This blog post describes how an Autism Profile from Aspiedent has had life changing impacts on a young woman and people around her (name has been changed for privacy purposes). Angela can now hold conversations, is building relationships and studying at colleague for Maths and English. None of this was possible before we met her.
You or your child have just been given an Autism diagnosis after months maybe even years of waiting to have an assessment. Months of struggling with various issues and trying to get support, months of been sent down different pathways, exhausting form filling and been sent on different courses all of which have no benefit whatsoever. Fighting with school to get the right interventions put in place or challenging discussions with your manager to understand your difficulties. When finally, you get the appointment you have long awaited and receive your diagnosis. So, what happens now, where do you go for support? What does an autism diagnosis actually tell you?
Autistic children can be strongly drawn to gaming which may result in spending excessive amounts of time online, become socially withdrawn or obsessive, and react badly to comments from other players. Whilst it is also noted that there are many benefits of online gaming and specific apps to support autistic people. Here we discuss whether video games are good or bad for autistic children.
When it comes to jobs for autistic people, there are many stereotypes about which types of roles are suitable – and which are not. It’s a huge misconception that autistic people should not be in customer-facing roles because of having poor social skills, and we’re going to explore the reasons why this is not always true. But first, let’s put in simple terms what a customer-facing role means.
This is a personal account from a Mother detailing how her child with Autism was struggling at school. It details how a profile through Aspiedent has made a life changing impact to her daughter's school and home life.
With the rise in popularity of the American science fiction TV series Stranger Things, and the recent release of Season 4 Volume 2, now is the perfect time to raise awareness of the danger of glorifying superpowers. Why being a neurodiverse person with a superpower is not a positive association to make for many, and why the term 'autism is a superpower' actually puts many autistic people at an even greater disadvantage.
It is common for people diagnosed with Autism to also be given diagnoses for other conditions such as Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, and ADHD. This blog post explores why this is the case. It turns out that the causes of the symptoms for these conditions are included within the causes of the symptoms for autism. The problem is that autism is an umbrella term that encompasses a vast range of difficulties. Having further diagnoses helps to narrow down the difficulties so that more targeted interventions can be put in place.
There is often a misconception that many Autistic people have what appears to be 'superpowers', but this really isn't the case. While we can give examples of autistic people who have superpowers, this is actually rare. Most autistic people do not have superpowers. For those who do have superpowers, it is not always clear whether these are innate or as a result of an aptitude that has been very well developed. It is not uncommon for Autistic people have an uneven ability profile. This can make the results of IQ test meaningless.
We discuss how many autistic people are categorised as having lower intelligence than they actually have. A few even get categorised as having a learning disability, but then go on to get a PhD! If someone has a processing difficulty regarding what’s going on around them, struggling to process speech and unable to hold a conversation, it doesn’t mean that they don't have a high level of intelligence. If they get the opportunity to learn about something that interests them, there is no reason why they shouldn't do well in an appropriate job – or even get a PhD!
A first hand account of the impact of an autism profile on a boy and his mother. The impact on the boy now having a way to describe his experience of the world and how he is feeling is profound. The impact of the mother now understanding her son has been life changing for both of them.