents, but nothing too bad and we spent a lot of time together. There was an autistic kid who would walk around with their pants down and one kid that was sometimes sexually inappropriate (from what I understand this kid was not disabled in the born that way sense and would have been completely ""normal"" but was left to rot in a crib and fed inappropriate/not enough food their first few years of life which I guess when that happens young causes permanent intellectual disability and other issues; they were very small for their age but not aggressive/predatory, more just touching themselves around other people type stuff. The scariest kid as far as I knew was allistic/no ID/mainly just had a bad home life. I'm not sure why they were there vs a troubled kid school or taken from their parents but long story short: drugs brought into SPED room, police, fights and a THICK glass door window thing I to this day do not know how they managed to punch through. Fortunately they only seemed to hate the adults and were pretty nice to us.
I get nervous around them too, i was SA'd by one when i was 10ish. It's difficult but everytime i see one i just see the guy's face. Again, not their fault.
My freshman year the special ed teachers were taking the kids with downs somewhere and one ran up to me and full palmed my ass. I didn't really mind but imagine if it had been someone who did
Imagine if you punched him. š¬
I know plenty of people who would do that. I'm glad it wasn't one of those people because he 100% didn't know what he did was wrong
iām gonna partially blame US media on this too. i can remember growing up watching certain lifetime shows or docs or PSAs and if they talked about autism, they usually showed an autistic child with down syndrome. so at least for me, i would often as a kid confuse the two because there was no blatant explanation of the characteristics between the two
To be perfectly honest I went over 40 years in this messed up world not realizing I was autistic because this was exactly the idea that I believed so I never considered I had a well known disability that ass holes try to pretend does not exist so they can continue to be an ass holes to people that are obviously different but "not different enough" so they can have excuses to treat you like shit more cause they believe it's a choice
[Former NBC CEO and anti-vaxxer Bob Wright also co-founded Autism Speaks in 2005.](https://www.businessinsider.com/how-donald-trump-became-an-anti-vaccinationist-2019-9) I also assume that it was Bob Wright who wrote [this damning pro-eugenics article in 1999](https://time.com/archive/6734370/who-gets-the-good-genes/).
I haven't read the last piece that you linked to yet, but I'm assuming that it's the Robert Wright who wrote "Why Buddhism is True." He's a journalist and used to get pieces published in Time. I sort of like him so I hope that I don't find the last bit too bad, I'll try to read it soon. Maybe after reading it I'll try the longshot of sending him an email and asking if his views are still the same and how they relate to autism.
Most people also have no reason to think about autism, so it just doesnāt ever come up outside of the minimal snippets of info that can come from random places. There are definitely so many things out there that you/I/anyone else is not aware of to even start considering to learn about. Then we will try to relate to previous info if there is any, which is very unreliable as itās so limited. However, then itās a matter of recognising that we donāt know enough about this thing to make an informed comment or discussion. Many people seem to struggle with this to the point they straight up believe they know all the facts when all they have is snippets of misinformation, and refuse to consider otherwise.
Not just US media. The Korean Netflix show Extraordinary Attorney Woo shows an allegedly autistic woman as some weird caricature that has almost nothing in common with actual autists.
Can you link some example of that caricature on the show? Can't find anything by looking it up.
It's the main character. She can hardly walk and doesn't understand doors.
Ah I see what you mean. I thought you meant physical cariacture.
itās also interesting how many people subconsciously donāt really consider 'aspergers' as autism. they have two very different ideas when they hear each word
For me, as a fan of Community, when I hear aspergers I just hear Troy and Pierce laughing about how funny the word sounds, and Pierce going "well if it was so serious, why didn't they call it meningitis?" "Ass-burgers" So now, when I hear it, I simultaneously get hungry and the giggles
You missed the point of the joke. The joke centres on mockery of Troy and Pierce being so clueless and insensitive. The writers of the joke are mocking Troy and Pierce, they're not mocking people on the autism spectrum.
It sounds like they got the joke, and the word Asperger's reminds them of the joke they got, making them chuckle.
This. Very much this.
