Is ASD Diagnosis an Excuse to Misbehave ?

[Sa Skimrande]

Quite simple, the title needs no explanation other than to say do we abuse our diagnosi ?

 

And if we do are we aware of what we are actually doing as to bear in mind what with the recent shooting incident in the US where the perpetrator has been rightly or wrongly described as on the autistic spectrum, be aware there is a lot of negativity setting in regards this identified cognitive difference which only serves to hinder ourselves not help and fine there is a vast difference between murder and on online activity but we must remember what abuses we commit in our social lives will contribute to a negative understanding of us.

[matzoball]

http://flappinessis.com/a-syllogism-some-autistic-people-really-are-jerks/

 

Really good article about the same sort of thing by a mother of a child on the spectrum.

 

To me, just because we are autistic doesn't automatically mean we are all angels. We should all strive to be good people, it doesn't mean we all do.

[Suze]

Just to pick up on Skimrandes comment regarding the US shooting tragedy.I was at a talk given to the Police by Prof Digby Tantam a few years back.He had researched wether those on the spectrum were more likely to commit serious crime (murder came under this )He found that anyone on the spectrum was in fact less likely to commit serious crime.......or any crime for that matter.The ratio of neurotypical prisoners compared to that with a dx of autism/as..., was 10 times that comparatively .So an autistic is 10 times less likely to commit crime than a neurotypical.I think the video games and lack of social experience were more of a factor than autism as regards the shooting in the US.

........Going back to the original thread title , As a parent I was more stricter with my autistic son , than I was with my other 2 kids.He needed firmer rules and clearer boundaries.If he ever misbehaved it was usually displayed in behaviours resulting from over stimulation, so I quickly learnt as a parent that taking him to the wacky warehouse (soft play type play place) was a bad idea as he could,nt cope with the noise and havoc there.He would become upset which to anyone else watching could be percieved as bad behaviour but was infact him not coping.He never misbehaved deliberately like my other 2 kids did .I,ve never let him use his dx as an excuse for anything, he is who h is regardless of his dx.He has grown into a very well rounded young man and I,m very proud of him and his achievements.

[Lynden]

I think sometimes being on the spectrum can be a reason for behaviour, but never an excuse. For example my sons sensory issues and anxiety occasionally result in him displaying challenging behaviour. It's never an excuse for that behaviour though as being aggressive is not okay.

[Soda]

Having only recently been told about my daughter's diagnosis I am trying really hard not to do anything different at all other than be more patient! Was told the reason she is doing so well is because of what I do. But I am very strict, I think.

Soda

[Shnoing]

You need an "excuse" if you've got "theory of mind". I don't.

 

What I need, though, are informations about what isn't done (and why, sometimes), so I can consider changing my way of doing things.

Difficult thing is e.g. you get told to do something by a classmate and it turns out to be wrong. What then?

[Nesf]

I think that appropiate behaviour may not come naturally but it can be learnt. If a person with ASD does or says something inappropiate they can be gently told what the appropiate action would be so they can correct it. In that case allowances must be made. Behaving badly on purpose is a different matter - there's no excuse for that.

[JeanneA]

Lynden: my son Glen sounds just like your sons, Glen has major sensory issues and severe anxiety which definitely results in his behaviour being very challenging indeed. However as you said it's never an excuse for aggressive behaviour.