
Experts say that getting an autism diagnosis can be 'life-changing'. But what if you had to wait nearly two decades for that diagnosis?

A general chat and support community for autistic people in the UK.
Think before you post. Is your post relevant to the community?
Is your post autism-related? Is your post UK-related? If 'yes' to both, please post. If 'no' to either or both, or if you're not sure, please ask.
Think before you comment.
Please be kind to each other. Please treat everyone with respect. Please be gracious when communications get mixed up.
'When' because we are each unique, and while there may be some overlap between some of us in our communication styles, there will also be differences.
Discrimination will not be tolerated.
This includes (but is not limited to) ableism, racism and colourism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, classism, elitism, religious affiliation, weight stigma / body shaming, and diagnosis status (self-diagnosis is valid). Please think before you post and comment, and be kind to each other.
**No promotions, advertisements, fund
Experts say that getting an autism diagnosis can be 'life-changing'. But what if you had to wait nearly two decades for that diagnosis?
Autism/ND Resource
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/38445203
I just launched a website for us all. The reason I created it is because good quality and relevant websites FOR us are hard to find. I mean, there are organization-owned websites that push political agendas, but ugh. I felt like there is a need for this.
I’m also looking for contributors! I want this website to have voices from all over the world. This is not my blog, I want it to be a valuable resource.
Please feel free to check it out, and give feedback on how it can be improved.
The link: https://www.thedigitalaspie.com/
The “aspie” part of the website name was chosen because it sounds less clinical or rather more casual/friendly. Please know that no offense is meant.
Professor Jenny Gibson, an expert in neurodiversity and autism, described the project as ‘kick-starting a wider conversation about comics and autism’.
cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/23611563
Autistic comic book fans are being invited to participate in a Cambridge University study looking at how best to support neurodivergent people to enjoy cartoons.
The project, led by academics at Cambridge’s Faculty of Education, aims to develop guidance to help make comic communities as inclusive and accessible as possible for autistic people.
Autistic people who enjoy comics, who are aged 18 and over and in the UK, are being invited to complete an online survey as the first part of the study.
Research by the Comics Cultural Impact Collective (CCIC) indicates that hundreds of young people self-identifying as neurodivergent are involved in Britain’s comics community, either as fans or creators.
It suggests that neurodivergent comic enthusiasts often find spaces like fan conventions, comic book stores, online communities and the comics industry less than welcoming, and frequently feel “siloed”.
cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/2441630
Definitely check this out.
I'm interested in their repository of data for Autistic people.
Thoughts on the interview?
Listen to it for an hour while you're doing other things.
Episode 38: Productivity is Autistic (Pluto: About Autism and "productivity"; title is not meant to be literal)
cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/2438415
Check it out.
Highly recommended podcast, though a bit liberal.
Hosts are well-worth it and have their radical moments.
‘Moral and economic case’ for helping autistic people into work, says Tory MP
A new report into autism employment makes the “moral case” for helping neuro-divergent people into work, a Conservative former minister has said.
Sir Robert Buckland, who led the Buckland Review of Autism Employment, said employment can provide “fulfilment and happiness” for people on the autistic spectrum.
Sir Robert, whose daughter is autistic, said it was important for him “on many levels” that neuro-diverse people were involved in the report’s findings.
He told MPs: “This had to be a review that was led by autistic people about autistic people. In other words, nothing about us without us.”
...
“So there’s a moral case to be made for the recommendations that are set out in the review, but there’s also, and I make no apology for this, a hard-edged economic case as well. What’s good for autistic people will be good for the rest of our society.”
He added: “Only just under three in 10 autistic adults are in full-time or part-time work. It’s the lowest of all di
Thread on Twitter by kael: "This part of autism doesn't get talked about enough, so i sketched a little comic (1/3)"
cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/2355483
There's really four parts, but give it a read-through.
A radical rethink of how neurodiversity is treated is needed for the NHS to keep up, a think tank warns.
The extraordinary rise in demand for autism assessments and ADHD treatments in England has overtaken the NHS's capacity to meet it, a think tank says.
Since 2019, there has been a five-fold rise in people waiting to see an autism specialist and a 51% increase in prescriptions for ADHD medication, according to the Nuffield Trust.
Growing backlogs and longer waiting times are negatively impacting people's daily lives, it warned.
It said a "radical rethink" was needed.
...
One out of every 100 people is on the autistic spectrum, it is estimated, while 2.6 million people in the UK have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) .
The Nuffield Trust said 24% of patients referred for ADHD in England were having to wait one to two years for an assessment.
On top of this, thousands of people with ADHD have been unable to get prescribed medication amid a major supply shortage. This was announced in September due to "manufacturing issues and an increased globa
How do I do away with the blue dots on YouTube for my subscription list?
cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/1796476
I have OCD.
And I've lately developed a penchant for clicking on the blue dotted YouTube channels on my subscription list to the left-hand side of the page.
I would rather that I didn't have to see that or deal with that so I can try to "willpower" my way through not clicking them or clicking all of them or as many as I can before getting tired.
But ultimately, it would be easier if there was a way to get rid of the blue dots entirely.
Is there an extension for Mozilla Firefox to adjust the UI so I can get rid of the blue dots?
Or maybe there's a trick to change the formatting on YouTube as is?
Thanks in advance, comrades.
I hope I explained myself well. Thanks!
Investigation finds young autistic people still dying despite warnings issued
BBC analysis of notices issued by coroners shows repeated failings in the care of autistic people.
cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/7325208
Dozens of young autistic people have died after serious failings in their care despite repeated warnings from coroners, BBC News has found.
Our investigation found issues that were flagged a decade ago are still being warned about now.
Good Resources for Parents and Others?
Hi all,
I'm a parent of a teenage boy who is probably somewhere on the spectrum of autism. There's a long wait for a diagnosis and we haven't managed to convince him that it would be useful to him yet in any case. However, I found a book that I found useful, and I thought others might too - or alternatively those of you who are on the spectrum might be able to say whether or not these resources are helpful / accurate to your experience.
The book I found is 'Autism and Your Teen' by Blythe Grossberg.
Has anyone else read it and have opinions on it? Or, other suggestions for good books?
Welcome and Introductions
Hi there!
I have set up this community for those seeking an alternative to Reddit.
I am not affiliated with any autism organisations or charities, however I was a member of the Autism UK subreddit and, although I was more of a lurker than a poster, I found the community helpful. I hope this community will become as useful in due course. (If the mods from the subreddit are reading these, please feel free to PM me. This is my first off-Facebook community, and I'd appreciate your help, if you can spare it.)
I've not set up rules or guidelines yet. I will do so in due course. For now, however, I ask that you all please:
Please note that:
Lastly, for all of us, please feel free to introduce yourself here, if you wish.
I'm El. I was diagnos