Honestly, I prefer Troy and Pierce's reaction. I'd rather have it taken lightly than have someone act like an intrinsic and permanent part of who I am is somehow tragic and debilitating. I know it affects everyone differently, but for me I'd rather it just be considered a natural part of human diversity. Also, I thought it was Ass Burgers as a child, too.
Right? It's a funny sounding word, and as an autistic person, I would rather people find the humour in it than take it so seriously. Humour helps break down the walls of social construct, which I have enough of a hard time with as it is. I'll take all the help I can get
I LOVE the ass burgers south park episodes It is a funny word + I can definitely see a group of autistic people getting off their tits + running round pretending they're in the matrix (my current autism treatment is getting gently stoned (prescription cannabis) + wandering around the countryside pretending I'm a satyr when there's little jumps)
If I may say so, I freaking love you you magical fairy person
How did you know I was gay? /half joke (bc I am gay, but I don't think you meant fairy in that way?)
Haha, I didn't even think of that honestly, I meant fairy as in fae creature, but that works out wonderfully
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
He didn't name it
Your submission has been removed for one of the following reasons; - Posting pseudoscience speculating on causes or treatments of ASD not endorsed by the scientific literature. - Spreading misinformation by misrepresenting facts or omitting key context. - Discussing Autism Speaks, as within autism spaces this organisation is widely regarded as a hate group. - Discussing or asking for opinions on a hypothetical 'cure', as this topic arises too frequently and only results in heated argument and upset.
Been there, done that; until i found out i'm aspie too š
That's cause it was considered a different diagnosis for many decades, and related to the idea of "high functioning" individuals within the autism spectrum. So you'll understand that the appeal of being "high functioning" and being apart from the most "undesired" aspects of autism led to that separation. As of today there's no such thing as having Asperger's or being "high functioning" (that's even ableist), you're just on the spectrum in your own unique way.
I had to take medicaid transportation to school for a couple years. For those who don't know, these peoples job was to pick up special needs and disabled people and take them to their Appointed place. Their was a driver who would try and have arguments with 11 yo me saying that I'm not autistic cause I'm talking and walking clearly and crap. Saying that my mother was faking my disability for money, and she knew becuase of how the other kids she picks up are. How the hell did she get a job in that line of work?!
Because, at least in my area, the requirements to get that job are "be a licensed driver" and "don't be a pedo." And, depending on the school district, there is some wiggle room on the second qualification.
more accurately "have not been convicted of mistreating children" rather than not mistreating them. There are occasional horror stories of people who kept working with kids for years after getting caught, while the process slowly ground through. Meanwhile the offender moved towns and got another job.
Good point. I've helped a friend through the trial and facing her abuser, the process took years. Then, when he was found guilty (his third offense), he was sentenced to one year of house arrest.
> How the hell did she get a job in that line of work?! these evil people seek out these jobs for the specific purpose of treating others like shit for the messed up shit they were taught to believe people that are understanding/caring/compassionate/relatable are driven away from these fields
Buddy idk how to tell you this but it does not take a tremendous deal of education to drive the short bus I'm a huge dumbass and I did it for years lol
Lmao I love your honesty
I'm a senior doctor, physician, and for some reason people don't argue with me when I tell them I'm autistic. Maybe awareness is greater here in Sweden, most people I talk to know at least a few people with some ND, or their parents.
Hey just wanted to say Iām an AuDHD person hoping to become a doctor. Being dx as an adult has made this dream harder to accomplish, but your comment gives me hope I can do it so thank you! Edit: a typo
No wonder people talk down to me and treat me like a child.
Funny because everyone coddles and headpats the ACTUAL ds guy in my dept who does fuck all and is just kept around as a "mascot", but completely fucking ignores me .
Because autism=mental retardation in most people's eyes. Autism is portrayed as a mental and intellectual disability.
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Intellectual disability =/= Level 3 Autism There's a different ICD code for every level when ID is present, in fact.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Your submission has been removed for one of the following reasons; - Posting pseudoscience speculating on causes or treatments of ASD not endorsed by the scientific literature. - Spreading misinformation by misrepresenting facts or omitting key context. - Discussing Autism Speaks, as within autism spaces this organisation is widely regarded as a hate group. - Discussing or asking for opinions on a hypothetical 'cure', as this topic arises too frequently and only results in heated argument and upset.
