“You don’t look autistic”: These 10 sentences reveal popular ideas on autism

These confirmation (among others) are based on the vision of autism which is partial and which does not take into consideration the boundary of the autism spectrum disorder (TSA); They are to be denied. Bestly, they participate in disinfection around autism in adults (especially when it occurs without intellectual loss and without language delay), stigma and social boycott of autistic people. Therefore, they can have significant and harmful consequences. Lack of knowledge and recognition of ASD can also obstruct the suitable diagnosis and support to autistic people and their loved ones. To fight them, so it seems necessary to destroy prejudice and deal with awareness and education around all its forms. These manifestations cheated on some previous ideas to cheat:

• “You see people in your eyes, you can’t be autistic”
• “You are not a talented in mathematics, you can’t be autistic”
• “You don’t have communication problems, you can’t be autistic”
• “You have a social life, you can’t be autistic”
• “You have a sense of humor, you can’t be autistic”
• “You know how to show sympathy, you can’t be autistic”
• “You are being completed professionally, you can’t be autistic”
• “You are independent, you can’t be autistic”
• “You are a woman, you can’t be autistic”
• “You don’t look autistic … so you are not”

What is autism?

To date, two reference classifications in the medical world: DSM-5 and CIM-11 have stored TSA in Neurodevelopment Disorder (TND), in which we find intellectual development (TDI) disorders, “disorders” disorders “disorders” disorders “disorders. And add/h (with or without attention loss disorders). TND (Add/h, dyslexia, dyspraxia, etc.), somatic disorder, psychiatry disorder …

Here we present the main criteria to consider here to diagnose autism. It is complex, so it must be presented by specially trained health professionals.

According to DSM-5, the diagnosis of TSA is called “Autistic Dide”: 1) Constant deficit of communication and social interactions seen in different contexts, and 2) restrictions and repetitive character behavior, interests or activities. Disorders should not be better explained by an intellectual obstruction or global delay in development. It is necessary to specify whether it is an intellectual deficit, a change of language, a known medical or genetic deformity or environmental factor, another developmental, mental or behavioral disorder, or with catatonia. Depending on the evaluated deficit and necessary support, a degree of severity will be determined in each of these categories. Autism -related disorders exist since childhood (Identified before 3 years) but the diagnosis can be done late, once the child has become an adult.

This does not mean that we become autistic in adulthood, but that the diagnosis was not made during childhood (diagnosis can be made from 18 months). Also A real issue around the initial diagnosis of TSAUnlike an predecessor idea, we will find, as a general population, the variety of cognitive profiles in people with autistic people with very broader loss to high intellectual loss to high intellectual quotient (Qi> 130).

To date, the exact cause of autism is not clearly identified: its origin will be complex and multiple. Many studies agree that genetic and environmental factors will contribute to the development of autism.

If there is no autism no disease (so we are not talking about “pathology”), it was recognized as a hindrance in France in 1996 and perhaps considered by some autistic people as an invisible obstacle Is.

Social camouflage to “mix in mass”

These specialties and manifestations exist and remain with the intensity of ups and downs throughout the lifetime. They may be more or less visible for their surroundings and health professionals. Very often, autistic person will try to mix his “autistic characteristics” in low or low success “mass” and correspond to perceived social expectations. This is called social camouflage and is trying hard for an autistic person.

If we add that the firmness of ideas and fantasies that look like an autistic person, it can explain the sub-diagnosis of people with TSA, especially on one side, and (very) late diagnosis, D ” ‘ .

I suffer autistic patients with the result of this non-concept, this non-recognition, even denying, their autistic reality. Some, for fear of decisions and refusal, prefer to silence the difference, which keeps them in the camouflage, in “pretense”, which is in exhaustion. This deprives them of the understanding of the people around them, when it can be a relief, and an adaptation of the environment (whether family, friendly, friendly, friendly, professional Or institutional) for their needs, requirements that arise from TSA -related functioning.

“Everyone is a little autistic”

No, not everyone is “a little autistic”: to confirm this volume to reduce complexity and daily difficulties, specific challenges faced by autistic people. Let us recall that there is no autism, not to “treat” it. In addition, it is not because we have “etipical” characters, symptoms of a eccentric personality or we say that we have done “autistic”, sometimes, that we are autistic. So it is not a “position” that everyone shares. We should beware of this harmful insignificance and the involvement of the experience of autistic people. This type of response can be experienced as a question of diagnosis, discrediting real neur-development disorders that are autism, its results on the quality of life and encouraged to reveal the autistic person himself Do not do This can disqualify it, even if it requires support and understanding and can strengthen stigma and social isolation by denying the reality of a writer and its challenges. This infamy can also prevent them from reaching social benefits and AIDS, making them claim due to the recognition of autism as an obstacle.

Autism is a neuro-developmental disorder. It does not fall under social copying, is not trendy, is not fashionable, not an option; There is nothing “quiet” to claim to be autistic. Thus, we are born autistic, we do not do this.

Autism is not autism

Autism is a spectrum, it is to say that there are very detailed types of profiles with more or less serious characteristics and manifestations that can uplift up in life. Note that when autism is without intellectual disability or language delay (SDI TSA), it is more difficult to find out, Especially in womenSo it is not because a person does not present the characteristics of “autistic” because it is shown in the collective unconscious that it is not autistic. Thus, it is not autism but autism. This reality strengthens the need to promote better understanding of TSA keeping in mind its complexity.

Because each person is unique, the experience of each autistic person is unique. This disorder is expressed separately from one person to another and therefore incorporates different and odd realities. Therefore, it forms the challenge of identification, acceptance and inclusion of autism by the society.

However, a diagnosis does not have an end in itself. We should not reduce the autistic person for simple generalization and freeze him in stereotypes, but he should consider his strength, his weaknesses… and all the prosperity of his way of being in the world!

1 Law

For more information related to TSA and clinical approach, consult:

• https://maisondelautisme.gouv.fr/
• https://gncra.fr/
• hts
• https://www.autismeinfoservice.fr