disablities: social, learning ect.

[Jelly Bean]

Does anyone here have a disablity or know someone who has one? Do you have one? My sister, at the age of 26 was finally diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. Why did it take so long to find out she had this, well my parents simply did not believe in that kind of thing. My father has always viewed "autism" and "learning disablites" or emotional problems as just convient excuses to be lazy or have people cater to you. The thing is my older has always had problems I remember when we all pof us were kids my father telling us to do something and she would not react to him and then he would start yelling. She would even freak out (throw tantrums as my parents took it) over little things. Her teachers always wanted to put her on a specil education plan but my parents didn't want to take her out of the class room and felt she was just being lazy. And it really it has affected how she has developed as an adult. She really isn't as capable as other people her age and she ended up not finishing school. Now that she has documentation of her condiction she is getting some help.

My parents had the same feelings toward all my siblings and the thing is from middle school on I had series problems keeping up in class. My teachers susupected I had dyslexia but I was never tested. My parents always saw that as just an excuse for doing poorly in school. Actually it is one of the reasons I didn't finish high school and and got my GED instead. And that wasn't easy. I'm actually struggling a bit in college but I am planing on getting official testing.

Did anyone here ever grow up with autism or a learning disablity? How did it effect you growing up and how is it with you now as a grown up? Were the adults in your life supportive or were they non believers like my parents.

My father in particular thinks autism and other learning or mental disablites are just a bunch of liberal doctors trying to excuse bad behavior. His reasoning because no one had it years ago so why does everyone have a problem now.

[BubblyShell22]

I have a learning disability in math. I didn't find out about it until second grade. My parents were supportive of getting me help and even talked to my teacher. There was one specialist who refused to have me tested, and my teacher got mad at her and demanded that I get tested. I was in LD classes since then and even in high school, though my teacher there was an idiot. I had a lot of trouble in college and finally understood what my disability was and that was that I wasn't able to process things quicker than others. Luckily, I was able to have a tutor for my Statistics class, so I managed to graduate. That was the last class I needed and if I didn't pass it, I wasn't going to graduate. I hate math.

My BF has a learning disability in English, so I often helped him out when he needed it.

[CyberCubed]

Being bad in one particular subject doesn't mean you have a disability. I always hated math as a kid and it was my worst subject, but I got better at it around College.

Just like others who hate english/writing because they don't know how to properly write an essay...is that really a disability? I don't think so.

[Jester]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Just like others who hate english/writing because they don't know how to properly write an essay...is that really a disability? I don't think so.

With writing, dyslexia can come into play....

[Redeemer]

Originally Posted by Jelly Bean

My sister, at the age of 26 was finally diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. Why did it take so long to find out she had this,

His reasoning because no one had it years ago so why does everyone have a problem now.

I actually study psychology and is my current major.
To anwer the first part is because why are just now coming up with diagnoses for these behavior patterens. The reason it took so long for diagnoses for you sister is becasue no one saw the symotowms, (Parents being biased of the topic didn't help) But also your sister has a high function form of Autism. It is really tricky to make a proper diagnoses on a high functioning person with autism.

The funny thing is with all these new diagnoses and sense learning disabilities can run in families your dad my be diagnosed as well Not making fun of, but it is ironic sense your dad views modern prognoses as crap.

[CyberCubed]

Was autism/aspergers really diagnosed often for kids in the 80's and 90's?

There were always kids in my classes that seemed, "slow" or a bit strange, but they were just viewed as, "dumb kids" rather than actually diagnosed with anything.

Nowadays those kids would have been put into seperate classes...I don't think people knew better. That's why you have 25 year old adults diagnosed with autism for the first time, when they were kids in the 80's and 90's people didn't know better.

[Redeemer]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Was autism/aspergers really diagnosed often for kids in the 80's and 90's?

I dont even know if aspergers was a recognized disorder yet in the 80's or 90s. Autism itself is relatively new.

I just checked, my assumption was right aspergers was not even recognized by the world health organiztion until 1994!!!!!! So that would explain why you did not see many kids from those generation diagnosed and why his sister took so long to be dianosed.

[Refractive Reflections]

Originally Posted by Jelly Bean

My father in particular thinks autism and other learning or mental disablites are just a bunch of liberal doctors trying to excuse bad behavior. His reasoning because no one had it years ago so why does everyone have a problem now.

Well mental/learning disorders is a relatively new, and a FAR more complex field of medicine compared to physical ailments, in addition people in the past didn't have the technology or scientific information to properly test/diagnose others, so that's why your father hasn't heard about it. And as Redeemer has pointed out, medical committees have to formulate a "criteria list" after obtaining a deluge amount of statistical data, to see what would "qualify" for a mental/learning disorder.

Though I can understand your father's skepticism since I find it suspicious that there is an abundance of parents who want their children to have ADD/ADHD medication simply because they are "too much to handle" without realizing that children can be normally rambunctious, and not taking the proper medical steps toward confirming a learning/mental disability. One prominent example of some parents avoiding their child-rearing responsibilities is the growing trend of some parents using melatonin (hormone that used to regulate sleepiness) to make their infants/toddlers sleep without restlessness despite the worries of pediatricians.
http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/invest...167339615.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...426190246.html

Despite all this, there are particular testing procedures/protocols administrated by child development physicians that can provide a more accurate diagnosis, who can provide much more helpful information than solely depending on overworked primary care physicians (who only sees each child in 15 minutes or less).