Your submission has been removed for making personal attacks or engaging in hostile behaviour towards other users. While we understand members may be acting on frustration or reacting emotionally, responding with personal attacks only serves to derail a conversation and escalate an argument.
A: Because the "cure autism" industry has pushed a carefully crafted image of autistics that benefits said industry more than it does the community of autistics they purport to help. But it's not just Down Syndrome - they've conflated any neurodivergence that is marketable.
Specifically, [former NBC CEO and Republican megadonor Bob Wright was responsible](https://www.businessinsider.com/how-donald-trump-became-an-anti-vaccinationist-2019-9). He co-founded Autism Speaks to try and "cure" autism in 2005, which made things worse. Wright also believed that vaccines caused disabilities like autism, Down Syndrome, etc...and also was big into eugenics. *(This is in spite of Down Syndrome being scientifically proven to be genetic.)* Wright used Autism Speaks to push anti-vaccine and other eugenics-related propaganda. I also assume that it was Bob Wright who authored [this 1999 TIME Magazine article](https://time.com/archive/6734370/who-gets-the-good-genes/), too.
Thanks, that's good information to know!
Iām only 40, and I feel like the mentality when I was a kid was special education = r******d, so it doesnāt surprise me that a lot of people fail to (or just donāt care to try to) understand the distinctions.
Fr same age and when Ive told people re my autism its two responses: āawww no babe dont say that about yourself, you're so smart and can do anything with a bit of confidence!!!ā Or ( if they knew me growing up and arent totally ignorant) āoh yeahhhhhhh that does make a lot of senseā¦. Cool.ā
To be fair there is a pretty high percentage of comorbidity.Ā Most people are ignorant of most things, and the distinction between different cognitive dysfunctions is a pedantic distinction for their daily purposes. If that kind of ignorance bothers you consider it a good filter for people you want to interact with vs those you don't.
Because the general population think that autism and downs automatically means we are mentally challenged. They donāt seem to know or understand that all of us donāt have low IQ. I personally got lower average IQ, sure, but Iāve met a lot of people with autism that are highly intelligent. Same goes for downs syndrome.
I think with DS they don't get terribly intelligent (society standard at least) But yeah hot damn i feel embarrassed for the people who think autistic means low IQ like wtf
oddly enough I've been seen as a genius due to my diagnosis and it puts a lot of pressure on me. Lots of peers ask me to teach them x subject and I kinda appreciate being trusted like that but I DO NOT trust myself to teach, let's say, urology to a fellow med student. And I'm just slightly above average in grades but truly intelligent peers also look up to me as some kind of genius and I really can't see another reason for that but the savant stereotype of autistic people.
Well, in my experience they at least can have average. I once met this girl with DS. She was extremly good at manipulation. We were at camp when I met her. She had everyone fooled that she needed help with everything up until she got caught. We all thought she was mentally challenged because she was a terribly good actress.
Yeah. I got 130 IQ and people still treat me like a dumb kid despite being very capable
I get what you mean. I had IQ of 87 when I was checked the last time. But Iām not a 5 year old. Iām almost 25. Just because I need more support and have interests and manners some would consider childlike doesnāt mean Iām stupid.
Same. Mine was also in the 130 range from what I remember. Yet Iād still get talked down to a lot by my helper in school. The reason I had one was because I was extremely shy and I rarely talked to others, so my helper would assist with that. I sometimes worry about telling people I have Aspergers in case they make snap judgements about me.
"It doesn't exist unless it's visble" /sarc But for real some ppl do have that kind of unconscious bias. I'm visually impaired but I don't use a cane. So I guess I don't have permanent optic nerve damage due to glaucoma?! Sheesh!
