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I was initially self diagnosed.
I watched my parents go through HELL with my brother. Dan was born in 1980. At the age of 3, someone told my mother that he âwouldnât amount to anything.â She assumed that heâd be better off in a home.
Well...She was WRONG.
{I donât normally give anyone a glimpse into my life like this; however, I feel that after certain people have ridiculed the ENTIRE AUTISTIC community, I should be able to tell our story.}
My father always fought for my brother and I.
{I donât normally give anyone a glimpse into my life like this; however, I feel that after certain people have ridiculed the ENTIRE AUTISTIC community, I should be able to tell our story.}
My father always fought for my brother and I.
He was the parent who never judged us.
It took EIGHT YEARS for my brother to get a proper diagnosis. Yes, EIGHT.
His first #Autism diagnosis came in 1986.
Not only was it a fight to get him diagnosed, but his medical records from birth to 18 months had âmagically disappearedâ
It took EIGHT YEARS for my brother to get a proper diagnosis. Yes, EIGHT.
His first #Autism diagnosis came in 1986.
Not only was it a fight to get him diagnosed, but his medical records from birth to 18 months had âmagically disappearedâ
So my mother had NOTHING behind her in terms of evidence recorded in regards to his significant developmental delays.
At the age of three, he was selectively mute and couldnât walk. He did, conversely, take an ENTIRE stereo system apart and put it back together again.
At the age of three, he was selectively mute and couldnât walk. He did, conversely, take an ENTIRE stereo system apart and put it back together again.
It hadnât worked prior to this. And afterwards, it worked for about fifteen minutes. Pretty impressive for a three year old.
After the many years of MISDIAGNOSIS, I saw how discouraged my parents were. Family didnât want to help out.
They had NO outside support.
Nothing.
After the many years of MISDIAGNOSIS, I saw how discouraged my parents were. Family didnât want to help out.
They had NO outside support.
Nothing.
I was basically my brotherâs caretaker from the time I was six. Yes. I said six.
My mom had to jet over to the grocery store across the street from our apartment building to get cigarettes. So that gave me 20 minutes with just my brother & I.
And, I used this time wisely.
My mom had to jet over to the grocery store across the street from our apartment building to get cigarettes. So that gave me 20 minutes with just my brother & I.
And, I used this time wisely.
I taught him everything I knew.
I went through the alphabet, numbers, addition, subtraction, reading and spelling.
I was reading adult books by this age.
{Iâd already read War & Peace by the age of seven. I DONâT recommend it. It could have been MUCH shorter.}
I went through the alphabet, numbers, addition, subtraction, reading and spelling.
I was reading adult books by this age.
{Iâd already read War & Peace by the age of seven. I DONâT recommend it. It could have been MUCH shorter.}
My brother did know how to use words to form patterns of speech but they were disorganized.
He used a lot of echolalia.
He began to learn things rather quickly by the time he was ten.
I knew he was brilliant. Yet our mother still saw him as less. And I never knew why.
He used a lot of echolalia.
He began to learn things rather quickly by the time he was ten.
I knew he was brilliant. Yet our mother still saw him as less. And I never knew why.
So YES. I was skeptical. I didnât want to be misdiagnosed. Again.
Because I was. Several times.
I was given psychotropics so strong that I required hospitalization to wean off from them.
The connection I had with my brother was and still is indescribable.
Because I was. Several times.
I was given psychotropics so strong that I required hospitalization to wean off from them.
The connection I had with my brother was and still is indescribable.
He is an amazing person. Iâve always felt that bond with him. I always say things that he and I did which were very similar.
I even asked my own father just a week ago âGeez, when I was 5 or 6, no one thought âhey Jenny might be #autistic too?â â He smiled.
I even asked my own father just a week ago âGeez, when I was 5 or 6, no one thought âhey Jenny might be #autistic too?â â He smiled.
Then he said âWe just didnât know back then. Iâm sorry.â
He was absolutely right. Because even in the early 90âs, my brotherâs diagnosis was changing. They labeled him describing his level of âfunction.â I never realized how harmful that really was until a few months ago.
He was absolutely right. Because even in the early 90âs, my brotherâs diagnosis was changing. They labeled him describing his level of âfunction.â I never realized how harmful that really was until a few months ago.
So YES, I DID get an official diagnosis.
I first got a confirmation in 2009.
I was diagnosed by 2012.
Do I feel âself dxâ is valid? Yes
I used this to SEEK and confirm this diagnosis. I had been through medical school years prior & was going to school for Nursing back in 2006.
I first got a confirmation in 2009.
I was diagnosed by 2012.
Do I feel âself dxâ is valid? Yes
I used this to SEEK and confirm this diagnosis. I had been through medical school years prior & was going to school for Nursing back in 2006.
I understand that without a diagnosis, you donât get supports that you would if it were confirmed.
People MY age saw people called one thing, then another, then another, and yet ANOTHER. My Dad was right.
They didnât know back then. #Autism was fairly ânew.â
People MY age saw people called one thing, then another, then another, and yet ANOTHER. My Dad was right.
They didnât know back then. #Autism was fairly ânew.â
Meaning âit was becoming more recognized and diagnosed.â Clinically.
But NOT having an official DX doesnât make a person INVALID! It just means the system has probably failed them.
This is NOT true for everyone, however. Some people THINK they are #ActuallyAutistic...
But NOT having an official DX doesnât make a person INVALID! It just means the system has probably failed them.
This is NOT true for everyone, however. Some people THINK they are #ActuallyAutistic...
But they really are NOT.
That can be just as disheartening as labeling someone as âBipolarâ and having them come to find almost 20 years later that they ARE really autistic.
This is EQUALLY harmful on either end.
That can be just as disheartening as labeling someone as âBipolarâ and having them come to find almost 20 years later that they ARE really autistic.
This is EQUALLY harmful on either end.
The ONLY reason I am sharing this is because I want people to know:
Self dx or actual dx doesnât matter to me personally. I accept you ALL.
My family had been through enough. So I truly get it.
You are valid
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JUST MY VIEWS; NOT OPEN FOR ARGUMENT. WILL NOT DEBATE EITHER.
Self dx or actual dx doesnât matter to me personally. I accept you ALL.
My family had been through enough. So I truly get it.
You are valid
JUST MY VIEWS; NOT OPEN FOR ARGUMENT. WILL NOT DEBATE EITHER.
