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Thread: Autism awareness

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    Autism awareness

    Starting a thread to see if any members here have any family, friends, or even themselves impacted by this.

    Long story short I finally got diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at age 38 this past year. I’ve long had the suspicions about myself but never really paid a specialist to throughly do an evaluation. Just fyi Asperger’s is no longer a diagnosis. It’s all under one spectrum to those that don’t speak and are severely affected to the highest functioning forms of it.


    So yeah with me my biggest challenges going forward are independent living. I work full time but have never lived or moved out from home at any point in time

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  4. #2
    Posting in Dynarama M2's Avatar
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    Re: Autism awareness

    My son's on the spectrum. Light version of it. Comes across as very left-handed. He's 25, also hasn't moved out, but he's been working on getting comfortable with everything he'd need to do on his own (cooking, cleaning, etc.). Also he's started travelling (finally taking a post-graduation trip to Japan in a few months, which got delayed by COVID).
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    Re: Autism awareness

    Quote Originally Posted by M2 View Post
    My son's on the spectrum. Light version of it. Comes across as very left-handed. He's 25, also hasn't moved out, but he's been working on getting comfortable with everything he'd need to do on his own (cooking, cleaning, etc.). Also he's started travelling (finally taking a post-graduation trip to Japan in a few months, which got delayed by COVID).
    I'm embarrassed to say in a way I didnt start to try and learn how to do laundry until last year.

    I was 17 when I started University. Commuted from home the whole time. Didnt have what one would consider the usual college experience at all (led a full solitary existence during it).

    The traveling thing your son does sounds like a real good idea. Or something that might force him to interact with people so as to practice those skills kind of thing.

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    Re: Autism awareness

    Quote Originally Posted by ShyGuy View Post
    I'm embarrassed to say in a way I didnt start to try and learn how to do laundry until last year.

    I was 17 when I started University. Commuted from home the whole time. Didnt have what one would consider the usual college experience at all (led a full solitary existence during it).

    The traveling thing your son does sounds like a real good idea. Or something that might force him to interact with people so as to practice those skills kind of thing.
    Our guy also commuted for college. Probably worked out best for him. One of the things I've learned (and I think I'm always re-learning it) is he's got to find his own way to do things. The standard "just go do it like everyone else does it" doesn't work for him.

    Oh, and give yourself a lot of credit for going to see a specialist and wrapping your arms around your diagnosis. That's not easy for people on the spectrum to undertake. It's a lot of different people and a lot of conversations that might veer in unexpected directions. The good news is, if you can do that you can continue to push your own comfort zone.

    One other thing, those meal boxes (e.g. Hello Fresh) are pretty good if you want to develop some basic cooking skills.
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    Re: Autism awareness

    Quote Originally Posted by M2 View Post
    Our guy also commuted for college. Probably worked out best for him. One of the things I've learned (and I think I'm always re-learning it) is he's got to find his own way to do things. The standard "just go do it like everyone else does it" doesn't work for him.

    Oh, and give yourself a lot of credit for going to see a specialist and wrapping your arms around your diagnosis. That's not easy for people on the spectrum to undertake. It's a lot of different people and a lot of conversations that might veer in unexpected directions. The good news is, if you can do that you can continue to push your own comfort zone.

    One other thing, those meal boxes (e.g. Hello Fresh) are pretty good if you want to develop some basic cooking skills.
    Great advise for sure. The try "doing it like everyone else" so to speak always made me feel worse about myself.

    I like routine so more often than not my lunch is a tuna sandwich ever day. Growing up I had some pretty strange food peculiarities:

    -Did not eat pizza until I was 15
    -Would want to eat a hot dog every day for lunch
    -Never ate a vegetable until I was in my 20s
    -Family meals kinda always were embarrassing for me

    But yeah at least now I know what was going on kind of thing

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    Re: Autism awareness

    My son is on the spectrum, used to be called Asperger's. He is a wonderful young man; we have always felt like he just needs more time to find his path than others. Being his dad has taught me so much and made me a better person.

    He's done a lot on his own. His hobby is building rc airplanes, which led him to some good mentors who steered him to pursue a degree in aviation maintenance, which he is about half way through.
    Last edited by SunDeck; 01-02-2023 at 09:39 PM.
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    Re: Autism awareness

    Quote Originally Posted by ShyGuy View Post
    Starting a thread to see if any members here have any family, friends, or even themselves impacted by this.