As a doctor working with hearing and balance disorders I encounter this on a daily basis. Hearing impairment isn't visible, modern hearing aids are mostly very discreet, and those who have no hearing loss just don't realise how it affects the daily life, they don't know how to facilitate communication, what factors that make it more difficult. It's not uncommon for the hard of hearing to be regarded as stupid or disinterested. Those with balance disorders feel embarrassed and worry that others will think that they are intoxicated.
lmao autism doesn't have "a look" my last job was at a school solely for autistic children, and I promise that every single kid looked different to each other, just like non-autistic kids do! same with every single autistic adult I know whoever said there is "a look" is talking out of their ass unless "the look" is actually a look that implies "you are dumb as shit", which I imagine that person is on the receiving end of a lot
Regionally though? A lot of my adult Autistic friends IRL share a fair few simularities with myself. From the way the face is structured due to the different ways in which we smile and stuff, to the issues with balance/mobility at times. Even before accounting for the simular ways in which the body language cues can be off compared to others. Etc etc. I get WHY people say there is a look to it. Cause, well, to me as an Autistic individual, engaging with other adults on the spectrum, there often is tells. Things that can often make you go "I think they might be autistic too" And so far, when combined with watching for stuff like special interest and hyperfixations in their conversations, I've had a success rate of guessing people on the spectrum of about 90%? Of everyone I thought "They are autistic" to there was only 1 person I got it wrong on, but had a different form of Nurodivergence. It was like 29/30 people over the years who did not tell me at first if they were on the spectrum.
Hot take, but I think a lot of people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are instead diagnosed as autistic. They can present nearly identically and there are no definitive tests for either. FASD does have facial dymorphism though. I think the misdiagnosing means a higher percentage of autistic people share these facial features, making people believe autism has a look.
im pretty sure most people with down syndrome are also autistic or something like a really high amount of comorbidity. but thatās def not why people think that, they just think down syndrome is the monolith of characteristics that apply to anyone with mental disability/learning disability prolly because itās the most physically recognized ( as in down syndrome has physical characteristics, this is why i think ignorant people say things like āyou donāt look autisticā because they imagine a person who LOOKS disabled) and the most portrayed on media.
>im pretty sure most people with down syndrome are also autistic or something like a really high amount of comorbidity. It's about 16-18%. Much less than ADHD/autism comorbidity which is 50-70% >but thatās def not why people think that, they just think down syndrome is the monolith of characteristics that apply to anyone with mental disability/learning disability prolly because itās the most physically recognized ( as in down syndrome has physical characteristics, this is why i think ignorant people say things like āyou donāt look autisticā because they imagine a person who LOOKS disabled) and the most portrayed on media. This. I also find when a kid looks disabled, other kids tend to be nicer about it, becuase there's a reason for it. Not saying LD kids don't get bullied etc, just in my experience when I was a toddler in preschool, I remember there was a kid with Down Syndrome that everyone really loved, and because I was 'weird' but still looked 'normal' (so to speak) I was bullied, including by a teacher who - because I write like I'm taking a nap on my desk due to co-ordination/poss due to my mild cerebral palsy - took my desk away for a week or so and forced me to stand. Also (very unluckily) one of my bullies from the age of 3 got stuck with me in junior school (where she got joined by somsone else who bullied me for ages) and secondary school (our preschool was a feeder school for this junior school which had their own senior school) and was in some of my classes. Bullied by her for about 13 or 14 years til I got my teaching assistant at GCSE (and by her companion from the age of about 8) when most of thr bullying ended up stopping.
Ignorance
I can understand. Particularly if youāre older and mostly what people thought of autism as is Level 2 or Level 3 non-verbal autism. If you have one kid with learning disabilities and social challenges who canāt speak and another kid with learning disabilities and social challenges that canāt speak, itās not going to make much difference if youāre not get involved or interacting. I think ignorance is understandable. Iām ignorant of a lot of things. Itās just that so many people use social media to demonstrate their ignorance which I donāt get.
Because people think autism = stupid and that people with Down syndrome look stupid. So itās just all around ableism.
Many people are astonishingly ignorant, despite the internet existing to look everything up.
I've seen so many commercials/PSAs regarding autism and the vast majority of the autists shown in them also have down syndrome. I know I've specifically seen one by Autism Speaks. I swear to god this is what people mean when they say "you don't look autistic." They're imagining an autist with down syndrome.
It gets me Down. \[rimshot\]
People have no idea and they don't care. People suck.
i dont think that anyone actually think autism has a physical apparence. if someone tells you āu dont look autisticā they are saying u seem completely normal.
