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I feel so confused right now...

Hurting89

Well-Known Member
After talking to an autism coordinator and their organization it looks like my province considers autism "retardation" and anyone that tests above 85 on an IQ test is technically not considered "autistic" as I found out the majority if those on the spectrum (at least according to them) have co-morbid MR by 70%.

Is this true? We get all this information about those with Asperger's having normal to above average intellect but is it just really all a lie? I feel like the general psychiatric consensus is that autism is mental retardation no matter what.

What is going on? And what's the real story. I find this confusing as Hell and don't understand.
 
... So because of this I'm no longer eligible for supports as an adult. I was hoping to go back to school and get some guidance around that as well as an updated psychological assessment but this isn't happening as I can't be "autistic" with an average IQ.
 
Where do you live? In the United States, its definetally not like that. We have something called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5 being the most current) and within that, autism is its own separate thing with its own list of symptoms. A psychologist can then diagnose a client/patient looking at that list to see what lines up. Mental retardation is its own separate thing, analyzed i believe with IQ testing.

Mental retardation and autism are not one in the same and here in the United States, calling it that as an organization would most certainly get the organization in trouble. They are wrong. Sure, people who are low functioning autistics probably also have low IQ scores, but that cannot be said about those who are higher up on the autism spectrum. IQ and autism are not one in the same - autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder, an IQ score is a measure of intelligence and below i believe 70 is considered mentally retarded.
 
...and i would get a second opinion. You mentioned no longer being eligible for benefits, which i take to mean you have been diagnosed before, correct? I would get a second opinion from another organization.
 
Hi, I would seek a second opinion too but also, maybe look at compiling some supporting evidence yourself, showing how autism is a sliding scale of abilities & how this applies to yourself in your daily life. Having a folder of independent source stuff to back you up is worthwhile, in my experience. It's absurd that somebody making decisions about autistic abilities, should appear so ignorant of the subject & I wonder, were they maybe saying that regardless of being assessed as autistic, you do not qualify for the support that they offer because due to limited resources, they can only help a limited number & therefore concentrate on individuals who have the most difficulty in dealing with life? I attended an AS drop-in session, inquiring about available support recently, from one of the UK's supporting agencies / charities. I had fairly negative experiences whilst there & the promised follow up call from someone who would be qualified to help me, did not happen either. It can be really tough.
 
Maybe this is just the new (didn't used to be like this) "Canadian" Criteria.

Whatever it is - Autism is considered a developmental delay affecting intellect in any form here.

I told the co-ordinator don't nearly all people with Asperger's have average intellect? his response was "Asperger's no longer exists. It's now under general autism spectrum and the majority have an intellectual disability".

I don't know what I'm left to do?
 
This isn't about getting any type of disability allowance or anything of that nature. I suffered two huge health set backs in my early 20's and could only work intermittently. At 25 now I am hoping to go back to school as my health has significantly improved but without the support of an agency I can't get any kind of financial subsidization to pay for community college. If my diagnosis is acknowledged I will be able to qualify for government grant or loan but without it.. Nope.
 
If it's a fully stonewalled situation, it might be worth trawling the net for any other available financial help via bursaries & charitable organizations to help assist you?? Do the health setbacks you mention enable you to qualify (or part qualify) for financial help on other grounds? I ask this because when I got a financial award to return to study as a mature student, my autism assessment figured but so too did physical stuff, so my financial award reflected both. I've had many significant accidents from being unaware: concussion & damaged discs in my neck from diving into the shallow end of a pool, nearly fell into a threshing machine, numerous falls, hit by cars, people etc, so I have collateral physical damage arising from autistic-unawareness, maybe there is other med stuff you could use to bolster your case? I don't know what else to suggest but I feel for you & hope you find resolution here :)
 
Maybe this is just the new (didn't used to be like this) "Canadian" Criteria.

Whatever it is - Autism is considered a developmental delay affecting intellect in any form here.

I told the co-ordinator don't nearly all people with Asperger's have average intellect? his response was "Asperger's no longer exists. It's now under general autism spectrum and the majority have an intellectual disability".

I don't know what I'm left to do?
There is so much wrong with lumping in Asperger Syndrome with autism, I don't know where to begin. (Apologies if a thread exists on this topic, as I'm sure it does. As a new member, I'm still familiarising myself with the topics on this forum).
 
^ you know what? I originally supported the DSM-5 as I hated the fact that so much over diagnosis was occurring back in the mid to late 2000's. But now I see what it's done.. It's set us back about 30 years in terms of autism accuracy. In the mid to late 00's at least society was beginning to understand that IQ and autism were irrelevant. Now.. As it is where I live not so much.

The elimination if Asperger's dwindled the spectrum so much.
 
If they're not playing by the standards on what autism is and isn't it puzzles me why they do settle for an arbitrary standard such as IQ scores.

If you're going to discard diagnostics tools, just get rid of them all and level the field. This merely feels like they consider it something else purely out of convenience.

And if he wants to get pedantic on it and go with "the majority have an intellectual disability"; majority does not mean all. In a more passive-agressive tone one could also say "I've met plenty of professionals in your field, the majority appear to have some kind of intellectual disability".

But really; it sounds more like they conveniently bend the rules on what constitutes autism and what doesn't, just to screw people out of support and free up resources.

You mention Canada; would it be Quebec or any other French speaking areas? A while ago I read the French (as in France) do have a bit of a weird stance towards autism and Asperger's in their mental healthcare field.
 
It's set us back about 30 years in terms of autism accuracy
Hits the nail on the head. Especially when more and more accounts are coming out, giving us an increasingly accurate understanding of all the manifestations of Aspergers - male & female, adults & children, heterosexual and homosexual, introverts and extraverts, externalising and internalising, kind/conscious and psychopathic.

Disrupted sleep patterns/ insomnia, for example, is such a recurring feature of Asperger's, why has this not made it into the list of diagnostic criteria? We should be refining our understanding *for the benefit of the autistic spectrum individuals*, not crudely amalgamating all the distinctions - to simplify things administratively? Or to pander society's appetite for unequivocal, unnuanced messages that can compete against the cacophony of media culture?

Hopefully high-achieving suspected Aspergers like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg will help to change the stereotype of associating 'autistic spectrum' with 'low IQ'.
 

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