[Eiko]

My youngest has ADD he is on meds as much as i hate it my son seems to be a lot happier it will get easier for him as he gets older i am told.

[gobo]

Originally Posted by Jelly Bean

Does anyone here have a disablity or know someone who has one?

Yes. Several.

Originally Posted by Jelly Bean

Do you have one?

Yep. A motor-skill deficiency. I couldn't pass a field sobriety test as I've never been able balance myself heel-to-toe.

Originally Posted by Jelly Bean

My father has always viewed "autism" and "learning disablites" or emotional problems as just convient excuses to be lazy or have people cater to you.

How nice of him. I suppose he thinks dwarfism is just a lame excuse not to reach the top shelf.

[Type 97 Chi-ha]

The trouble is, doctors can be wrong too, and often are. Look at the history of medical mistakes they make. I had testicular cancer which was initially misdiagnosed as orchitis, and I got the correct diagnosis when it didn't get better.

Also, medicines can be risky too. They might have bad side effects, especially on certain people (I'm allergic to penicillin and sulfa-found out after I had taken both), or they might be a new technology that turns out to be not so good after all. Thalidomide, anyone? Not the thing to give to pregnant women-as was found out the hard way.

Which is why people don't (and shouldn't) have blind faith in what the doctors say.

[Jester]

Redeemer's got it on the head, the reason the Autism Spectrum Disorders seem to have "Blown UP" in recent history is that as it's been studied, more and more has been learned about it and thus it becomes easier to diagnose and those previously unconfirmed, like Jelly Beans sister, can now be figured out. It's not some new epidemic...we just know what it is better now.

[Redeemer]

Originally Posted by Eiko

My youngest has ADD he is on meds as much as i hate it my son seems to be a lot happier it will get easier for him as he gets older i am told.

How old is he/she? People can actually grow out of it. Some forms of ADD are simply a part of the brain that matures slower than other parts of the brain.
They could very well grow out of it when they are in their 20s

[愛]

I was diagnosed with ADD in the third grade, and it's absolutely real. I struggled hard to pay attention in class, and even as an adult without medication I tend to stare at the clock while at work. It's tough on productivity.

You learn to live with it. It gives you personality and I could have a lot worse.

[Icebot]

I have autism and because of that, I hate asking lots of questions in one day and I hate asking questions I don't know how to explain.

And when people use a certain tone at me, it hurts my feelings.

[CyberCubed]

How is autism/aspergers syndrome even diagnosed anyway? Does it have to do with the dosage of certain chemicals in the brain?

People with aspergers are not stupid or, "mentally challenged," its just that they have difficulty in certain areas. Of course it depends on the degree, high-function autism means you can function among everyday society.

How is this stuff even found out anyway? Does a doctor just examine a dosage level in your brain and say, "Gee, this guy has autism!"

[Jester]

Pretty sure it's a set of behavioral "symptoms".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diagnos...erger_syndrome

[Dawnatello Turtle Chick]

My husband has Aspergers... He had no idea until just before we got married and suddenly he felt so much more at peace because he never understood why things were different for him (or as he thought about it: why people don't think of things the same way I do). Looking back- several members of his family are definitely Aspergian. His mom just refer's to it as the "Culver Temper" and is in denial that she and her daughter and her brother are Aspergian. Knowing that my husband has Aspergers has saved our marriage because we can find ways to work through communication problems that without the diagnoses would just seem like he was acting like a jerk or being contrary. We've done things like try discussing things while sitting side by side because he viewed face to face converstaions as intimidating... He has made a ton of progress and most people that just meet him just see him as geeky or odd- some don't even notice.

My most frustrating thing I deal with is misophonia. A very little known about disorder where basically certain sounds literally hurt (think nails on a chalkboard amplified). My worst trigger is mouth noises- chewing, slurping, people talking with too much spit in their mouth or heavy breathing. I can't eat with my family most days and I drive myself crazy if I eat bananas. I'm trying to work on it on my own... but I might have to seek help. No shame in getting help with a problem you can't fix on your own.

[mysterycolor]

I have Epilepsy- I was diagnosed 20yrs ago. It has caused me to have grand-mal seizures, petit-mal seizures, migraines and I also have terrible memory problems. My seizure activity as well as all of my memory problems are localized to my right temporal lobe. I have a Vagus Nerve Stimulator and 1 medication to treat the grand-mal seizures, another medication for petit-mal, 2 medications for migraines and the memory problems , well... they just can't seem to help that progression.

[Eiko]

Originally Posted by Redeemer

How old is he/she? People can actually grow out of it. Some forms of ADD are simply a part of the brain that matures slower than other parts of the brain.
They could very well grow out of it when they are in their 20s

Yes the doctor has told me he may grow out of it when he gets older or might not everybody is different he is 9 years old.