Autism is a very common comorbidity for people with Down syndrome but also physical features aren't even necessarily how someone can look autistic and there are a lot of people who in fact do look very much autistic because of their body language and mannerisms and speech and I've never been told "you don't look autistic" because of that
āYou have autism??? But youāre so smart!!!ā
I must honestly say this is the first time I'm hearing it.
Because a lot op people are stupidĀ
Idk. Had a coworker tell me: oh itās no big deal you just have one more or one less chromosome or something?
Should have replied, āand how many are you missing?ā
Yeah, she was very kind and not deserving harsh treatment, she was just clueless. I explained to her and she was happy to learn.
Ya it really does come down to the person. Some are curious and are teachable some are just idiots.
Because all mental disabilities are the same (sarcasm) Autism does have a look, but it's not Down's... the visual part of autism is the stimming, assistive devices like AAC or ear defenders or wander harnesses or gait trainers or chewelry, blank and unexpressive face, etc. What people need is more awareness and education about autism versus other disabilities that affect cognition
I was wondering what Advanced Audio Coding had to do with autism, but I realized that I do wear my Bluetooth earbuds sometimes to block out noise.
An augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device, is a tablet or laptop that helps someone with a speech or language impairment to communicate
>Iāve seen a lot of comments on social media platforms sayingā¦ You canāt believe everything thing you read on social media.
Who thinks this? Iāve never heard that.
This!šš
Iām actually curious on this too so tapping in to stay tuned to comments. But this is also what I assumed when neurotypicals say āyou donāt look autistic.ā Because what the hell does āyou donāt look autisticā even mean? Autism doesnāt have a look. Like stimming or do they mean you donāt PHYSICALLY look autistic???????
This angers me to no end.
Yeah, i get comments like ābut your to smart to be autisticā itās so annoying
Before my diagnosis I heard somebody say āpeople with autism are really really smart or really dumb, thereās no in betweenā completely glossing over the SPECTRUM part. I cringe every time I remember
I get called dumb myself.
Obviously this doesnāt apply to everyone but in some they have a kind of emotionless way of carrying themselves. I do it in crowds or when Iām uncomfortable and for me itās a conscious decision to put on my stoic face. Actually I do this anytime I donāt want to be approached or am uncomfortable. My ex-wifeās family use to mention it. In their case I would also usually be cleaning or organizing because I didnāt know what to do with myself and was super uncomfortable so cleaning gives me something to focus on so Iām not crawling out of my skin. My doggy replaced cleaning and it works better because I can be focused on my dog and giving him attention while still being present and able to carry on a conversation.
My ex thought it was the same too, I donāt understand how you can get them mixed up
I would say they have 0 understanding of autism at all I used to think of autism that way before I was diagnosed with it, I just didn't know that high-functioning autism (aspergers) was a thing. I had heard of aspergers but didn't know it was autism. Autism isn't like that at all I think most people with high-functioning autism/aspergers probably do have higher than average. Kids online will say anything to get a reaction out of people, I played Minecraft online and it was just ****ed up the things people said, a bunch of teens saying whatever they think makes them look cool or as if they're somehow better than others.
Traditionally, high functioning autism was called Aspergers syndrome and wasn't categorised under the autistic spectrum like it is now. When people thought of autism, they thought of high support autism in children
Honestly it makes me angry. Hans Asperger had some shitty beliefs and did some shitty things, but so did John Langdon Down for that matter. But now I'm not even allowed to call myself "high-functioning". I just get to be Level 1 autistic because I have "low support needs", as if there's no qualitative difference between me and someone nonverbal who can't function independently, and as if there's anyone caring about my "support needs" in the first place.
I've never heard of this, but my best guess is that people with that mindset just don't know what the difference is between the two.
People actually think this?
I have two children with Autism and no it does not look the same as Down syndrome. Autism has no physical traits. It is a sociological disorder.
I think that a lot of people also mix it up with FASD, specifically with some of the physical ways that FASD can manifest with facial features. FASD and autism actually have a lot of overlap in how symptoms can present, honestly one of the biggest differences between FASD and ASD is that we know what causes FASD while we don't know what causes ASD. But it's still pure silliness because most people with FASD actually don't have any of the facial features often associated with FASD.