    Long story short I finally got diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at age 38 this past year. I’ve long had the suspicions about myself but never really paid a specialist to throughly do an evaluation. Just fyi Asperger’s is no longer a diagnosis. It’s all under one spectrum to those that don’t speak and are severely affected to the highest functioning forms of it.


    So yeah with me my biggest challenges going forward are independent living. I work full time but have never lived or moved out from home at any point in time
    Did your parents know and do you wish you knew at an earlier age? I have a friend with Aspergers but I don't think his parent ever told him.
    "Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there. And I also hope that you will choose to make some of that trouble on behalf of women." - Nora Ephron

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    Re: Autism awareness

    Quote Originally Posted by ShyGuy View Post
    Great advise for sure. The try "doing it like everyone else" so to speak always made me feel worse about myself.

    I like routine so more often than not my lunch is a tuna sandwich ever day. Growing up I had some pretty strange food peculiarities:

    -Did not eat pizza until I was 15
    -Would want to eat a hot dog every day for lunch
    -Never ate a vegetable until I was in my 20s
    -Family meals kinda always were embarrassing for me

    But yeah at least now I know what was going on kind of thing
    Are you also a no condiments and use a different utensil for each food on your plate. (Food can not touch other food?)
    "Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there. And I also hope that you will choose to make some of that trouble on behalf of women." - Nora Ephron

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    First Time Caller SunDeck's Avatar
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    Re: Autism awareness

    Quote Originally Posted by ShyGuy View Post
    Great advise for sure. The try "doing it like everyone else" so to speak always made me feel worse about myself.

    I like routine so more often than not my lunch is a tuna sandwich ever day. Growing up I had some pretty strange food peculiarities:

    -Did not eat pizza until I was 15
    -Would want to eat a hot dog every day for lunch
    -Never ate a vegetable until I was in my 20s
    -Family meals kinda always were embarrassing for me
    My son has difficulty fitting into the norms of the food world, mostly due to texture issues. Meat is a no-go, he lives on pasta/breads, dairy and fruit, which isn't horrible. He is learning to bake a little and just recently started putting pesto on his pasta, so that's progress. But in the grand scheme of things, food issues are other people's problem. He's healthy and although he could eat better, we found fighting against autism on food was just not worth it.
    Next Reds manager, second shooter. --Confirmed on Redszone.

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    Re: Autism awareness

    Quote Originally Posted by TeamCasey View Post
    Did your parents know and do you wish you knew at an earlier age? I have a friend with Aspergers but I don't think his parent ever told him.
    Real good question. During the evaluation itself the questionnaire was under the impression since I was an only child my parents didn't have anything to compare myself too. So they didnt think much of the "quirks".

    I think it would have saved me a lot of grief growing up. But at my age I think it's easier to accept versus well being labeled different as a kid. And let's be honest the name of Asperger Syndrome itself already lends itself to jokes.

    So I guess ideally quietly knowing what it was and adapt accordingly kind of thing.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by TeamCasey View Post
    Are you also a no condiments and use a different utensil for each food on your plate. (Food can not touch other food?)

    I could be pretty rigid about food:

    Cherrios and coffee for breakfast
    tuna fish with a piece of pastrami for lunch

    but not that extreme

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    Re: Autism awareness

    Quote Originally Posted by SunDeck View Post
    My son has difficulty fitting into the norms of the food world, mostly due to texture issues. Meat is a no-go, he lives on pasta/breads, dairy and fruit, which isn't horrible. He is learning to bake a little and just recently started putting pesto on his pasta, so that's progress. But in the grand scheme of things, food issues are other people's problem. He's healthy and although he could eat better, we found fighting against autism on food was just not worth it.
    I was overweight as a teenager as a result of my diet. But yeah as I got older some of the sensitivities went away.

    I never used to eat vegetables but today it'd be hard for me to think otherwise. My parents would take me to a restaurant and I'd order a hamburger without fail every time and cut it up

  19. #12
    Posting in Dynarama M2's Avatar
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    Re: Autism awareness

    Quote Originally Posted by SunDeck View Post
    My son has difficulty fitting into the norms of the food world, mostly due to texture issues. Meat is a no-go, he lives on pasta/breads, dairy and fruit, which isn't horrible. He is learning to bake a little and just recently started putting pesto on his pasta, so that's progress. But in the grand scheme of things, food issues are other people's problem. He's healthy and although he could eat better, we found fighting against autism on food was just not worth it.
    When my son was 3 he was getting to the point where all he'd eat was grilled cheese or pasta. My wife though he might have a gluten and casein sensitivity so we cut that out of his diet (a major PITA in the early 2000s). Turns out he doesn't have to be GFCF, but what did happen is he started eating a whole lot of different stuff. He's still not the most adventurous eater, but I've known a lot of people with far more self-restricted diets.
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    Re: Autism awareness