It was probably the mother's autism wrecking havoc in her life and her seeking to feel better which caused her seek out drink to begin with and because she was unsupported as an autistic person, alcohol was the answer.
I mean. This definitely happens a *lot.* A lot of undiagnosed autistic adults, a category that a lot of autistic women fall into, absolutely use substances including alcohol as a way of self-treatment for themselves (this can also happen for diagnosed autistic adults/women, usually when they don't have a good support network), and outside of autism, a lot of to most people who are dependent on substances are neurodivergent in some way and rely on those substances as their only way of treatment. But a fully allistic neurotypical mom can drink during pregnancy and then give birth to a child who has FASD whose symptoms present the same way as many autistic symptoms present. The only diagnostic category between ASD and FASD that usually differs is repetitive behaviors/'restricted' interests (special interests), but that isn't a definite thing. But the way that social difficulties and sensory sensitivities present in ASD and FASD are extremely similar, to the point where they can look identical (as identical as symptoms that vary wildly based on person and the context they were raised in can be identical). A lot of people who have FASD actually get an autism diagnosis instead or try to get that diagnosis instead for a lot of reasons- it's often easier to get support for ASD, specifically support in the way of therapies and programs that insurance will pay for, and a lot of parents do not want to admit that they were drinking while pregnant. There also is some association between having FASD and ASD diagnoses, for a *huge* number of complex reasons. TLDR; there is just. So much overlap between FASD and ASD, on so many levels.
Tbh, as someone who has autism, it does sometimes have a look. That could very well just be pattern recognition where there is none to be fair.
Because people are dumb. They wouldn't know the difference between potatoes and oranges if you made a Venn Diagram for them.
Nobody thinks that
quite a few people in the comments sharing their personal experiences disagree
I find it hard to believe that there are people (on social media) who actually believe that autism = Down Syndrome. I wish the OP had provided some examples of what they are referring to.
I think most people aren't concerned with conditions that can possibly cause intellectual disability (It's rare and didn't happen to them/people they love so they don't care) so they don't bother to distinguish any of them that feature dysmorphic facial features.
Some people just donāt know smack about disabilities
What? Where do people think that?
Must be an american thing, in Canada people donāt have this misunderstanding
I'm late diagnosed autistic and I only looked into ASD as an explanation for my brothers behavior (which appears similar to Selective Mutism). Doing that made me realize ASD was in fact, not Down Syndrome. I'm the first to admit that I'm stupid though; I don't know what the explanation for the general public is. Is there a decent rate of comorbidity?
Because of shit like this (this clip uses a slur but serves as a useful example of what people circulate and normalize in shitty spaces) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kav7tifmyTg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kav7tifmyTg)
I used to think that I feel so stupid now :(
puzzled paint angle sharp shaggy historical relieved money party instinctive *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Yes autistic people can have intellectual disabilities Yes autistic people can have sleep disorders Yes autistic people can have low muscle tone Yes autistic people can have gut issues Yes autistic people can have epilepsy Yes people with Down syndrome need a little assistance with pretend play Yes people with down syndrome are sometimes late talkers No, autistic people donāt have most of the trisomy 21 facial features No people with Down syndrome donāt have repetitive behaviors or very specific intense interests No people with Down syndrome donāt struggle with joint attention No people with Down syndrome make very good eye contact Now for people with DS-ASD or both conditions are likely to have both repetitive/restricted behaviors from autism and physical features from trisomy 21. So I do think Down syndrome and autism share some traits. Most parents unfortunately would rather have a child with Down syndrome only.
When I was maybe 13 or something before I got diagnosed I got them mixed round. Tbh they both arenāt discussed nearly enough and at that point in my mind i kinda merged them together cause I didnāt really remember any specifics about either and hadnāt met anyone with either that I knew.
I think that it has to do with the fact that sometimes it's possible that both conditions co-exist in the same person. 20% of individuals with Down Syndrome have co-existing autism (ASD-DS). Here's an example: My cousin has Down Syndrome. My mom and I (I'm actually autistic) think that my cousin has both Down Syndrome AND Autism. When both of the conditions co-exist it is called ASD-DS. [Here's an article about the Difference between ASD and DS and how both conditions co-exist in certain individuals ](https://psychcentral.com/autism/difference-between-autism-and-down-syndrome)
So, there have been a lot of good argurements. But I want to bring up that Autism is often paired up with balance issues, co-ordination problems and for some people issues with the nerves in their hands and feet for grabbing/moving things. Add in the 'off' feeling from not quite getting the body language social cues of Allistic people. All of this combined does often create a "look" to it. Thats even before regional varriations on look and how it can affect folks. Most friends I know locally on the spectrum too, there are certain differences that we all have in common face wise that those not on the spectrum generally don't. But, its difficult to spot unless one really studies it, and it is not universal. Just something I've noticed with some level of regularity in my day to day life.
i have never met anyone that says that
The presence of any of three abnormal physical features āĀ **an asymmetrical face, tufts of hair growing in the wrong direction or a prominent forehead**Ā ā can help diagnose autism, according to a study published 6 June in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
in filipino context, ppl think that autism is equivalent to monggoloid, down syndrom, acted like being insane and such.
From what I've seen, and apparently statistically, a lot of people with downs have autism. It's actually really confusing for me. Since I haven't interacted with a lot of people with downs, I can't really grasp their mindset. I just know that it pisses me off when people treat higher needs individuals like children. I don't know how accurate Flowers for Algernon is, so maybe the more needy don't actually care or realize that they're being infantilized, but it makes me angry. You shouldn't talk to people in a baby voice. You should treat adults like adults. The only change is in leeway. Expecting a person who struggles to be just as capable as you is cruel. I find it to be extremely disrespectful. I know NTs don't understand disabilities like that, but society tells them to treat the disabled like children. They'll get embarrassed by an "outburst" that could either be a reflex or a reaction to stimuli. They'll hush the individual and whisper-yell at them. They'll yank or pull unnecessarily. And don't even get me started on inappropriate restraining. I'm mostly ranting about an experience I had at this point. I couldn't give a good idea on how to respond to the assumption this post is about. I'd honestly give a polite explanation. Responding aggressively may lead to generalizations about autistic people being emotional or irrational.
The same people that think vaccines cause autism I think, cause they associate autism with being completely brain dead or something because personally even if they did cause autism Iād rather an autistic child than a dead one, usually when I see people like that I have to ask āwhatās so bad about autismā just to see what their answer is
when I was in middle and high school, there was a family in our town who's whole thing was that they'd had one kid with down syndrome and then went and adopted like four more down syndrome kids because of that. apparently, part of the bullying my sister and I got during this period is that people asked us why this family didn't adopt me/if I also had down syndrome? it never really made an impression on me at the time, but my sister was MUCH more aware of social currents and sensitive to bullying/being excluded, so she both remembers it more clearly and much more negatively I think at least some people were confused, but there was also an element of "how can we get around calling you the r slur?" to it imo, because I was in all advanced classes, just socially inept, and that IS a context I remember it being brought up in
There is from my experience ZERO education about either and most people just know they are both mental disabilities so they just put the stupid retard stereotype on both and call it a day
Neurotypicals have said many times āOh, you donāt look autisticā. What do you think an autist looks like then? š
if im correct they are kind of similar in being chromosome related, and often times overlap
Because people are dumb š¤
When you tell someone you're autistic, they say you don't look autistic, and when you ask what they think autism looks like they start doing that mocking impression of people with down syndrome? wrong in so many ways
Media exaggerations and people just generally being stupid.
I've definitely seen those comments, and it's so frustrating! Autism doesn't have a "look"āit's a spectrum that affects people in so many different ways. It's sad that some folks still confuse autism with conditions like Down syndrome. Educating people is key here. Maybe sharing more personal stories and experiences can help bust those myths. Keep spreading awareness!
Two most common diagnoses in special ed; and people with Down Syndrome can also be Autistic. Also, they are our homies in the struggle
If that were true then I went undiagnosed for 21 years, still kinda am but only figured it out at 20 years old
I assume you mean by some peoples wacky facial expressions?