    I'm not sure how much this will help, but I'll throw it out there:

    My son is ADHD, as part of our adventure in trying to help him, we came across a functional medicine doctor that recommended having him go gluten free. There is a lot of stuff in the gut that affects one behavior and feelings. There is a lot of research/studies/thoughts that limiting or eliminating gluten can help with things like Autism. Of course those studies are pushed by people like my son's functional medicine doctor and I'm sure there are studies out there would contradict them, but something for you to perhaps consider/look into. While my son's struggles are different than what you have gone thru, the change in diet (or perhaps its just maturity as he is now 14) has helped a bunch on his mood swings. If there is a period where we know he is going to stray too far into gluten or high carb food (like holidays when he lets himself induldge a bit) we know there will likely be a few rocky days ahead. To his credit he does really well with it, and has always been a hearty eater of any vegitable as well as meat and cheeses, so the change in diet has not been nearly as hard on the parent end as it could have been. Most pizza places carry gluten free crust and things like burgers can be ordered with out the bun so its much easier eating out today than it was in the early 2000s when M2 was going thru it.

    We also have a good friend who had a lot of the same struggles as a kid as my son has, she is the one who turned us onto the functional medicine doctor and believe the gluten free diet has helped her a ton in her adult life.

    anyhoo, something to consider and look into. I have no idea if it would help or not, and I have no clue if it will help with social interactions (I kind of doubt it). good luck on your journy, it can't be an easy thing to discover but at least you know what you are fighting and can look for solutions.
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    Re: Autism awareness

    Quote Originally Posted by medford View Post
    I'm not sure how much this will help, but I'll throw it out there:

    My son is ADHD, as part of our adventure in trying to help him, we came across a functional medicine doctor that recommended having him go gluten free. There is a lot of stuff in the gut that affects one behavior and feelings. There is a lot of research/studies/thoughts that limiting or eliminating gluten can help with things like Autism. Of course those studies are pushed by people like my son's functional medicine doctor and I'm sure there are studies out there would contradict them, but something for you to perhaps consider/look into. While my son's struggles are different than what you have gone thru, the change in diet (or perhaps its just maturity as he is now 14) has helped a bunch on his mood swings. If there is a period where we know he is going to stray too far into gluten or high carb food (like holidays when he lets himself induldge a bit) we know there will likely be a few rocky days ahead. To his credit he does really well with it, and has always been a hearty eater of any vegitable as well as meat and cheeses, so the change in diet has not been nearly as hard on the parent end as it could have been. Most pizza places carry gluten free crust and things like burgers can be ordered with out the bun so its much easier eating out today than it was in the early 2000s when M2 was going thru it.

    We also have a good friend who had a lot of the same struggles as a kid as my son has, she is the one who turned us onto the functional medicine doctor and believe the gluten free diet has helped her a ton in her adult life.

    anyhoo, something to consider and look into. I have no idea if it would help or not, and I have no clue if it will help with social interactions (I kind of doubt it). good luck on your journy, it can't be an easy thing to discover but at least you know what you are fighting and can look for solutions.
    Thank You.

    Yes holidays could feel especially stressful for me. The annual once a year visit to relatives where they always ask what's going on kind of thing. I am not every good verbalizing my thoughts to begin with so there's that. On the visit to the relatives house I dealt several times with overload.

    Yeah screwing as well with my usual meals come holiday time can throw me off as well. Not sure if it effected any mood swings but it feels like my anxiety overall increases this time of year.


    I like her channel. She has ADHD and autism. Useful tips for me


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    Re: Autism awareness

    I just had a really painful discussion with my daughter about her experience being the sibling of a person with autism. It was such a gut punch, a reminder that while we were exhausting ourselves, fighting with schools, seeking therapy, trying to make sense of behavior and generally wearing ourselves emotionally and mentally to the bone, there was this other sweet little human who was also suffering. I've always felt I have a mode of PTSD from the experience that I am beginning to recover from, and now I realize how much I still didn't do and how much damage was inflicted on my son's sister during her childhood.
    I feel like I've failed her, it's very difficult.
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