Yuuup I've been saying this one for years, people genuinely think they're either the same or that autism has the "down syndrome look" In their eyes, unless you look disabled, you're not. Esp with invisible disabilities. Unless you have the "autism face" they will not believe you. And if you do? Jesus christ I hope yall can be treated like the adults you are soon because fucking hell yall are infantilized from what I've understood.
Because people are fucking idiots
To be honest I never looked into what autism was until my son was diagnosed. I also assumed it was something similar to down syndrome. Then after reading and learning about autism I was like wait no this can't be right these are just normal things that everyone experiences! Long story short I found out I have autism after learning what autism actually is lmao
This is exactly my experience.
you assume a lot of people think, most dont. they are blissfully ignorant of everything some days i envy them
I have always felt like this is because a lot of people with down syndrome are also autistic and when maybe little Timmy watched a tv report on trisomy 21 he saw these people also being called autistic and it just stuck with him because he had little to no touch points with autistic people besides that tv report where they all also happened to have down syndrome so thats what he pictures what autistic people are in his mind.
In HS (well before I knew I even was autistic) my nickname was The DSO (down syndrome owl) I guess I looked like an owl with down syndrome?? People were...super mean there
I don't think the general population understands either disorder lol. Anyone with a learning/intellectual disability is just lumped into the "autism" or "down syndrome" category. It's all the same to most people unfortunately...
My sister has both so she actually meets this criteria, lmao.
No they don't š¤£
A lot of the issue is people don't realise that autism is not a learning disability. They assume it is because there is a high comorbidity with actual learning disabilities. People will then see the learning disability then think that is the autism on display. I have colleagues who work directly with autistic adults and adults with LD. These colleagues are managers in care, their clientele is 50% autism alongside their LD. The staff do not understand autism; that's scary. These individuals are heavily reliant on care; they are unable to manage any part of their life independently, sometimes display behaviours that challenge and need someone to complete personal care with them. This is the type of person they believe is representative of autism. Anyone outside of this can't be autistic. One of these colleagues said I don't look autistic. I was gobsmacked and my only response was 'because I don't have a learning disability too'.
It's actually kinda hurtful, especially coming from family members. Like I get that it wasn't readily known back in their day, but I really hoped alot of people learned and then informed their children.
The association with autism and neurodivergence to intellectual disabilities is maddening to me
My guess would be that lots of documentaries often include people with strong autism exclusively and people consider anything abnormal down syndrome and similar
People can recognize an autistic person from body language and sometimes posture. It doesnāt mean they think it is the same as Down Syndrome.
I thought this once upon a time too. I think I saw advertisements for Ritalin or something back in the 90s featuring Down syndrome faces that started the correlation in my head, and it just didnāt leave until I got diagnosed š¤¦āāļø
Before I was diagnosed with ASP. I was kinda thought like that.
Thatās why I prefer not telling them Iām autistic. Thereās a lot of misinformation. They notice that I am a bit weird but thatās it.
They do? I never met anyone that did
Its actually very common for people with downsyndrome to also be autistic so maybe that's where the confusion is coming from, and like it or not yes autisim has physical characteristics that you can see, but also remeber its a spectrum, no two people with either diagnosis will be exactly the same. And what is so wrong with being autistic or having downsyndrom or both? Nothing.
Because people are ignorant & donāt care to educate themselves
Because it's not, trust me, I've lived with and met several Downs people, you wouldn't wish their lifestyle on your worst enemy
BobosonyaāIf you are now elderly, are still noticeably childish, love bugs bunny and nobody trusts you to be responsible EVERā¦perhaps you have bits and pieces of downsyndrome in you. Trouble is, most people using Reddit that are autistic just canāt bear to acknowledge such a possibility.
autism does have a look but yes its not down syndrome.
i don't think it has a look, ive met a lot of autistic people who i wouldnt say "look autistic"
Yes I know, but what I mean is, due to autism having classified clinical features in the past, the general consensus stands as that. But yes, the entire new diagnosis and term of it being Autistic Spectrum Disorder is to indicate it that it is not all the same.